Dozens of Maine residents came together at the State House yesterday, calling on the Legislature to pass a bill this session to implement a paid family- and medical-leave policy. A bill signed into law last year created a commission to study the best way to implement such a policy, but they may not propose legislation until 2023, and advocates for working families say it s too urgent to wait. Destie Hohman Sprague, executive director of the Maine Women s Lobby, noted the Legislature is preparing a budget with a more than $800 million surplus, and she said the time is now to put some of those funds toward paid family and medical leave. .
With the Maryland legislative session in full gear, advocacy groups are planning to host a rally in Annapolis Monday to push lawmakers to pass paid family and medical leave. The Time To Care Act of 2022 would create a family and medical leave insurance program, allowing employees to take up to 12 weeks of paid leave from their jobs to care for new children, address a family member s health concern or care for themselves. Myles Hicks, executive director of Maryland Rise, one of the 100-plus businesses and organizations in the Time To Care Coalition, said workers need to take time off without it affecting their ability to pay bills. .
Performing the same motion over and over on the job can increase workers risk of getting hurt, and now a bill in Olympia aims to protect them with training on better practices. An initiative from 2003 prohibits the Department of Labor and Industries from putting regulations in place to prevent repetitive-motion injuries. House Bill 1837 would repeal it. .