Job Protection Act
Sponsored By: Representative Underwood, Lauren [D-IL-14]
Introduced
Summary
Expands access to job‑protected family and medical leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The bill would extend protections to newer hires and nearly every workplace.
Show full summary
- Workers and families: Employees could qualify for FMLA after 90 days of employment instead of 12 months, letting newer hires take job‑protected leave sooner.
- Small employers: The employer‑size test would drop from 50 employees to 1 or more employees, so very small workplaces would be covered.
- Federal employees: Several federal rules would shift to a 90‑day eligibility standard, including explicit changes for presidential and congressional staff.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
FMLA leave after 90 days
You could qualify for FMLA leave after 90 days with your employer, not after 12 months or 1,250 hours where that applies. This would cover most workers, including many federal, congressional, and presidential employees. Two existing carve-out exclusions would be removed. For federal workers, only those covered under a new Title 5 subchapter would stay outside FMLA. These changes would take effect upon enactment.
FMLA rules for small employers too
Employers with one or more employees would have to follow FMLA. Workers at very small firms could take job-protected leave. Tiny businesses would face new compliance duties and staffing costs. This would start upon enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Underwood, Lauren [D-IL-14]
IL • D
Cosponsors
Rep. DeLauro, Rosa L. [D-CT-3]
CT • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6]
NY • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-39]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14]
FL • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Ocasio-Cortez
NY • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Barragan
CA • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. Magaziner, Seth [D-RI-2]
RI • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8]
VA • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7]
MA • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
McBride
DE • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. Deluzio, Christopher R. [D-PA-17]
PA • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Kennedy (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10]
NY • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1]
NV • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Bonamici
OR • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
McBath
GA • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12]
NY • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7]
WA • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
McCollum
MN • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Gomez
CA • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. Sánchez, Linda T. [D-CA-38]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2]
HI • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Cherfilus-McCormick
FL • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5]
MO • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-6]
MI • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
McGovern
MA • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Stansbury
NM • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. Casar, Greg [D-TX-35]
TX • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Casten
IL • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6]
MA • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10]
FL • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2]
LA • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Mullin
CA • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. McGarvey, Morgan [D-KY-3]
KY • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Khanna
CA • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. Strickland, Marilyn [D-WA-10]
WA • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2]
IL • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Carson
IN • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8]
MA • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9]
NY • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3]
AZ • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]
MI • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Davis (NC)
NC • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13]
MI • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5]
CT • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. Brown, Shontel M. [D-OH-11]
OH • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12]
NJ • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5]
MN • D
Sponsored 2/5/2025
Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4]
IL • D
Sponsored 2/7/2025
Johnson (GA)
GA • D
Sponsored 2/7/2025
Davis (IL)
IL • D
Sponsored 2/10/2025
Rep. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ-8]
NJ • D
Sponsored 2/14/2025
Schakowsky
IL • D
Sponsored 2/24/2025
Rep. Landsman, Greg [D-OH-1]
OH • D
Sponsored 2/24/2025
Jackson (IL)
IL • D
Sponsored 2/24/2025
Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2]
WI • D
Sponsored 3/3/2025
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 3/10/2025
Rep. Hoyle, Val T. [D-OR-4]
OR • D
Sponsored 3/10/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov