Sponsors (29)
Official title: To allow Americans to receive paid leave time to address symptoms related to reproductive health conditions and reproductive health care procedures.
Introduced March 30, 2026 by Yassamin Ansari · Last progress March 30, 2026
The bill expands and clarifies paid-leave protections—improving access to paid reproductive and medical leave and enforcement for many workers—while imposing significant costs, administrative burdens, and uneven coverage that particularly strain small employers and could leave disparities across workers and jurisdictions.
Federal employees (including GAO, Library of Congress, legislative branch staff, and Executive Office personnel) get explicit statutory coverage, clearer definitions of who is an 'employee,' and enforceable rules so their leave rights are clearer and administrable.
Workers — especially women, pregnant people, and those with physical or mental health conditions — gain paid leave for a broad set of reproductive and health-care needs (including up to 96 hours per year for reproductive health), reducing lost wages and improving access to timely care.
Employees are protected from retaliation and job loss for taking covered paid leave, and have legal remedies (lost wages, liquidated damages, fees) and administrative enforcement pathways to restore pay and deter violations.
Small businesses and some employers face higher labor and administrative costs to provide the mandated paid leave (including paying leave up front annually), which could reduce hiring, hours, or be passed to consumers.
Access to improved leave will remain uneven — workers at some employers or under older contracts may get less coverage, and differing state definitions (e.g., 'spouse') and preserved stronger local laws mean disparities across workers persist.
Complying with new rules imposes substantial administrative and operational burdens on employers and on multiple agencies (rulemaking, postings, tracking leave, reporting), increasing costs and complexity of workforce management.
Based on analysis of 13 sections of legislative text.
Requires covered employers to provide 96 hours/year of paid reproductive-health leave, with notice, anti‑retaliation protections, enforcement, and rulemaking.
Requires covered employers to provide each employee up to 96 hours of paid leave each calendar year for reproductive-health reasons (medical conditions, symptoms, care, or procedures listed in the Act). It creates notice and anti-retaliation protections, a private right of action and Department of Labor enforcement powers, rulemaking deadlines for federal and legislative employers, posting/handbook requirements, and a public awareness campaign; the Act preserves employer-provided benefits that are more generous and preserves preexisting collective-bargaining and benefit arrangements.