Part A of this bill repeals the provisions in law that established the paid family and medical leave benefits program. Part A requires the Department of Labor to refund contributions made by employers and self-employed individuals to the Department of Labor under the paid family and medical leave benefits program and requires an employer that deducted a portion of the premium required for an employee from that employee's wages to remit that portion of the premium to the employee as part of the employee's wages. Part A also requires the State Controller to transfer unappropriated funds from the Department of Labor, Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Fund, Other Special Revenue Funds account to the unappropriated surplus of the General Fund. Part B of the bill establishes a voluntary paid family and medical leave program for employers of 50 or more employees and also allows individual employees whose employers do not participate in the program to voluntarily participate. Part B requires the Commissioner of Labor to contract with an insurance company authorized to do business in this State to provide this coverage after a competitive bidding process. The commissioner is required to issue the request for proposals no later than January 1, 2026, and voluntary paid family and medical leave coverage must be available for purchase no later than January 1, 2027. The program provides employees who are eligible for paid family and
43 medical leave with 60% of their average weekly wage, up to a maximum amount based on
44 the cap on wages eligible for social security benefits, for up to 6 weeks per year.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text LD 1273, HP 848: 5.12004, 3.959, 26.42