Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE
District 37 (Bergen)
Assemblywoman CAROL A. MURPHY
District 7 (Burlington)
SYNOPSIS
Respectfully urges Congress to extend family leave and paid sick leave benefits provided by CARES Act.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution respectfully urging Congress to extend the family leave and paid sick leave benefits provided by the CARES Act.
Whereas, The federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act provides two weeks of paid sick leave to workers at companies with fewer than 500 employees who are stricken by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, are quarantined, or are caring for affected relatives; and
Whereas, This provision, like other provisions of the CARES Act, is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2020; and
Whereas, Approximately 32 million hourly workers in the United States get do not receive sick leave from their employers; and
Whereas, The CARES Act also provides for 10 weeks of paid family leave to workers at companies with fewer than 500 employees who need to care for children attending school remotely; and
Whereas, The expiration of these provisions after December 31 would cause hardship for families across the United States; and
Whereas, This hardship will especially affect workers in both the 37 states that do not guarantee paid sick and the 40 states that do not require businesses to provide paid family leave; and
Whereas, This hardship comes at a time when the country is experiencing a surge in coronavirus cases and paid family leave and sick leave are more important than ever in controlling its spread; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House respectfully urges the United States Congress to extend the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, that includes the provisions providing two weeks of paid sick leave and 10 weeks of paid family leave, before it expires on December 31, 2020.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives, and each member of the United States Congress elected from this State.
STATEMENT
This resolution respectfully urges the United States Congress to pass an extension of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, that includes the provisions providing two weeks of paid sick leave and 10 weeks of paid family leave, before it expires on December 31, 2020. The expiration of these provisions after December 31 would cause hardship for families across the United States, especially affecting those living in the 37 states that do not guarantee paid sick leave to employees and the 40 states that do not require businesses to provide paid family leave. This comes at a time when the country is experiencing a surge in coronavirus cases and paid family leave and sick leave are more important than ever in controlling its spread.