During a press conference on February 2nd, 2023, President Joe Biden announced he signed a memorandum laying out a national program of paid family and medical leave for employees. The conference also marked the 30th anniversary of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The FMLA entitles eligible employees of covered employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons with continuation of group health insurance coverage under the same terms and conditions as if the employee had not taken leave. Eligible employees are entitled to the following:
- 12 workweeks of leave within 12 months for:
- The birth of a child and care for the newborn child within one year of birth
- The placement with the employee of a child for adoption or foster care and to care for the newly placed child within one year of placement
- To care for the employee's spouse, child, or parent who has a serious health condition
- A serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the essential functions of his or her job
- Any qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that the employee's spouse, son, daughter, or parent is a covered military member on "covered active duty"
- 26 workweeks of leave during a single 12-month period to care for a covered servicemember with a serious injury or illness if the eligible employee is the servicemember's spouse, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin (military caregiver leave)
Improvements That Will Be Made
As millions of workers across the country still face impossible choices between keeping a paycheck and caring for their families or themselves, the Biden-Harris Administration has taken proactive steps to assist these workers. Alongside this announcement at the press conference, they will continue to take action on national paid family and medical leave, affordable childcare, and home and community-based care so that all Americans can care for and financially support their families.
President Biden’s memorandum will support Federal employees’ access to leave. It specifically calls on the head of Federal agencies to better support the access to leave without pay for Federal employees. In addition, it will also build on additional Administration efforts, improving access to and awareness of family and medical leave, which include the following:
- Ensuring military personnel have access to 12 weeks of paid parental leave
- Support paid leave efforts in states
- Assisting employees that are impacted by cancer to understand their rights under the FMLA
Alongside these efforts, the actions will also build on actions taken to support the economic security for women and families, which include:
- Protecting the health and economic security of pregnant workers
- Extending protections for nursing employees
- Increasing investments in early childhood education and childcare
- Supporting women's rights to be safe in the workplace and free from sexual harassment and assault
Additional Steps That Should Be Taken
While there’s still much work to do to help employees during times of need, it’s essential as a business owner to take additional steps to ensure your employees get the help they need. While laws constantly change, perhaps you focus on enhancing your benefits program offerings. Do you currently offer benefits to your employees? Are there any other benefits you could offer your employees? Do you currently provide maternity leave? The main question you should ask yourself during these unprecedented times is, how can I stand out from my competition? In a tight labor market, you must find ways to stand out from the competition, and the number one way to do that is through your benefits program. Companies that offer great compensation and benefits to employees experience 56% lower attrition.
So, where do you begin? Partner with a professional employer organization (PEO) like GMS to help you stand out from businesses similar to yours. While we offer HR, risk management, and payroll services, we also help you choose a competitive benefits program that your employees want and need. As HR professionals, we take on the administrative burdens that companies don’t have the time or expertise to manage effectively. Contact us today to get started.