Landmark family leave bill signed in time for Mother’s Day

OLYMPIA – After several months of intense negotiations, compromise and some nail biting, a bill setting up a family leave program was signed into law today. Washington will be the second state to offer this benefit.

“Working families welcoming their newborns or newly adopted children will have less anxiety and more security,” said Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Kent, sponsor of Senate Bill 5659. “Thanks to this law, they no longer will have to make the awful choice between bonding with their new baby and returning to work so they can pay the rent.”

“Family leave to bond with infants is the best Father’s Day and Mother’s Day present we could give to the parents of Washington,” said Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson, D-Seattle. “All the research shows it will pay huge dividends to the health and well-being of children that will last a lifetime.”

Agreement on the landmark bill was reached last month as the Senate voted 26-21 on a compromise the House earlier approved by a 57-41 vote.

The law will allow qualified employees — those who have worked at least 680 hours during their qualifying year — to take five weeks of leave for the birth of a child or placement of an adopted child. Benefits are capped at $250 a week and prorated for part-time employees. Worker protections are in place that are identical to those allowed under federal law for returning to the position held before leave. To be eligible, an employee must have worked for an employer for at least 1,250 hours in the previous 12 months. Employers with fewer than 25 employees are not required to offer job protection for an employee taking family leave.

Leave taken under this program must be concurrent with leave under federal law. An employer may require that family leave be taken concurrently with similar leave allowed under the terms of a collective bargaining agreement or employer policy.

The law also sets up a 13-member joint legislative task force charged with looking at program requirements and how they should be financed. Its report to the Legislature is due Jan. 1, 2008.

Benefits start on Oct. 1, 2009. Funds to set up administration of the program will come from a loan from the Industrial Insurance Supplemental Pension Fund. Any funds loaned will be reimbursed, with interest, within two years.

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