2019 -- H 5271

========

LC001210

========

     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

____________

A N   A C T

RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- RHODE ISLAND PARENTAL AND

FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT

     Introduced By: Representatives McEntee, Craven, Caldwell, McKiernan, and Millea

     Date Introduced: February 01, 2019

     Referred To: House Labor

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 28-48-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 28-48 entitled "Rhode

Island Parental and Family Medical Leave Act" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     28-48-2. Parental leave and family leave requirement.

     (a) Every employee who has been employed by the same employer for twelve (12)

consecutive months shall be entitled, upon advance notice to his or her employer, to thirteen (13)

consecutive work weeks of parental leave or family leave in any two (2) calendar years. The

employee shall give at least thirty (30) days notice of the intended date upon which parental leave

or family leave shall commence and terminate, unless prevented by medical emergency from

giving the notice. The director shall promulgate regulations governing the form and content of the

employee's notice to the employer.

     (b) Parental leave or family leave granted pursuant to this chapter may consist of unpaid

leave; provided, however, that notwithstanding any provision of the general or public laws or

administrative regulation to the contrary, an employee may substitute any accrued paid vacation,

sick or other appropriate paid leave for any part of said parental leave or family leave. If an

employer provides paid parental leave or family leave for fewer than thirteen (13) weeks, the

additional weeks of leave added to attain the total of thirteen (13) weeks required by subsection

(a) of this section may be unpaid.

     (c) The employer may request that the employee provide the employer with written

certification from a physician caring for the person who is the reason for the employee's leave,

which certification shall specify the probable duration of the employee's leave.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

========

LC001210

========

LC001210 - Page 2 of 3

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- RHODE ISLAND PARENTAL AND

FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT

***

     This act would allow an employee granted unpaid family or parental leave to substitute

any accrued vacation, sick or other appropriate paid leave for any part of the unpaid leave.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

========

LC001210

========

LC001210 - Page 3 of 3