Labor & Employment (Paid Leave)

This bill amends existing voter time-off laws to include early voting as a protected reason for requesting leave from work or school. It directly affects employees and students who need to vote during early voting periods, expanding their eligibility beyond those who vote by absentee ballot. The key change removes the specific reference to absentee ballots and replaces it with early voting to ensure broader coverage for different voting methods. This adjustment allows individuals to request time off without having to choose between their civic duty and their daily responsibilities.

SB 157 would require Louisiana public school districts to provide eligible educators with six weeks (240 hours) of paid parental leave at 100% of base pay for qualifying events like birth, adoption, foster placement, or pregnancy loss. This applies to full- or part-time school employees with at least one year of service, covering both parents who are eligible. Schools must adopt written policies, provide advance notice to employees about their rights, and prohibit counting this leave as an absence that could lead to disciplinary action. The bill does not override existing better benefits in union contracts or other laws but mandates this new standard for public school employees.

HB 591 proposes creating a new "Paid Family Leave Insurance Act" in Louisiana, allowing insurers to offer voluntary wage replacement coverage for employees taking time off for specific family reasons. The bill would enable employers or employees to purchase insurance policies covering up to 12 weeks of paid leave annually for qualifying events like a new child’s birth/adoption, caring for a family member with a serious health condition, or addressing military-related exigencies. Key provisions require policies to specify minimum benefit amounts (at least two weeks of coverage within 52 weeks), define eligibility, and detail how benefits are calculated based on wages. This legislation, currently pending in the Louisiana legislature, would establish a state-regulated insurance framework but does not mandate employer coverage or create a state-run program.

SB 328, the "Louisiana Living Donor Paid Leave Protection Act," requires Louisiana state employers to provide up to 30 working days of paid leave for full-time employees (with at least 12 months of service) who donate organs like kidneys, livers, or bone marrow. Private employers must offer up to 30 days of unpaid leave for organ donation, with the option to provide paid leave and claim a 25% tax credit for the first 30 days of paid salary. The bill prohibits employers from firing, demoting, or discriminating against employees who take this leave and mandates physician verification for leave requests. This law applies to living organ donors (including bone marrow donors) and ensures leave is in addition to other existing benefits like medical or vacation time.

HB 390 requires employers with 50+ Louisiana employees to provide up to three unpaid workdays per year for domestic abuse survivors. It allows leave for medical care, counseling, relocation, shelter services, or legal actions related to abuse. Employers may request documentation like court orders or appointment confirmations but cannot retaliate against employees using this leave. The bill directly affects domestic abuse survivors working for qualifying employers and prohibits discrimination for taking protected leave.