September 06, 2023

State & Local Leave Law Developments

Employee Benefits

4 min read

Summary: This article summarizes recent developments and updates with respect to certain state-specific paid family and medical leave (PFML) programs as well as state/local paid and unpaid leave laws.

Employers, particularly multistate employers, are advised to pay close attention to any updates that could impact their employees in the jurisdictions listed below.

Risk Strategies is here to help. Contact us directly at benefits@risk-strategies.com for assistance or with any questions.

State PFML Developments & Updates

Oregon’s PFML benefit program began on September 3, 2023. Click here for more details.
Colorado’s PFML benefit program is set to begin on January 1, 2024. Click here to learn more.
California: Review the important details on upcoming changes to California’s disability and paid family leave program in 2024 by clicking here.
Maryland’s PFML program, scheduled to become effective on January 1, 2025, was recently modified and delayed by one year. Click here to learn more.
Minnesota and Maine each recently enacted mandated PFML programs that are set to begin over the next several years. Click here for an article summarizing each state’s PFML program and upcoming effective dates.

State/Local Leave Developments & Updates

Illinois:
- Starting January 1, 2024, employers with employees working in Illinois will be required to provide up to 40 hours of paid leave per year for any reason. Get the important information by clicking here.
- Illinois also recently passed three additional state leave laws, highlights of each outlined below:
  1. Unpaid leave for loss of child by suicide or homicide: Effective January 1, 2024, the Child Extended Bereavement Leave Act provides an employee with unpaid leave if the employee experiences the loss of a child by suicide or homicide. An employee of a large employer (250 or more full-time employees) is entitled to use a maximum of 12 weeks of unpaid leave, and an employee of a small employer (between 50 and 250 full-time employees) is entitled to six weeks of unpaid leave.
  2. Organ donation leave: The Illinois Employee Blood Donation Leave Act was amended to allow employees of employers with 51 or more employees to take up to 10 days of paid leave in any 12-month period to serve as an organ donor, effective January 1, 2024.
  3. Unpaid leave for family member death resulting from a violent crime: The Illinois Victims’ Economic Security and Safety Act was amended to provide up to two workweeks, or 10 workdays, of unpaid leave for employees whose family or household member passes away from a violent crime, effective January 1, 2024.

Minnesota will soon join the ranks of many other states and local jurisdictions (including 4 cities in Minnesota) with earned paid sick and safe leave requirements, starting on January 1, 2024. Click here to learn more.

Click here for more information on Bloomington, MN’s paid sick and safe leave local ordinance that went into effect on July 1, 2023.
Colorado recently expanded the covered reasons for employees to take paid sick leave under Colorado’s Healthy Families & Workplaces Act (“HFWA”), including for bereavement-related absences and absences related to certain closures or evacuations due to inclement weather, loss of power, heating, water, or unexpected events. These additional covered reasons became effective on August 7, 2023. Click here to learn more.
San Francisco’s local ordinance, requiring private employers with 100+ employees to provide up to 30 days of supplemental compensation for military leave, went into effect on February 19, 2023. Click here to learn more.
Louisiana enacted a new unpaid leave law requiring employers to provide one day of unpaid leave for medically necessary cancer screening and genetic testing purposes. This new leave law became effective August 1, 2023. Click here for more information.
Virginia passed a new law requiring unpaid leave for organ donations that went into effect on July 1, 2023. Click here for more information.
Nevada recently amended its domestic violence leave law to now include sexual assault victims, effective January 1, 2024. The law provides employees with 160 hours of job-protected leave in a 12-month period for specific purposes related to domestic violence and sexual assault. Leave may be unpaid or paid, and may be used intermittently. This leave must be used within 12 months immediately following the date on which the domestic violence or sexual assault act occurred and must be deducted from any qualifying leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

The contents of this article are for general informational purposes only and Risk Strategies Company makes no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy or completeness of any information contained herein. Any recommendations contained herein are intended to provide insight based on currently available information for consideration and should be vetted against applicable legal and business needs before application to a specific client.

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