Bill Summary
The "Honoring Family-Friendly Workplaces Act" is a bill that aims to recognize and reward employers who demonstrate a commitment to helping their employees balance their work responsibilities with their family obligations. It directs the Secretary of Labor to establish a national certification program, which will award certifications to employers who meet certain criteria. These criteria include providing assistance with fertility or adoption services, offering paid family leave of at least 12 weeks per year, providing separate paid sick days, offering subsidies for child care, allowing flexible work hours for parents, and providing support for lactation. Employers who wish to receive this family-friendly certification must apply to the Secretary of Labor, who will review their application and award the certification if all requirements are met. The bill also authorizes funds to support the implementation of this program.
Possible Impacts
1. If this bill were to be enacted into law, it could potentially benefit employees by providing them with more support and resources to balance their work and family responsibilities. For example, employees could receive financial assistance for fertility or adoption services, paid family leave, and subsidies for child care.
2. On the other hand, it could also potentially create challenges for employers, as they may have to make significant changes to their existing policies and benefits in order to meet the criteria for family-friendly certification. This could result in additional costs for the company.
3. The bill could also affect the economy as a whole, as it may lead to an increase in workplace productivity and job satisfaction for employees, but also potentially result in higher costs for businesses. This could have broader implications for the job market and economic growth.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1402 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1402
To direct the Secretary of Labor to recognize employers with a
commitment to helping employees balance workplace responsibilities and
family obligations.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 9, 2019
Ms. Duckworth (for herself and Mrs. Gillibrand) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Labor to recognize employers with a
commitment to helping employees balance workplace responsibilities and
family obligations.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Honoring Family-Friendly Workplaces
Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Employee; employer.--The terms ``employee'' and
``employer'' have the meanings given such terms in section 3 of
the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 203).
(2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Labor.
SEC. 3. CERTIFICATION PROGRAM ESTABLISHED.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a national
certification program to award certifications to recognize employers
that have a commitment to helping employees balance employment
responsibilities and family obligations (referred to in this section as
``family-friendly certifications'').
(b) Criteria for Certification.--In order to be eligible to receive
a family-friendly certification, an employer must carry out each of the
following family-friendly employment policies and benefits:
(1) Assistance paying for, or referring employees to,
fertility or adoption services.
(2) Paid family leave of not less than 12 weeks per year,
including the option to use leave for any of the following
reasons:
(A) The birth of a son or daughter of the employee
and in order to care for such son or daughter.
(B) The placement of a son or daughter with the
employee for adoption or foster care.
(C) To address the employee's own serious health
condition, including pregnancy or childbirth.
(D) To address the serious health condition (as
defined in section 101 of the Family and Medical Leave
Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. 2611)) of a family member.
(E) For specific military caregiving and leave.
(3) Paid sick days for employees that are separate from
time accrued as part of a paid time off policy.
(4) A subsidy for child care or policies that allow parents
to work alongside their infants in safe settings.
(5) Policies that allow for flexible hours once a parent
returns to work after a birth, adoption, or foster care
placement.
(6) If feasible, policies that allow employees to work
remotely as needed for reasons related to the care of a child.
(7) Lactation support, such as reimbursement of expressed
breastmilk delivery while on travel, access to pumps, kits, and
other lactation supplies and amenities, and access to lactation
consultants and support.
(c) Application.--An employer who desires to receive a family-
friendly certification from the Secretary under this section shall
submit an application to the Secretary at such time, containing such
information, and in such manner as the Secretary may require.
(d) Award of Certification.--The Secretary shall review
applications submitted under subparagraph (c) and award a family-
friendly certification to an employer whose application demonstrates
that the employer has met the requirements established under subsection
(b) regarding family-friendly policies and benefits.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this Act such sums as may be necessary.
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