Bill introduced to include parental leave in Montgomery County sick and safe leave provisions

For Immediate Release: Thursday, August 4, 2016

Bill to expand sick and safe leave to include

parental leave introduced

before Montgomery County Council

Councilmember Tom Hucker is lead sponsor

of bill to extend benefits for

many public and private employees in County

 

ROCKVILLE, Md., August 3, 2016—Montgomery County Councilmember Tom Hucker on Aug. 2 introduced Bill 32-16 that would provide that certain public and private employees working in the County may use earned sick and safe leave for parental purposes. Councilmember Tom Hucker is the lead sponsor of the bill. Council Vice President Roger Berliner and Councilmembers Marc Elrich, Sidney Katz and Nancy Navarro are co-sponsors.

A public hearing on the legislation is tentatively scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 20.

In 2015, the Council enacted Bill 60-14 that requires an employer doing business in the County to provide a minimum amount of earned sick and safe leave for an employee who works in the County. Bill 60-14 was enacted with a delayed effective date of Oct. 1, 2016 to give employers time to adapt their payroll systems to the new law. The County Office of Human Rights has been meeting with County businesses over the past year to explain the new law and answer questions.

Under the provisions of Bill 60-14, an employee may use earned sick and safe leave for several enumerated purposes. Bill 32-16 would add two related purposes for which use of sick and safe leave will be permitted.

“When the Council passed the sick and safe leave law last year, we understood that men and women need access to leave to care for themselves and for their families,” said Councilmember Hucker. “This is especially important for new parents who want to spend time with their new children so they have the opportunity to develop strong family attachments and relationships. This bill allows workers to use the leave they have already earned for childbirth, adoption and foster care—without any additional cost to employers. While this bill is not a substitute for comprehensive parental leave legislation, it is a step in the right direction.” 

The proposed legislation would permit the use of sick and safe leave for the birth of a child, for the placement of a child with the employee for adoption or foster care; and to care for a newborn, newly adopted or newly placed child within one year of birth, adoption or placement.

The new provisions extend the provisions of Bill 60-14, which when it goes into effect will allow an employee to use sick or safe leave:

• To are for or treat the employee's mental or physical illness, injury or condition.
• To obtain preventive medical care for the employee or the employee's family member.
• To care for a family member with a mental or physical illness, injury or condition.
• If the employer's place of business has closed by order of a public official due to a public health emergency.
• If the school or child care center for the employee's family member is closed by order of a public official due to a public health emergency.
• To care for a family member if a health official or health care provider has determined that the family member's presence in the community would jeopardize the health of others because of the family member's exposure to a communicable disease.
• If the absence from work is due to domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking committed against the employee or the employee's family member and the leave is used.

 

# # # # Release ID: 16-243
Media Contact: Neil Greenberger 240-777-7939, Delphine Harriston 240-777-7931