Sponsors (4)
The bill expands comprehensive paid leave, sick time, childcare supports, and family-care accommodations that benefit parents and workers (particularly women), while imposing additional costs and administrative burdens on employers—especially small businesses—and creating potential uneven uptake and modest federal expenses, with legal coverage tied to existing FLSA definitions.
Parents and families would gain at least 12 weeks of paid family leave usable for birth, adoption, serious illness, and military caregiving.
Employees would get paid sick days separate from PTO, reducing pressure to work while ill and lowering disease spread and presenteeism.
Parents (especially those with infants) would receive child care subsidies or workplace accommodations that help them remain employed and maintain income.
Small businesses may face materially higher labor and benefit costs to meet certification or program-related requirements.
If certification is voluntary or costly, some employers may forgo it, producing uneven access so many workers (especially at smaller firms) would not receive the new benefits.
Employers could face increased administrative and recordkeeping burdens to apply for and maintain certification, disproportionately affecting small firms.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Creates a voluntary DOL certification recognizing employers that meet a set of family-friendly benefits (paid leave, fertility/adoption aid, sick days, child care, flexible work, lactation support).
Introduced December 18, 2025 by Grace Meng · Last progress December 18, 2025
Creates a voluntary national “family-friendly certification” run by the U.S. Department of Labor to recognize employers that offer a set of family-friendly benefits and policies. Employers that apply and meet the rules can receive certification showing they provide paid family leave, fertility/adoption support, paid sick days, child care support, flexible and remote work options, and lactation services. The bill defines key terms using existing labor law definitions and directs the Secretary of Labor to set application and review procedures. It authorizes funding as needed to run the program but does not mandate employers to provide these benefits; certification is optional and awarded after DOL review.