Bill > HB1563

This bill creates the "Missouri Earned Family and Medical Leave Act", establishing a state-run program that provides up to six weeks of wage replacement benefits to employees taking family or medical leave. Employees will contribute 0.25% of their average weekly pay to a dedicated fund starting in January 2028, with benefits becoming available in January 2030. Eligible employees can receive 100% of their average weekly pay for each full week of leave, with benefits covering situations such as bonding with a new child, caring for a family member with a serious health condition, addressing the employee's own serious health condition, or addressing familial responsibilities related to a family member's military deployment. To qualify, employees must have paid into the fund for 52 weeks. The program includes protections against workplace discrimination for employees using the benefit, with potential legal remedies for workers who face retaliation. The legislation includes detailed definitions of terms like "family member", "serious health condition", and "employee", and establishes administrative processes for applying for and receiving benefits. The program is set to automatically sunset six years after its implementation unless reauthorized by the state legislature, and will be submitted to voters for approval in the November 2026 election.

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1563&year=2025&code=R