Two state senators want Nebraska to be the next state to create a plan for paid parental leave. Senators Sue Crawford and Machaela Cavanaugh filed legislation that offered a plan of paid time off for illness and family care giving on Tuesday.
The legislation would allow Nebraska workers 12 weeks of paid leave to care for a new child or for pregnancy-related complications, and six weeks of paid leave to care for a family member with a serious health problem.
The parental leave would include both men and women and apply to cases of adoption and foster care as well as a new birth.
Federal law allows the time off already, but it is unpaid, so many can't afford to take it. The Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Act Nebraska would apply to employees who are covered by unemployment insurance, and would pay a portion of wages on a sliding scale up to two-thirds of the state average weekly wage ($564).