Bill > HB3467

This bill expands the definition of maternity leave for eligible education employees in Oklahoma to include adoptions of children under four years of age, allowing them to receive six weeks of paid leave immediately following the adoption, in addition to existing provisions for birth. It clarifies that this paid leave is separate from sick leave that may be used for pregnancy-related reasons, and employees can use accrued sick leave to extend their maternity leave beyond the initial six weeks for bonding or caring for a newborn or infant, up to a combined total of twelve weeks of leave when coordinated with the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA), which is a federal law providing job-protected unpaid leave for certain family and medical reasons. The bill also includes provisions for funding paid maternity leave and declares an emergency, making it effective immediately upon passage and approval.