Healthy Families Act

# Healthy Families Act (S. 3869) Summary **What the Bill Would Do:** The Healthy Families Act would establish a national paid family and medical leave program, allowing workers to take up to 12 weeks of paid time off per year for purposes like caring for a newborn, attending to a seriously ill family member, or recovering from their own serious health condition. The program would be funded through a small payroll tax on both employers and employees, similar to Social Security contributions. **Who It Affects:** This bill would apply to most American workers in the private sector and government.

It would benefit employees by providing income replacement (estimated at a percentage of their regular wages) while on leave, and employers would gain predictability through a structured national system rather than navigating varying state requirements. **Current Status:** The bill is currently in committee, meaning it has not yet advanced to a full Senate vote. As an independent senator's proposal, it would need support from other lawmakers to move forward in the legislative process. Several states already have their own paid family leave programs, but this bill would create a federal standard.