SB 44 - This act allows employees to take six weeks of paid leave for family or medical reasons. The Family Temporary Disability Insurance Program is created to provide up to six weeks of paid leave for workers who take time off work to care for a seriously ill child, spouse, parent, domestic partner, or to bond with a new child. The Program will apply to all employers within Missouri.

The Program shall be a component of the state's unemployment compensation disability insurance program and will be funded through employee contributions. Employee contributions will be set at a rate determined by the Director of the Division of Employment Security. The rate shall not exceed one and one-half percent or be less than one-tenth percent of the employee's annual wage. The method for computing an individual's weekly benefit amount is identical to the workman's compensation calculation.

The Director of the Division of Employment Security must develop and maintain a program on family temporary disability insurance rights and benefits. Beginning January 1, 2004, the Director will provide to all employers a notice informing workers of their family temporary insurance rights and benefits. Notice must be given to each new employee hired on or after January 1, 2004, and to each employee leaving work on or after July 1, 2004, due to pregnancy, non-occupational sickness or injury, or to care for a family member.

Workers must present a certificate of medical eligibility from a treating physician or practitioner establishing the sickness, injury, or pregnancy of the employee or the condition of the family member in need of care. The certificates shall include a diagnosis or a detailed statement of symptoms and the expected duration of the condition.

Employees will be eligible for the paid leave on any day in which they are unable to perform their regular work, but will have a seven-day waiting period before receiving benefits. Any employee receiving unemployment compensation, state disability benefits, or that has another family member available to provide care is not eligible for family temporary disability insurance benefits.

Employers may require employees to take up to two weeks of vacation prior to receiving the paid leave. No more than six weeks of family temporary disability insurance benefits will be paid within a twelve-month period. The paid leave must be taken concurrently with the leave available under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act.

Civil liability may be imposed against anyone knowingly presenting, certifying, soliciting, or falsifying information in violation of the requirements set forth in this act.
LORIE TOWE