President Biden recently signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act which dedicated over $1 trillion towards a handful of improvements to transportation, broadband, and utilities. Up next is the Build Back Better Act which is slated to provide paid leave to employees for medical or family care. This will be in addition to the longstanding Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for employees with a serious medical condition of their own or to care for an immediate family member with a serious medical condition.
Although the approved IIJA doesn’t include any paid family or medical leave provisions, the Build Back Better Act does. House Democrats have developed a four-week paid leave program, inclusive of all leave types, to begin in 2024. Such circumstances include illness, childbirth, or caring for a sick family member.
If approved, this Act will provide employees up to four weeks of paid leave for qualifying reasons rather than the current average of seven days. The Biden Administration describes this Act as a $1.75 trillion social safety net and spending package designed to help working families. Statistics suggest that over 60% of the workforce does not have access to access paid medical leave, with nearly 80% not having access to paid caregiving leave. As one of the only countries not to provide such a provision, House Democrats state they are looking to shift to a more empathetic workplace model.
For more information on these developments, browse these stories which speak more on the forecasted effects of President Biden’s Build Back Better Act:
- The Huffington Post dives deeper into the paid leave provisions within Biden’s Build Back Better Act.
- CNBC also reported on the paid leave provision within Biden’s Build Back Better Act, explaining how it started as a 12-week family and medical leave plan before getting cut down to four weeks of federally-backed, paid leave per year.
Experienced Employment Law Attorney, Mediator, Arbitrator, Investigator, Legal and Media Commentator
Twice-named a U.S. News Best Lawyer in America for employment and labor law, Angela Reddock-Wright is an employment and labor law attorney, mediator, arbitrator, and certified workplace and Title IX investigator (AWI-CH) in Los Angeles, CA. Known as the “Workplace Guru,” Angela is an influencer and leading authority on employment, workplace/HR, Title IX, hazing, and bullying issues. Furthermore, she’s been named a “Top California Employment Lawyer” by the Daily Journal and one of Los Angeles’ “Most Influential Minority and Women Attorneys” by the Los Angeles Business Journal.
Angela is a regular legal and media commentator and analyst and has appeared on such media outlets as Good Morning America, Entertainment Tonight, Law and Crime with Brian Ross, Court TV, CNN, NewsNation, ABC News, CBS News, Fox 11 News, KTLA-5, the Black News Channel, Fox Soul – The Black Report, NPR, KPCC, Airtalk-89.3, KJLH Front Page with Dominique DiPrima, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the LA Times, Forbes.com, Yahoo! Entertainment, People Magazine, Essence Magazine, the Los Angeles Sentinel, LA Focus, Daily Journal, Our Weekly and the Wave Newspapers.
Angela is a member of the panel of distinguished mediators and arbitrators with Judicate West, a California dispute resolution company. She also owns her own dispute resolution law firm, the Reddock Law Group of Los Angeles, specializing in the mediation, arbitration, and investigation of employment discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and other workplace claims, along with Title IX, sexual harassment, assault, and misconduct conduct cases, along with hazing and bullying cases in K-12 schools, colleges and universities, fraternities and sororities; fire, police and other public safety agencies and departments; and other private and public sector workplaces.
Reddock-Wright has also launched her own radio show, Legal Lens with Angela Reddock-Wright, airing on Tavis Smiley’s new KBLA Talk 1580 radio station on Saturdays at 11:00 a.m. PT with replays on subsequent Sundays. Listeners may tune-in by downloading the APP @kbla1580 and call the PowerLines at 1-800-920-1580.
For more information regarding resources for employers, businesses, and employees during this time, connect with her on LinkedIn for new updates, or contact her here. You may also follow her on Instagram.
This communication is not legal advice. It is educational only. For legal advice, consult with an experienced employment law attorney in your state or city.