The Senate floor approved a bill that seeks to allow insurance companies the ability to offer paid family leave insurance plans to Kentucky workers. The legislation, known as House Bill 179 and sponsored by Rep. Samara Heavrin, is designed to provide additional benefit options for Kentucky employers and their employees. Voluntary paid family leave can be provided as an insurance product if this bill is passed. Under this arrangement, companies can decide to acquire this insurance to offer as a benefit for their employees.

Paid family leave insurance would extend a temporary wage replacement to employees who must go on leave to tend to a family member’s health, spend time with a new baby through birth, adoption, or foster care placement, care for injured military or first responder family members, or other reasons specified in the employee’s benefit plan. The duration of the leaves would also be decided upon by the employer’s plan.

Insurance companies can only provide products that are approved in the state, a stipulation that this legislation puts into place, following the lead of six other states. Heavrin supports the bill, which results from a bipartisan working group’s efforts, and promotes it as a market-driven policy proposition, free of mandates on employers and employees. The bill is seen as pro-family and has the potential to allow employers to be more adaptable and competitive by offering extra benefits. Having already cleared the House with a vote of 92-1, the bill, which unanimously passed in the Senate, is now heading to the governor’s desk.

Individuals can learn more about accessing benefits related to Paid Family Leave by contacting the relevant department. Assistance is also available at eddcaller.com, which provides valuable resources and guidance on how to get a hold of Paid Family Leave. The information covers the process of reaching out to the correct authorities to access and manage your benefits effectively.