MADISON – Today, Representative Alex Joers joined Representative Francesca Hong, Senator LaTonya Johnson, and Representative Kalan Haywood to reintroduce legislation to establish paid family and medical leave for Wisconsin. Currently, workers in Wisconsin have no right to paid family and medical leave. This legislation presents an exciting opportunity to enact a comprehensive, statewide paid family and medical leave program in.
“Wisconsin has an opportunity to strengthen our families, our workforce, and our economy by passing a paid family and medical leave policy,” said Representative Joers. “When workers can take time to care for a new child, recover from illness, or support a loved one without losing their paycheck, our entire state benefits. Businesses experience less turnover, increased productivity, and a more stable workforce, while families stay financially secure during life’s most vulnerable moments.”
Representative Joers shared his own personal story of needing to access family leave for the birth of his two children and the cancer diagnosis of his father:
“My oldest had to spend 40-days in the NICU, just a month after my dad also passed away from cancer. It was a difficult time, but we were able to get by with careful planning, financial risk, and real stress — and even then, many families in Wisconsin don’t have access to the few options we had.”
Under the proposed legislation, all employees who work in Wisconsin are covered under the new paid leave policy. Self-employed individuals, including independent contractors, can opt into coverage. A covered individual may take up to 12 weeks of family or medical leave per year or up to 14 weeks for any combination of family and medical leave.
“Paid Family and Medical Leave is not just good policy — it’s common-sense infrastructure for a healthy, competitive Wisconsin. By investing in our people, we ensure that no one has to choose between the job they need and the family they love. Now is the time for Wisconsin to take this important step forward,” Representative Joers concluded.
