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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
496 |
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TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2015 |
H.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
S.D. 1 |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that Hawaii's working families are not adequately supported during times of caregiving and illness. While the federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 allows twelve weeks of unpaid leave to employees who have worked at a business that employs fifty or more employees, the majority of Hawaii's workforce cannot afford to take unpaid leave when needing to provide care to a newborn, bond with a new child, or care for a family member with a serious health condition. The legislature finds that the Hawaii family leave law further restricts eligibility by extending four weeks of unpaid leave only to those employees who work at a business with more than one hundred employees.
The legislature further finds that only eleven per cent of workers in the United States have access to paid family leave through their employers. Approximately 247,000 people in Hawaii serve as family caregivers. Hawaii has the fastest growing sixty-five-plus population in the nation, which is expected to grow by eighty-one per cent by the year 2030. Of those who need leave but cannot take it, nearly one in three need leave to care for an ill spouse or parent. Women, as primary caregivers of infants, children, and elderly parents, are affected disproportionately by the unavailability of paid family and medical leave.
The purpose of this Act is to require the office of the lieutenant governor and the department of labor and industrial relations to have an actuarial study prepared to determine the estimated liability and cost of implementing a family leave insurance program that would provide an employee with up to twelve weeks of paid family leave per calendar year and the impact the family leave insurance program would have on the existing temporary disability insurance program.
SECTION 2. The office of the lieutenant governor and the department of labor and industrial relations shall retain professional services to conduct an actuarial study and prepare a report to determine the:
(1) Estimated cost and financial impact of implementing a family leave insurance program that allows an employee, as defined in section 398-1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to have up to twelve weeks of paid family leave as compared to the four weeks of paid family leave per calendar year currently provided by section 398-3, Hawaii Revised Statutes;
(2) Projected figures for the number of employees eligible for the family leave insurance program and percentage of eligible employees projected to participate in the family leave insurance program;
(3) Projected premium rates for the family leave insurance program;
(4) Projected fund balances for the family leave insurance trust fund; and
(5) Projected impact that the family leave insurance program would have on the existing temporary disability insurance program if it were to be implemented.
The office of the lieutenant governor and department of labor and industrial relations shall file the report with the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the 2016 regular session.
SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2015-2016 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2016-2017 for the purpose of conducting the actuarial study and preparing the report required by section 2 of this Act.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the office of the lieutenant governor for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on January 7, 2059.
Report Title:
Family Leave Insurance Program
Description:
Requires the office of the lieutenant governor to work with the department of labor and industrial relations to conduct an actuarial study on the cost of implementing the family leave insurance program and the effect that it may have on the existing temporary disability insurance program and prepare a report to the legislature. Appropriates funds for the actuarial study and report. Takes effect on 01/07/2059. (HB496 SD1)
The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.