Sen. Gillibrand announces legislation that would give workers 12 weeks paid family/sick leave

New legislation unveiled today by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand calls for making important changes to the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act by allowing employees to receive paid family leave.

Under the bill, workers would have to contribute 0.2 percent of their weekly salaries and their employers would match that contribution. In turn, workers would receive 12 weeks of family and medical leave, while receiving 66 percent of their salaries. Currently, the Family and Medical Leave Act allows for workers to take unpaid leave.

Sen. Gillibrand says the bill is beneficial to employees and small business owners. She says having paid leave would help keep workers instead of having them leave because they are not going to get paid medical leave.

Islandia resident Richard Barrow says if he could have received paid leave it would have helped him have more time with his ailing wife. He says he would have been willing to pay a bit of his salary to have the benefit.