Legislation Quick Search
03/28/2024 05:14 AM
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=H&SPick=20170&cosponId=22373
Share:
Home / House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

Subscribe to PaLegis Notifications
NEW!

Subscribe to receive notifications of new Co-Sponsorship Memos circulated

By Member | By Date | Keyword Search


House of Representatives
Session of 2017 - 2018 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: January 23, 2017 09:52 AM
From: Representative Thomas P. Murt
To: All House members
Subject: Family Medical Leave Act for Terminal Illness (Previous HB 1697)
 
For many Americans, the federal Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) has become a useful and necessary tool when dealing with a serious illness of a parent, child, or spouse. But what if the family member stricken ill is a sibling without a spouse or child? What if the family member is a grandparent with no children around to care for them in their final days? Now is the time to make simple but meaningful changes to the FMLA here in the Commonwealth.

In the near future, I will introduce legislation establishing the PA Family Medical Leave Act for Terminal Illness. This legislation would extend the FMLA to include siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren. The bill would provide the same 12 weeks of leave that is provided by the federal program, but would only provide leave when the employee needs it to care for a family member with a terminal illness.

The impact on a business would be minimal, but the positive effect it would have on the patient as well as the family member/caretaker would be enormous. The two are spending more time with each other during a difficult and painful time. This results in patients using the state less for a source of home assistance. Extending the FMLA to sibling, grandparents, and grandchildren when there is no other alternative is a “win” both for Pennsylvania and for the affected families.

I hope that you will join me as a co-sponsor.



Introduced as HB891