Northern Nevada lawmaker, Democratic Assemblymember Selena La Rue Hatch, has introduced a bill in Carson City to expand paid family and medical leave to more workers in the state. The proposed legislation would require workplaces with over 50 employees to provide paid time off for conditions such as giving birth, certain medical issues, and for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. La Rue Hatch believes that this expansion of paid leave will help companies maintain employees, boost morale and productivity, as it will prevent employees from being stressed out or leaving their jobs due to an inability to manage work and personal responsibilities.
Currently, state law only allows state employees to take eight weeks of family or medical leave at half pay, and the proposed legislation would expand this to 12 weeks. Employees would receive their full salary if they earn less than or equal to the average weekly wage in the state. However, some employees in the private sector can take 12 weeks off under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, but without pay.
The president of the Northern Nevada Central Labor Council, Ross Kinson, representing 40 unions, expressed concerns about employees losing wages and running the risk of financial instability if they take time off work without pay. Thirteen states and DC already have mandatory paid family leave requirements, and this bill aims to provide similar benefits to workers in Nevada. This proposed legislation is expected to face pushback from some companies in the state, but La Rue Hatch is optimistic about its long-term benefits for both employees and employers.
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