Providing for paid medical leave and providing penalties and remedies

This bill requires an employer to provide an employee at least 10 days of paid medical leave per calendar year. The bill defines “medical leave” as a leave from work taken by an employee made necessary by a health condition of the employee or a child, parent, or spouse of the employee. The bill defines “health condition” as an illness, injury, impairment, physical condition, or mental condition that requires diagnosis, treatment, or care by a health care provider. The bill provides that payment for medical leave shall be equal to the earnings the employee would otherwise have received but for taking such leave, calculated based on the length of the pay period in which the employee is ordinarily compensated. The bill provides for other methods of calculating earnings applicable to certain employees. The bill authorizes an employer to require advance notice of medical leave when taking such leave is reasonably foreseeable. The bill authorizes an employer to require an employee to provide written documentation from a health care provider, consistent with applicable state and federal privacy laws, within one week of an employee returning from medical leave, that such leave was taken due to a health condition. The bill is enforced by the director of the department of inspections, appeals, and licensing. The bill is enforced pursuant to Code chapter 91A, which provides for civil remedies and penalties. The bill requires the director to adopt administrative rules to administer the bill, which may establish additional procedures, requirements, and definitions necessary to implement the bill.