I–PLAN Act of 2025

This bill would help states with paid family and medical leave work together. It creates a new Interstate Paid Leave Action Network to make benefits easier to get, cut red tape, and line up state rules so they are more consistent for workers and employers. The network will set shared definitions and procedures, create a single process for people who worked in more than one state, and support a secure tech system so states can verify wages and track claims across state lines. It focuses on leave reasons covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act .

A national nonprofit partner will help run the effort. It will host regular meetings, publish a public roadmap within 12 months and update it, and release a yearly report comparing state programs. It will also engage states, employers, workers, and other groups, and build or connect needed technology. The Labor Department oversees this work, can withhold payments if the partner is not following the law, and the grant can last up to five years .

Key points

• Who is affected: Workers, states with paid family and medical leave programs, and employers, including small businesses and multi‑state employers .
• What changes: One shared agreement with common definitions and procedures; a single claims process for people with work history in multiple states; stronger, privacy‑protecting tech and better data reporting; and a yearly public comparison of state programs .
• Help for states: Annual grants of $1.5–$8 million per eligible state to take part and to implement the agreement, based on each state’s share of employment. Grants can fund customer service, staffing, technology, data sharing, identity checks, outreach, and help small businesses afford payroll contributions or get technical help. The Labor Department may withhold grants if a state does not participate in good faith, but can restore them later .
• When: Authorizes funding for 2026–2028—up to $10 million per year for the national partner and up to $40 million per year each for state participation and implementation grants.