Bill > HB593

This bill establishes a comprehensive framework for paid family leave insurance in Ohio, defining key terms and creating new regulations for insurance policies that provide family leave benefits. The legislation defines paid family leave insurance as an insurance policy that provides income replacement for employees taking leave for specific reasons, including the birth or adoption of a child, foster care placement, caring for a family member with a serious health condition, or addressing military-related family needs. The bill mandates that such insurance policies must provide at least two weeks of leave benefits within a 52-week period and specifies detailed requirements for how these policies should be structured, including provisions for calculating benefit amounts, establishing waiting periods, and defining eligibility criteria. Importantly, the bill makes the purchase of such insurance voluntary for employers and allows policies to be standalone or added as a rider to existing disability or life insurance policies. The legislation also provides flexibility in defining family members and leaves, including care for domestic partners' children, service members, and individuals in loco parentis. The bill aims to provide a standardized yet adaptable approach to paid family leave insurance, giving insurers clear guidelines while allowing some customization in policy design.

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https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/hb593