Family and Medical Leave Enhancement Act of 2016

To amend the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 and title 5, United States Code, to allow employees to take, as additional leave, parental involvement leave to participate in or attend their children’s and grandchildren’s educational and extracurricular activities, and to clarify that leave may be taken for routine family medical needs and to assist elderly relatives, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Family and Medical Leave Enhancement Act of 2016 2. Eligible employee Section 101(2)(B)(ii) of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 ( 29 U.S.C. 2611(2)(B)(ii) less than 50 fewer than 15 3. Entitlement to additional leave under the FMLA for parental involvement and family wellness (a) Leave requirement Section 102(a) of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 ( 29 U.S.C. 2612(a) (5) Entitlement to additional leave for parental involvement and family well­ness (A) In general Subject to subparagraph (B) and section 103(g), an eligible employee shall be entitled to leave under this paragraph to— (i) participate in or attend an activity that is sponsored by a school or community organization and relates to a program of the school or organization that is attended by a son or daughter or a grandchild of the employee; or (ii) meet routine family medical care needs, including for medical and dental appointments of the employee or a son, daughter, spouse, or grandchild of the employee, or to attend to the care needs of elderly individuals who are related to the eligible employee, including visits to nursing homes and group homes. (B) Limitations (i) In general An eligible employee is entitled to— (I) not to exceed 4 hours of leave under this paragraph during any 30-day period; and (II) not to exceed 24 hours of leave under this paragraph during any 12-month period. (ii) Coordination rule Leave under this paragraph shall be in addition to any leave provided under any other paragraph of this subsection. (C) Definitions As used in this paragraph: (i) School The term school Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 20 U.S.C. 7801 Head Start Act 42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq. (ii) Community organization The term community organization . (b) Schedule Section 102(b)(1) of such Act ( 29 U.S.C. 2612(b)(1) Leave under subsection (a)(5) may be taken intermittently or on a reduced leave schedule. (c) Substitution of paid leave Section 102(d)(2) of such Act ( 29 U.S.C. 2612(d)(2) (C) Parental involvement leave and family wellness leave An eligible employee may elect, or an employer may require the employee, to substitute any of the accrued paid vacation leave, personal leave, or family leave of the employee for any leave under subsection (a)(5). In addition, an eligible employee may elect, or an employer may require the employee, to substitute any of the accrued paid medical or sick leave of the employee for leave provided under clause (ii) of subsection (a)(5)(A) for any part of the leave under such clause, except that nothing in this title shall require an employer to provide paid sick leave or paid medical leave in any situation in which such employer would not normally provide any such paid leave. If the employee elects or the employer requires the substitution of accrued paid leave for leave provided under subsection (a)(5)(A), the employer shall not restrict or limit this substitution or impose any additional terms and conditions on such leave that are more stringent on the employee than the terms and conditions set forth in this Act. . (d) Notice Section 102(e) of such Act ( 29 U.S.C. 2612(e) (4) Notice relating to parental involvement and family wellness leave In any case in which an employee requests leave under paragraph (5) of subsection (a), the employee shall— (A) provide the employer with not less than 7 days’ notice or as much notice as is practicable before the date the leave is to be taken, of the employee’s intention to take leave under such paragraph; and (B) in the case of leave to be taken under subparagraph (A)(ii), make a reasonable effort to schedule the leave so as not to disrupt unduly the operations of the employer, subject to the approval of the health care provider involved (if any). . (e) Certification Section 103 of such Act ( 29 U.S.C. 2613 (g) Certification related to parental involvement and family wellness leave An employer may require that a request for leave under section 102(a)(5) be supported by a certification issued at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may by regulation prescribe. . (f) Definition of grandchild Section 101 of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 ( 29 U.S.C. 2611 (14) Grandchild (A) In general The term grandchild (B) Son or daughter For purposes of subparagraph (A), the term son or daughter . 4. Entitlement of Federal employees to leave for parental involvement and family wellness (a) Leave requirement Section 6382(a) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (5) (A) Subject to subparagraph (B)(i) and section 6383(f), an employee shall be entitled to leave under this paragraph to— (i) participate in or attend an activity that is sponsored by a school or community organization and relates to a program of the school or organization that is attended by a son or daughter or a grandchild of the employee; or (ii) meet routine family medical care needs, including for medical and dental appointments of a son, daughter, spouse, or grandchild of the employee, or to attend to the care needs of elderly individuals who are related to the eligible employee, including visits to nursing homes and group homes. (B) (i) An employee is entitled to— (I) not to exceed 4 hours of leave under this paragraph during any 30-day period; and (II) not to exceed 24 hours of leave under this paragraph during any 12-month period. (ii) Leave under this paragraph shall be in addition to any leave provided under any other paragraph of this subsection. (C) For the purpose of this paragraph— (i) the term school Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965) Head Start Act (ii) the term community organization . (b) Schedule Section 6382(b)(1) of such title is amended— (1) by inserting after the second sentence the following new sentence: Leave under subsection (a)(5) may be taken intermittently or on a reduced leave schedule. (2) in the last sentence, by striking involved, involved (or, in the case of leave under subsection (a)(5), for purposes of any 30-day or 12-month period), (c) Substitution of paid leave Section 6382(d) of such title is amended— (1) by inserting (1) (2) by adding at the end the following: (2) An employee may elect to substitute for leave under subsection (a)(5), any of the employee’s accrued or accumulated annual or sick leave under subchapter I. If the employee elects to substitute accumulated annual or sick leave for leave provided under subsection (a)(5), the employing agency shall not restrict or limit this substitution or impose any additional terms and conditions on such leave that are more stringent on the employee than the terms and conditions set forth in this subchapter. . (d) Notice Section 6382(e) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (3) In any case in which an employee requests leave under paragraph (5) of subsection (a), the employee shall— (A) provide the employing agency with not less than 7 days’ notice, before the date the leave is to be taken, of the employee’s intention to take leave under such paragraph; and (B) in the case of leave to be taken under subparagraph (A)(ii), make a reasonable effort to schedule the leave so as not to disrupt unduly the operations of the employer, subject to the approval of the health care provider involved (if any). . (e) Certification Section 6383(f) of such title is amended by striking 6382(a)(3) paragraph (3) or (5) of section 6382(a) (f) Definition of grandchild Section 6381 of title 5, United States Code, is amended— (1) in paragraph (10), by striking and (2) in paragraph (11), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (12) the term grandchild son or daughter .

Summary: Family and Medical Leave Enhancement Act of 2016 This bill amends the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) to cover employees at worksites that employ fewer than 50 employees, but not fewer than 15 employees. The bill continues to exempt from FMLA coverage employees at worksites that employ fewer than 15 employees (currently 50), if the total number of employees employed by that employer within 75 miles of that worksite is fewer than 15 (currently 50). An employee covered by FMLA may take up to 4 hours during any 30-day period, and up to 24 hours during any 12-month period, of parental involvement leave to: (1) participate in or attend activities that are sponsored by a school or community organization, and (2) relate to a program of the school or organization that is attended by the employee's child or grandchild. Such parental involvement leave may be used to meet routine family medical care needs, including: (1) such employee's medical and dental appointments, or their spouse, child, or grandchild; and (2) the care needs of their related elderly individuals, including visits to nursing homes and group homes. An employee may elect, or an employer may require, substitution of any of the employee's paid or family leave or paid medical or sick leave for any leave allowed under this bill. Nothing in this bill shall require an employer to grant paid sick leave or paid medical leave in situations where the employer would not normally grant it. The bill imposes on the employee requesting leave certain notification requirements. An employer may require certification supporting such requests. The bill applies the parental involvement and family wellness leave allowance to federal employees.