SB 384 Summary

• Creates Chapter 444 establishing the "Florida Paid Family Care Leave Act" requiring employers to provide up to 6 weeks of paid leave for employees to bond with a newborn, adopted child, or child placed through foster care within the first year, effective January 1, 2017.

• Applies to employees working an average of 20 or more hours per week; employees must request leave as soon as practicable and notify employer of anticipated duration; employers may require reasonable documentation to verify eligibility.

• Prohibits employers from taking adverse action against employees for requesting or using family care leave; establishes rebuttable presumption of violation if adverse action occurs within 90 days of leave-related activity; allows 3-year statute of limitations for civil actions.

• Amends Florida Civil Rights Act to prohibit employment discrimination based on pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, including providing up to 4 months unpaid leave, maintaining health insurance coverage, reasonable accommodations, and return rights to same or comparable position.

• Requires employers to notify employees of family care leave rights through posted notices or employee handbooks; Department of Economic Opportunity must create model notice and poster in multiple languages; violation penalties are $125 for first offense and $250 for subsequent violations.