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A bill to allow Americans to earn paid sick time so that they can address their own health needs and the health needs of their families.

USA115th CongressS-636| Senate 
| Updated: 3/15/2017
Patty Murray

Patty Murray

Democratic Senator

Washington

Cosponsors (37)
Mazie K. Hirono (Democratic)Tammy Duckworth (Democratic)Margaret Wood Hassan (Democratic)Tom Udall (Democratic)Dianne Feinstein (Democratic)Catherine Cortez Masto (Democratic)Patrick J. Leahy (Democratic)Richard J. Durbin (Democratic)Edward J. Markey (Democratic)Charles E. Schumer (Democratic)Jack Reed (Democratic)Kirsten E. Gillibrand (Democratic)Elizabeth Warren (Democratic)Christopher A. Coons (Democratic)Kamala D. Harris (Democratic)Angus S. King (Independent)Amy Klobuchar (Democratic)Robert P. Casey (Democratic)Tim Kaine (Democratic)Sheldon Whitehouse (Democratic)Chris Van Hollen (Democratic)Christopher Murphy (Democratic)Debbie Stabenow (Democratic)Martin Heinrich (Democratic)Michael F. Bennet (Democratic)Sherrod Brown (Democratic)Bernard Sanders (Independent)Al Franken (Democratic)Maria Cantwell (Democratic)Tammy Baldwin (Democratic)Cory A. Booker (Democratic)Benjamin L. Cardin (Democratic)Robert Menendez (Democratic)Jeff Merkley (Democratic)Gary C. Peters (Democratic)Ron Wyden (Democratic)Richard Blumenthal (Democratic)

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Healthy Families Act This bill requires certain employers, who employ 15 or more employees for each working day during 20 or more workweeks a year, to permit each employee to earn at least 1 hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked. The bill authorizes small employers with fewer than 15 employees to provide the same paid sick time, but allows them to opt out. Any small employer that opts out shall provide at least 56 hours of unpaid sick time to each employee per calendar year. The bill declares that an employer shall not be required to permit an employee to earn more than 56 hours of paid sick time in a calendar year, unless the employer chooses to set a higher limit. Employees may use such time to: (1) meet their own medical needs; (2) care for the medical needs of certain family members (including a domestic partner or the domestic partner's parent or child); or (3) seek medical attention, assist a related person, take legal action, or engage in other specified activities relating to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. The bill prohibits an employer from interfering with an employee's exercise of such rights. The Commissioner of Labor Statistics must compile information annually on paid sick time and the Comptroller General shall study related matters. The bill declares that nothing in this bill shall be construed to discourage employers from adopting or retaining more generous leave policies. The Department of Labor shall exercise certain investigative and enforcement authority for employees covered by this bill, the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, or the Government Employee Rights Act of 1991. The same authority is granted to the Library of Congress, the Government Accountability Office, the Office of Compliance, and the Merit Systems Protection Board for employees under their jurisdictions. The bill authorizes civil actions by employees, individuals, or their representatives for damages or equitable relief against employers who violate this bill.
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Timeline
Mar 13, 2017

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 115-1516
Introduced in House
Mar 15, 2017
Introduced in Senate
Mar 15, 2017
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  • March 13, 2017

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 115-1516
    Introduced in House


  • March 15, 2017
    Introduced in Senate


  • March 15, 2017
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Labor and Employment

Related Bills

  • HR 115-1516: To allow Americans to earn paid sick time so that they can address their own health needs and the health needs of their families.
Assault and harassment offensesCivil actions and liabilityCongressional agenciesCongressional officers and employeesCongressional oversightDomestic violence and child abuseEmployee leaveEmployment discrimination and employee rightsGovernment Accountability Office (GAO)Government employee pay, benefits, personnel managementGovernment information and archivesGovernment liabilityGovernment studies and investigationsLibrary of CongressMarriage and family statusMerit Systems Protection BoardSex offensesSmall businessState and local government operations

A bill to allow Americans to earn paid sick time so that they can address their own health needs and the health needs of their families.

USA115th CongressS-636| Senate 
| Updated: 3/15/2017
Healthy Families Act This bill requires certain employers, who employ 15 or more employees for each working day during 20 or more workweeks a year, to permit each employee to earn at least 1 hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked. The bill authorizes small employers with fewer than 15 employees to provide the same paid sick time, but allows them to opt out. Any small employer that opts out shall provide at least 56 hours of unpaid sick time to each employee per calendar year. The bill declares that an employer shall not be required to permit an employee to earn more than 56 hours of paid sick time in a calendar year, unless the employer chooses to set a higher limit. Employees may use such time to: (1) meet their own medical needs; (2) care for the medical needs of certain family members (including a domestic partner or the domestic partner's parent or child); or (3) seek medical attention, assist a related person, take legal action, or engage in other specified activities relating to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. The bill prohibits an employer from interfering with an employee's exercise of such rights. The Commissioner of Labor Statistics must compile information annually on paid sick time and the Comptroller General shall study related matters. The bill declares that nothing in this bill shall be construed to discourage employers from adopting or retaining more generous leave policies. The Department of Labor shall exercise certain investigative and enforcement authority for employees covered by this bill, the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, or the Government Employee Rights Act of 1991. The same authority is granted to the Library of Congress, the Government Accountability Office, the Office of Compliance, and the Merit Systems Protection Board for employees under their jurisdictions. The bill authorizes civil actions by employees, individuals, or their representatives for damages or equitable relief against employers who violate this bill.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
Mar 13, 2017

Latest Companion Bill Action

HR 115-1516
Introduced in House
Mar 15, 2017
Introduced in Senate
Mar 15, 2017
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  • March 13, 2017

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    HR 115-1516
    Introduced in House


  • March 15, 2017
    Introduced in Senate


  • March 15, 2017
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Patty Murray

Patty Murray

Democratic Senator

Washington

Cosponsors (37)
Mazie K. Hirono (Democratic)Tammy Duckworth (Democratic)Margaret Wood Hassan (Democratic)Tom Udall (Democratic)Dianne Feinstein (Democratic)Catherine Cortez Masto (Democratic)Patrick J. Leahy (Democratic)Richard J. Durbin (Democratic)Edward J. Markey (Democratic)Charles E. Schumer (Democratic)Jack Reed (Democratic)Kirsten E. Gillibrand (Democratic)Elizabeth Warren (Democratic)Christopher A. Coons (Democratic)Kamala D. Harris (Democratic)Angus S. King (Independent)Amy Klobuchar (Democratic)Robert P. Casey (Democratic)Tim Kaine (Democratic)Sheldon Whitehouse (Democratic)Chris Van Hollen (Democratic)Christopher Murphy (Democratic)Debbie Stabenow (Democratic)Martin Heinrich (Democratic)Michael F. Bennet (Democratic)Sherrod Brown (Democratic)Bernard Sanders (Independent)Al Franken (Democratic)Maria Cantwell (Democratic)Tammy Baldwin (Democratic)Cory A. Booker (Democratic)Benjamin L. Cardin (Democratic)Robert Menendez (Democratic)Jeff Merkley (Democratic)Gary C. Peters (Democratic)Ron Wyden (Democratic)Richard Blumenthal (Democratic)

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

Labor and Employment

Related Bills

  • HR 115-1516: To allow Americans to earn paid sick time so that they can address their own health needs and the health needs of their families.
  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Assault and harassment offensesCivil actions and liabilityCongressional agenciesCongressional officers and employeesCongressional oversightDomestic violence and child abuseEmployee leaveEmployment discrimination and employee rightsGovernment Accountability Office (GAO)Government employee pay, benefits, personnel managementGovernment information and archivesGovernment liabilityGovernment studies and investigationsLibrary of CongressMarriage and family statusMerit Systems Protection BoardSex offensesSmall businessState and local government operations