H.B. 236 - Family Leave Insurance Program

• Establishes a family leave insurance program administered by the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, providing up to 16 weeks of paid family leave per calendar year (increased from 4 weeks).

• Expands coverage to all employers with one or more employees who meet hourly qualifications, eliminating the previous 100-employee threshold for employer coverage.

• Creates a family leave insurance fund financed by employer and employee contributions based on the same rate as the temporary disability insurance fund, with benefits calculated as 50-90% of average weekly wage depending on income level.

• Extends eligibility to care for children within 12 months of birth/adoption/foster placement, family members with serious health conditions, qualifying service members, and for qualifying exigencies related to military deployment.

• Includes employment protections requiring restoration to original or equivalent position after leave, prohibits retaliation, allows self-employed individuals to elect coverage, and permits employees to use accrued paid leave concurrently with family leave benefits.