Ohio House Dems offer paid medical-leave legislation

COLUMBUS — Ohio workers would receive paid time off to deal with their own medical issues, care for family members or spend time with their newborn children, under legislation being offered by Democratic state lawmakers.

Reps. Christie Kuhns, D-Cincinnati, and Janine Boyd, D-Cleveland Heights, have proposed a 12-week paid medical and family leave program, administered by the state and covered by funds withheld from employee paychecks.

“Working families in Ohio shouldn’t have to choose between earning a paycheck and protecting their families,” Kuhns said in a released statement. “The birth of a child or a loved one falling ill should not throw the entire family into hardship if a parent needs to take time off of work to be a caretaker.”

Federal law already requires companies to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to workers dealing with family or medical issues.

Democrats’ legislative proposal would allow 12 weeks of paid leave, with payments up to $1,000 per week. The program would be headed by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and run similarly to insurance coverage offered by employers, with premiums paid by employees.