The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is seeking information from the public about the effectiveness of paid employee family and medical leave.
In a Request for Information (RFI) issued July 15, 2020, the DOL said it intends to gather information about the effectiveness of current state-and employer-provided paid leave programs, and how access or lack of access to these programs impacts workers and their families.
The RFI explains that “paid leave programs” for its purposes refers to paid family and medical leave to care for a family member’s, or for one’s own, health.
According to the DOL, the information provided will help the agency identify promising practices related to eligibility requirements, costs and administrative models of existing paid leave programs.
RFI Requests Responses to Specific Questions
The RFI requests information on identified topics and answers to specific questions from members of the general public, employers, employees and the research community. The topics include, but are not limited to:
• The benefits of paid leave, the costs of paid leave, and the measurement of costs and benefits.
• The beneficiaries of paid leave and the bearer of the costs.
• The unique needs of workers and employers in regard to paid time off for care obligations.
The deadline to submit comments, data and information is 60 days following the RFI’s publication in the Federal Register (expected July 16, 2020). Commenters are encouraged to submit electronically, to http://www.regulations.gov.
The DOL is seeking comments to help document and report on paid leave practices and the benefits and costs associated with different approaches.
Important Dates
July 15, 2020
DOL issues Request for Information (RFI) about the effectiveness of paid family and medical leave.
Sept. 14, 2020
Deadline for comments to the RFI, based on anticipated publication date in the Federal Register of July 16, 2020.
This Legal Update is not intended to be exhaustive nor should any discussion or opinions be construed as legal advice. Readers should contact legal counsel for legal advice. ©2020 Zywave, Inc. All rights reserved.