Healthy Families Act
Sponsored By: Representative DeLauro, Rosa L. [D-CT-3]
Introduced
Summary
Creates a national right to earned paid sick time for most covered workers. This bill would require at least 1 hour of paid sick time per 30 hours worked and generally limit paid leave to 56 hours per year while allowing carryover up to that cap.
Show full summary
- Workers and families: Employees begin earning leave at hire and could use it after 60 days. Leave would cover the worker's own medical care, preventive care, and care for a broadly defined set of family members, including foster, adopted, stepchildren, domestic partners, and legal wards, and would cover needs tied to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
- Employers: Employers would need to post notices, keep records, follow annual reporting rules, and may require health-care-provider certification for absences over 3 consecutive workdays. Willful failure to post required notices could result in a civil penalty up to $100 per offense.
- Enforcement and remedies: The Secretary of Labor would have investigative and enforcement authority and could bring civil actions. Employees could sue to recover lost wages, interest, liquidated damages, attorney fees, and seek equitable relief such as reinstatement.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
11 provisions identified: 9 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
Which employers and workers are covered
If enacted, the bill would cover any employer who employed one or more employees for each working day in 20 or more calendar workweeks in the current or prior year. It would explicitly include the Government Accountability Office, the Library of Congress, and rail carriers. If your employer meets this test, you would be eligible for paid sick time under the Act.
Enforcement and legal remedies for workers
If enacted, the Secretary of Labor would be able to investigate violations and use subpoenas. You or your representative could sue to recover unpaid wages, lost benefits, or actual monetary losses. Where wages were not denied, recovery could be up to 56 hours of pay. Remedies could include interest, liquidated damages, and attorney fees. Time limits would be 2 years, or 3 years for willful violations.
How paid sick time is earned
If enacted, you would earn at least 1 hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours you work. You could accrue up to 56 hours in a calendar year unless your employer allows more. Sick time you use would be paid at the higher of your regular rate, the federal minimum wage, or your state or local minimum wage. If rehired within 12 months, previously earned sick time would be reinstated. Employers would not have to pay out unused sick time when you leave.
Protections from employer retaliation
If enacted, employers would not be allowed to fire, punish, or treat you worse for using or asking for paid sick time. Employers could not use taking sick time as a negative factor in hiring, promotion, reduced hours, or discipline. Employers could not count paid sick time under no-fault attendance or require you to find your own replacement to take leave.
State program employees can sue
If enacted, when a State uses federal money for a particular program or activity, employees of that program would be able to sue the State under this law. The waiver would apply only from the day the State first receives or uses that federal money for that program or activity.
Annual reports and a GAO study
If enacted, the Bureau of Labor Statistics would report every year on how much paid sick time workers have and use by occupation and establishment type. The Government Accountability Office would study implementation and disparities and report to Congress within 5 years. The Secretary would report to Congress within 3 years about certain rail employers.
Employer notice and small penalty
If enacted, employers would have to post a notice about paid sick time where employees can see it and include the notice in employee handbooks. The Department of Labor would prepare or approve the notice content. An employer who willfully fails to post could be fined up to $100 for each separate offense.
What you can use sick time for
If enacted, you would be able to use paid sick time for your own physical or mental illness, diagnosis, treatment, or preventive care. You would be able to use it to care for a child, parent, spouse, domestic partner, or other close relative, including for school or care-related meetings and when a usual caregiver is unavailable. You would also be able to use sick time for needs related to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, such as getting medical care, counseling, victim services, relocation, or legal help.
Federal outreach and education campaign
If enacted, the Department of Labor could run a public education campaign to tell workers and employers about paid sick time rights and requirements. The law would authorize the appropriation of whatever sums are necessary, subject to future Congressional approval.
Scheduling and doctor's note rules
If enacted, you would need to make a reasonable effort to schedule foreseeable sick time at least 7 days ahead. For unexpected sick time you would tell your employer as soon as practicable. Employers could require a health-care-provider certification for absences longer than 3 consecutive workdays and you would generally have 30 days to provide it. Health and victim-related records would be kept separate and treated as confidential.
When rules take effect for workers
If enacted, the Department of Labor would have 180 days after enactment to write rules. The Act would take effect 6 months after those rules are issued. Separate agencies would issue rules for GAO and Library staff, and union contracts would be covered at contract end, when amended to match the law, or 18 months after the rules, whichever is earlier.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
DeLauro, Rosa L. [D-CT-3]
CT • D
Cosponsors
Adams
NC • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3]
AZ • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Balint, Becca [D-VT-At Large]
VT • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Barragan
CA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3]
OH • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1]
MO • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8]
VA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Bonamici
OR • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Brown, Shontel M. [D-OH-11]
OH • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Budzinski
IL • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Carson
IN • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Casar, Greg [D-TX-35]
TX • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14]
FL • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Castro (TX)
TX • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Cherfilus-McCormick
FL • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9]
NY • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5]
MO • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Cohen
TN • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Courtney, Joe [D-CT-2]
CT • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Craig
MN • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Crockett
TX • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Davis (IL)
IL • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4]
PA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. DeGette, Diana [D-CO-1]
CO • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
DelBene
WA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Deluzio, Christopher R. [D-PA-17]
PA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Dexter, Maxine [D-OR-3]
OR • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-6]
MI • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Doggett, Lloyd [D-TX-37]
TX • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Elfreth
MD • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Escobar
TX • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3]
PA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4]
NC • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Foster, Bill [D-IL-11]
IL • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Frankel, Lois [D-FL-22]
FL • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Friedman
CA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10]
FL • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Garamendi, John [D-CA-8]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5]
PA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10]
NY • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Gomez
CA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5]
NJ • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Grijalva
AZ • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5]
CT • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Himes
CT • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Horsford, Steven [D-NV-4]
NV • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Houlahan, Chrissy [D-PA-6]
PA • D
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Rep. Hoyle, Val T. [D-OR-4]
OR • D
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Ivey
MD • D
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Rep. Jacobs, Sara [D-CA-51]
CA • D
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Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7]
WA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Johnson (GA)
GA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Johnson, Julie [D-TX-32]
TX • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Kaptur, Marcy [D-OH-9]
OH • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Keating
MA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2]
IL • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Kennedy (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8]
IL • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Landsman, Greg [D-OH-1]
OH • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Larsen, Rick [D-WA-2]
WA • D
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Rep. Larson, John B. [D-CT-1]
CT • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Latimer, George [D-NY-16]
NY • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12]
PA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Leger Fernandez, Teresa [D-NM-3]
NM • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Lofgren
CA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8]
MA • D
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Rep. Magaziner, Seth [D-RI-2]
RI • D
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Mannion
NY • D
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McBath
GA • D
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McBride
DE • D
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Rep. McClain Delaney, April [D-MD-6]
MD • D
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McCollum
MN • D
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Rep. McGarvey, Morgan [D-KY-3]
KY • D
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McGovern
MA • D
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Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10]
NJ • D
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McClellan
VA • D
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Rep. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ-8]
NJ • D
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Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6]
NY • D
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Rep. Min, Dave [D-CA-47]
CA • D
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Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4]
WI • D
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Rep. Morelle, Joseph D. [D-NY-25]
NY • D
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Rep. Moskowitz, Jared [D-FL-23]
FL • D
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Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6]
MA • D
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Mrvan
IN • D
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Mullin
CA • D
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Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12]
NY • D
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Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2]
CO • D
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Norcross
NJ • D
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Rep. Olszewski, Johnny [D-MD-2]
MD • D
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Rep. Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5]
MN • D
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Pallone
NJ • D
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Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19]
CA • D
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Pelosi
CA • D
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Pingree
ME • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2]
WI • D
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Rep. Pou, Nellie [D-NJ-9]
NJ • D
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Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7]
MA • D
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Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5]
IL • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3]
IL • D
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Randall
WA • D
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Rep. Raskin, Jamie [D-MD-8]
MD • D
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Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2]
NC • D
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Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6]
OR • D
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Rep. Sánchez, Linda T. [D-CA-38]
CA • D
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Schakowsky
IL • D
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Rep. Sherman, Brad [D-CA-32]
CA • D
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Simon
CA • D
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Smith (WA)
WA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Soto
FL • D
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Stansbury
NM • D
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Rep. Strickland, Marilyn [D-WA-10]
WA • D
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Wilson (FL)
FL • D
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Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-39]
CA • D
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Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13]
MI • D
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Thompson (MS)
MS • D
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Thompson (CA)
CA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]
MI • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1]
NV • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2]
HI • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20]
NY • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Torres, Ritchie [D-NY-15]
NY • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Trahan
MA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Underwood, Lauren [D-IL-14]
IL • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Vargas, Juan [D-CA-52]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-25]
FL • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-43]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12]
NJ • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Whitesides, George [D-CA-27]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5]
GA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Boyle, Brendan F. [D-PA-2]
PA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Ruiz, Raul [D-CA-25]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Morrison, Kelly [D-MN-3]
MN • D
Sponsored 2/13/2026
Riley (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 2/20/2026
Casten
IL • D
Sponsored 2/24/2026
Rep. Stevens, Haley M. [D-MI-11]
MI • D
Sponsored 2/24/2026
Rep. Walkinshaw, James R. [D-VA-11]
VA • D
Sponsored 2/24/2026
Rep. Matsui, Doris O. [D-CA-7]
CA • D
Sponsored 3/3/2026
Khanna
CA • D
Sponsored 3/3/2026
Rep. Davids, Sharice [D-KS-3]
KS • D
Sponsored 3/3/2026
Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7]
VA • D
Sponsored 3/18/2026
Jackson (IL)
IL • D
Sponsored 3/24/2026
Rep. Amo, Gabe [D-RI-1]
RI • D
Sponsored 4/13/2026
Mfume
MD • D
Sponsored 4/15/2026
Rep. Menefee, Christian D. [D-TX-18]
TX • D
Sponsored 4/20/2026
Rep. Rivas, Luz M. [D-CA-29]
CA • D
Sponsored 4/27/2026
Schrier
WA • D
Sponsored 5/12/2026
Mejia
NJ • D
Sponsored 5/12/2026
Roll Call Votes
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