Healthy Families Act
Sponsored By: Senator Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
Introduced
Summary
This bill would create a nationwide requirement for earned paid sick time, establishing minimum accrual, use, and worker protections. It sets a floor so most employees would earn paid sick leave and be protected when they use it for illness, caregiving, or for needs related to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
Show full summary
- Workers and families would earn at least 1 hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, with a typical annual cap of 56 hours; employees could use leave after the 60th calendar day of employment and carry unused time forward. Leave covers an employee’s own care, care for family members, and time for safety or legal needs tied to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
- Employers would be covered if they employ one or more people at least 20 workweeks in a year; employers with leave policies that meet or exceed the bill may keep those policies. The bill bars employers from forcing replacements, from penalizing leave use, and requires notice and a conspicuous posted employee notice with a willful posting penalty up to $100 per offense.
- Enforcement and oversight would mirror familiar Fair Labor Standards Act tools. The Secretary of Labor could investigate and sue, employees would have a private right to damages including wages and attorney fees, the Bureau of Labor Statistics would collect annual usage data, and the Government Accountability Office would study implementation within five years.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
Enforcement, penalties, and outreach
If enacted, the Secretary of Labor would have investigatory and subpoena power and could sue to recover denied wages, salary, and benefits. You would be able to sue to get lost pay, interest, liquidated damages, equitable relief, and attorney's fees; if no wages were denied, you could recover actual losses up to 56 hours of pay. Employers would have to post a notice about paid sick time rights, and failing to post willfully could bring a fine up to $100 per offense. The Secretary could also run a public awareness campaign funded by Congress.
Paid sick time accrual rules
If enacted, covered employees would earn 1 hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked. Employers would have to let employees earn up to 56 hours per year and let unused time carry over year to year. You could use earned time starting on the 60th calendar day of employment. Paid sick time would be paid at the higher of your regular rate, the federal minimum wage, or your state or local minimum wage. Employers would have to reinstate accrued time if you are rehired within 12 months but would not have to pay out unused time when you separate.
Which employers and workers are covered
If enacted, an employer would be covered if they employed one or more people for each working day during 20 or more calendar workweeks in the current or prior year. The bill would treat public agencies as covered and would explicitly include the Government Accountability Office, the Library of Congress, and rail carriers. The Act would not override state or local laws that give more paid leave, and employers that already provide equal or better leave would not have to let employees accrue extra time under this Act.
Using sick leave and protections
If enacted, you would be able to use paid sick time for your own illness, medical care, or preventive care and to care for a child, parent, spouse, domestic partner, or similar person. You would also be able to use it for domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking needs like medical care, counseling, relocation, or court actions. For leave that lasts more than three consecutive workdays, your employer could require certification within 30 days; for domestic-violence leave they could ask for police reports, court papers, or notes from qualified professionals. If your need is foreseeable at least 7 days, you would have to give at least 7 days' notice; otherwise you would notify your employer as soon as practicable. Employers would have to keep health information in a separate confidential file and could not retaliate against you for using or trying to use paid sick time.
Rule deadlines and union delay
The Secretary of Labor would have 180 days after enactment to write rules implementing the Act. The GAO and the Library of Congress would write rules for their employees, and other agencies would have 90 days after the Secretary's rules to write theirs. The Act would take effect six months after the Secretary issues rules. If you are covered by a collective bargaining agreement in effect when rules take effect, the Act would start on the earlier of the agreement's end, an amendment after that date, or 18 months after rules are issued.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Sanders, Bernard [I-VT]
VT • I
Cosponsors
Charles Schumer
NY • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA]
WA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI]
WI • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]
CT • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Sen. Blunt Rochester, Lisa [D-DE]
DE • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
NJ • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA]
WA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]
DE • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL]
IL • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]
IL • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Sen. Fetterman, John [D-PA]
PA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Sen. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ]
AZ • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY]
NY • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]
NM • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
John Hickenlooper
CO • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]
HI • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA]
VA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME]
ME • I
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Amy Klobuchar
MN • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]
MA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT]
CT • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI]
RI • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI]
HI • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Elissa Slotkin
MI • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN]
MN • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]
MD • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Peter Welch
VT • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
OR • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA]
MA • D
Sponsored 2/25/2026
Sen. Kim, Andy [D-NJ]
NJ • D
Sponsored 2/25/2026
Sen. Alsobrooks, Angela D. [D-MD]
MD • D
Sponsored 3/25/2026
Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]
OR • D
Sponsored 4/14/2026
Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]
RI • D
Sponsored 5/14/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov