Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), author of the Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA), announced in February his intent to introduce legislation which would expand FMLA coverage into paid leave rights and extend coverage to more workers. (Right now, eligibility is limited to those who’ve worked at least 1,250 hours and 12 months for the employer from whom leave is sought.) The pending bill already enjoys some bipartisan support, as Republican Senator Ted Stevens (AK) has announced his intent to co-sponsor the bill with Senator Dodd.

At the announcement press conference, Senator Dodd had this to say about the costs of taking unpaid leave in family and medical emergencies:

“Besides our nation’s families, our nation’s economy, its production and its competitiveness are threatened when families are forced to choose between the job they need and the family they love,” Dodd said. “FMLA was a milestone in our nation’s dialogue, acknowledging that families, workforce production and competitiveness are not mutually exclusive.”

The pending bill would provide up to 6 weeks of paid leave, to be funded through a cost-sharing mechanism affecting employer, employee, and the Federal Government. Senator Dodd also wrote an editorial on the subject that appeared in The New Hampshire Union Leader, which you can read here.

What You Can Do

Write to your elected representatives and let them know you support this legislation, and encourage them to do whatever they can to make sure it proceeds smoothly through the legislative process. Let them know you’ll be watching this closely, and will pay attention to how they vote! Here’s a handy portal to contact information for a wide variety of elected officials.

You can see Senator Dodd’s announcement here on his website, along with video of the announcement. Thanks to the Workplace Prof Blog for alerting us to this pending legislation.