2023 -- H 5990
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LC002029
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S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
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A N A C T
RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- RHODE ISLAND PARENTA L AND
FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT
Introduced By: Representatives Giraldo, Morales, Sanchez, Cruz, Stewart, and Voas
Date Introduced: March 01, 2023
Referred To: House Finance
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 28-48-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 28-48 entitled "Rhode Island 1
Parental and Family Medical Leave Act" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
28-48-2. Parental leave and family leave requirement. 3
(a) Every employee who has been employed by the same employer for twelve (12) 4
consecutive months shall be entitled, upon advance notice to his or her employer, to thirteen (13) 5
twenty-six (26) consecutive workweeks of parental leave or family leave in any two (2) calendar 6
years. The employee shall give at least thirty (30) days’ notice of the intended date upon which 7
parental leave or family leave shall commence and terminate, unless prevented by medical 8
emergency from giving the notice. The director shall promulgate regulations governing the form 9
and content of the employee’s notice to the employer. 10
(b) Parental leave or family leave granted pursuant to this chapter may consist of unpaid 11
leave. If an employer provides paid parental leave or family leave for fewer than thirteen (13) 12
twenty-six (26) weeks, the additional weeks of leave added to attain the total of thirteen (13) 13
twenty-six (26) weeks required by subsection (a) may be unpaid. 14
(c) The employer may request that the employee provide the employer with written 15
certification from a physician caring for the person who is the reason for the employee’s leave, 16
which certification shall specify the probable duration of the employee’s leave. 17
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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 1
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- RHODE ISLAND PARENTA L AND
FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT
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This act would increase the amount of unpaid parental or family leave available to an 1
employee, from thirteen (13) weeks to twenty-six (26) weeks, in any two (2) calendar years. 2
This act would take effect upon passage. 3
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LC002029
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