Paid Family Leave Laws and the Evolving Expectations of Employees

More and more U.S. workers seek support from their employers when they need time off to deal with a loss or health-related challenge, or to care for a child or family member. That’s why paid family leave is one of the most requested – and coveted – employee benefits today. “When employees need time off to deal with a personal obstacle or challenge, it can create financial instability,” said Lisa Bauer, G&A Partners’ Director of Compliance Services, in our latest webinar, “Paid Family Leave Laws and the Evolving Expectations of Employees.” “Employers should consider providing some version of paid family leave - even if not mandated by state law. Employees want to work for organizations that invest in their employees’ growth, development, and well-being and recognize they have lives outside of work.”

Kelley Zanfardino, G&A Partners’ Manager of Compliance Services, said the U.S. has been slow to evolve its leave laws and, in fact, still has not passed a nationwide paid leave law. The federal Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allows employees of covered employers up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons. Still, it does not mandate employers pay workers while away from the workplace. Twelve states – and the District of Columbia - have passed laws requiring paid family leave programs, but their requirements and benefits vary by state. Because of this, companies that operate in more than one state may find it challenging to administer paid leave benefits on an “equal” basis, particularly if some of their employees work in states without no paid leave program.

Lisa Bauer and Kelley Zanfardino cover a range of topics in this webinar that help employers navigate the maze of paid family leave laws and steps to remain in compliance and stay on top of employee expectations of paid leave. Those topics include:

• How unpaid and paid family leave has evolved worldwide through the years and where the U.S. ranks compared to other countries. For example, one European nation offers almost three years of paid family leave.
• How existing paid leave laws vary across the U.S., and which state paid leave programs are poised to come online in the next few years.
• The differences between maternity, paternity, and parental leave - and paid family leave.
• How different types of state paid leave programs are funded and administered.
• Best practices your business can implement to attract and recruit employees in today’s competitive labor market, whether you are required to provide paid family leave or not.
• What lawmakers are doing to make paid family leave more affordable to lower-paid workers.

You can access the full webinar recording above and download the slides. It has been pre-certified by the Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI) and The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) for one hour of HR general recertification credit. To earn HRCI recertification credit, you must watch the video above in its entirety and follow the instructions to request your credit. Also, check out G&A Series: Paid Family Leave for additional information about paid (and unpaid) leave laws, the trending paternity leave movement, and how your company can support working parents and caregivers.

If you have additional questions after viewing the presentation or need help tackling your HR needs, let’s talk soon. For other resources, go to G&A Partner’s website and submit questions to info@gnapartners.com.

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