The bill would create grants for states that establish paid family leave programs and join an interstate network. A qualifying state program must provide at least six weeks of paid leave for eligible employees after a child’s birth or adoption. Benefits would be based on past earnings, with higher replacement rates for lower-wage workers and a state-set weekly cap. States must arrange a partnership with a private entity or allow employers to administer benefits themselves.
The bill would also create the Interstate Paid Leave Action Network (I-PLAN). It would help participating states develop shared rules and administrative standards, coordinate claims for people who worked in multiple states, and create a technology system for processing interstate claims. States could receive additional grants to follow the network’s agreement and administer their programs. The bill was introduced and referred to House committees; it has not been enacted.
If your state establishes a qualifying program and receives a grant, you may be able to receive paid leave after a child’s birth or adoption if you meet the bill’s work-history requirements. Those requirements include working for the employer for at least 12 months and 1,250 hours during the previous 12 months. The bill does not itself create an individual benefit in every state. The I-PLAN’s shared standards could also cover other paid-leave reasons included in state programs.
The bill authorizes $39,787,500 for its state program grants in fiscal year 2026, $79,575,000 in 2027, and $145,887,500 in 2028. For I-PLAN, it authorizes up to $8,824,106.36 per year for a national intermediary and up to $35,296,425.43 per year each for state conforming grants and implementation grants in fiscal years 2026 through 2028. State programs must establish premiums or another financing method, paid by employees, employers, or both. The bill also changes certain existing funding provisions, including reducing a specified tariff enforcement amount and rescinding unspent funds from a specified contract. It does not state a net cost.
No publicly available information.
No publicly available information.