Balancing Act of 2011

Bill: 112-hr-2346
Sponsor: Rep. Woolsey, Lynn C. [D-CA-6]
Introduced: 2011-06-23 in the House
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Administrative remedies
Adoption and foster care
Assault and harassment offenses
Building construction
Child care and development
Civil actions and liability
Congressional oversight
Crime victims
Crimes against women
Department of Labor
Domestic violence and child abuse
Education of the disadvantaged
Education programs funding
Educational facilities and institutions
Elementary and secondary education
Employee benefits and pensions
Employee leave
Employment discrimination and employee rights
Employment taxes
Family relationships
Food assistance and relief
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Government trust funds
Health care costs and insurance
Health care coverage and access
Higher education
Legal fees and court costs
Marriage and family status
Nutrition and diet
Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
Preschool education
Right of privacy
Sex offenses
Student aid and college costs
Teaching, teachers, curricula
Temporary and part-time employment

Summary:
action_date: 2011-06-23
text: 
Balancing Act of 2011 - Family Leave Insurance Act - Amends the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to direct the Secretary of Labor to establish a Family and Medical Insurance Program, which may involve contracts with state programs, under which, for specified reasons, an eligible employee of a covered employer shall be entitled to family and medical leave insurance benefits for a total of 12 workweeks of leave during any 12-month program.
 
Requires the Director of the Office of Personnel Management to establish a similar Civil Service Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program for federal employees. 
 
Creates in the Treasury the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Fund.
 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose a family and medical leave premium on employees and employers.
 
Family and Medical Leave Enhancement Act - Amends the FMLA to increase the number of employers to which it applies by reducing from 50 to 25 employees the threshold number triggering application of the Act.
 
Entitles eligible employees and federal employees to take specified additional leave for parental involvement and family wellness.
 
Domestic Violence Leave Act - Entitles eligible employees, including federal employees, to leave to address domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
 
Includes within the purview of FMLA same-sex spouses and domestic partners and their children.
 
Healthy Families Act - Requires certain employers to provide paid sick time to their employees, including time to address domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. 
 
Prohibits such employers from discriminating against employees for their legitimate use of paid sick time.
 
Directs the Commissioner of Labor Statistics to compile specified information relating to use of paid sick time.
 
Amends the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 to authorize additional funds for expanding child care activities for young children under age three.
 
Authorizes the Secretary to allot funds to eligible states, Indian tribes, and tribal organizations for the federal share of access to affordable health benefits coverage for eligible child care providers. 
 
Establishes: (1) the Child Care Provider Development and Retention Grant Program; and (2) the Child Care Provider Scholarship Program. 
 
Healthy Early Education Workforce Grant Program Act - Requires a state receiving certain funds to expend them for the federal share of the cost of providing access to affordable health benefits coverage for eligible child care providers and, at state discretion, their spouses, domestic partners, and dependents.
 
Child Care Facilities Financing Act - Authorizes the Secretary to make competitive technical and financial assistance grants to Department of the Treasury-certified community development financial institutions and other specified organizations for the acquisition, construction, or renovation of child care facilities.
 
Directs the Secretary to establish a program to award competitive grants to assist states in providing incentive funds to encourage the establishment and operation of employer-operated child care programs.
 
Universal Prekindergarten Act - Directs the Secretary to make grants to state agencies to develop high-quality full-day, full-year universal prekindergarten programs for all children three, four, and five years old.
 
Amends the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to require the school breakfast program to provide free breakfasts to school children without regard to family income.
 
Afterschool Education Enhancement Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 with respect to requirements for state applications for 21st century community learning center grants. Repeals the restriction in such applications to students attending schools: (1) eligible for certain schoolwide programs; (2) serving a high percentage of students from low-income families; or (3) in need of academic improvement.
 
Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) to require that certain employees working at less than full-time under participation, vesting, and accrual rules governing pension plans be treated as meeting full-time year-of-service criteria. Qualifies such workers for group health plans. Extends ERISA coverage to certain individuals whose services are leased or contracted for.
 
United States Business Telework Act - Directs the Secretary of Labor to conduct a pilot program in up to five states to raise awareness about telework among employers and to encourage them to offer telework options to employees.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-09-08
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.
action_date: 2011-06-30
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, U.S. Postal Service, and Labor Policy     .
action_date: 2011-06-23
text: Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, House Administration, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2011-06-23
text: Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, House Administration, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2011-06-23
text: Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, House Administration, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2011-06-23
text: Referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, House Administration, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2011-06-23
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2011-06-23
text: Introduced in House