Both the House and Senate Chambers of the Maryland General Assembly have passed the Time to Care Act (SB275). Now it is headed to Governor Hogan's desk! Please urge Governor Hogan to sign SB275 to ensure Marylanders have access to paid family and medical leave.

This legislation will establish a statewide paid family and medical leave program. The measure will establish an insurance pool that will allow workers to take up to 12 weeks of partially paid leave to deal with family issues such as welcoming a new child, caring for an ailing loved one or dealing with a military deployment. This program will:

• Covers nearly all employees in Maryland, regardless of employer size, including full-time and part-time workers and private and public sector workers
• Provides up to 12 weeks off leave (or up to 24 weeks in certain situations) when workers or their loved ones are seriously ill, when welcoming a new child (for parents of any gender, including foster and adoptive parents), or to address the impact of military deployment
• Generally ensures the right of employees to get their job back following leave and keep their health insurance during leave
• Provides benefits through an insurance system that both employers and employees contribute to, ensuring the program is stable, solvent, and affordable for both workers and businesses
• Pays workers on a sliding scale of up to 90% of their income, with lower-income workers receiving the highest portion of their income, up to cap