SB 16 - Under this act, any person employed by a public or private employer with at least 20 employees is entitled to unpaid leave if the person, or a family or household member, is a victim of domestic or sexual violence. Permissible reasons for taking leave include seeking medical attention, recovering from injury, obtaining victim services, obtaining counseling, participating in safety planning, and seeking legal assistance. Such leave shall be limited to 2 weeks of leave per year if the employer employs at least 50 employees and 1 week per year if the employer employs at least 20 but not more than 49 employees.
Employees are required to give 48 hours notice of the intent to take leave and may be required to provide certification to the employer that the leave is necessary.
On return from leave, employees shall be restored to the same or equivalent employment position and shall not lose accrued benefits. Employers are required to maintain health coverage for the employee while on leave but the premium may be recovered if the employee does not return.
Employers are required to post and keep posted a notice summarizing the requirements of this act, which shall be prepared by the Director of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.
This act is identical to provisions in the truly agreed to and finally passed SS/SCS/HS/HB 432 (2021) and substantially similar to SCS/SB 178 (2019), SB 739 (2018), SB 268 (2017), and SCS/SB 907 (2016), and similar to SB 130 (2015), SB 712 (2014) and SB 367 (2013).
SCOTT SVAGERA