The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is seeking information from the public about the effectiveness of paid employee family and medical leave. In a Request for Information (RFI) issued July 15, 2020, the DOL said it intends to gather information about the effectiveness of current state- and employer-provided paid leave programs, and how access (or lack of access) to these programs impacts workers and their families.
The RFI explains that “paid leave programs” for its purposes refers to paid family and medical leave to care for a family member’s, or one’s own, health.
According to the DOL, the information provided will help the agency identify promising practices related to eligibility requirements, costs and administrative models of existing paid leave programs.
RFI Requests Responses to Specific Questions
The RFI requests information on identified topics and answers to specific questions from members of the general public, employers, employees and the research community. The topics include, but are not limited to:
- The benefits of paid leave, the costs of paid leave, and the measurement of costs and benefits.
- The beneficiaries of paid leave and the bearer of the costs.
- The unique needs of workers and employers in regard to paid time off for care obligations.
The deadline to submit comments, data and information is Sept. 14, 2020. Commenters are encouraged to submit electronically, to http://www.regulations.gov.
For help with other questions or services related to benefits contact Ollis/Akers/Arney Insurance & Business Advisors.
