Wisconsin Legislators Introduce Family Medical Leave Insurance Act

Proposal gives working families needed benefit to care for family or themselves without giving up pay

MADISON, Wis. – State Senator Janis Ringhand (D-Evansville) and Representative Sondy Pope (D-Cross Plains) have introduced the Family Medical Leave Insurance Act (FMLIA).

This Act creates a Family Medical Leave Insurance program which is completely paid for by employees. Under the program, a participating employee is eligible to receive a percentage of their pay during a time when they take family or medical leave from work.

This program would not cost employers anything, instead the employee would contribute a certain percentage of their check into a trust fund. The percentage is to be determined by the Department of Workforce Development in consultation with the Office of Commissioner of Insurance.

The Act also seeks to expand Wisconsin’s current Family Medical Leave law by allowing employees to take family leave to care for anyone covered under the current law plus grandparents, grandchildren, siblings, and any eligible employees who has an eligible family member deployed overseas by the military.

This program is modeled after existing programs in place in California, New Jersey, and Rhode Island.