State Sen. Dan Laughlin (R-Erie) hosted a roundtable discussion Tuesday at the Pennsylvania Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Home in Erie on his Family Care Act legislation.
The legislation, Senate Bill 580, would establish a statewide Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program, which would be administered by the Department of Labor and Industry.
Working individuals would make small contributions from their weekly earnings to the leave program. They could then use the funds to care for themselves or a close family member in the event of a serious health condition, to care for a new child or to care for a member of the military under qualifying circumstances. Leave benefits would be calculated using a graduated scale to ensure the program is accessible to all workers, regardless of how much they earn.
Panelists at the roundtable discussion included; Ben Stahl, CEO of Veterans Leadership Program of Western Pennsylvania; Heather McLaughlin, program manager of UPMC Home Healthcare and Family Hospice; Matthew White, founder and managing director of Whitethorn Digital; and Jill Hrinda-Patten, executive director of Mission Empowerment.
“We had a great conversation about the Family Care Act and I appreciate the opinions and expertise offered by everyone who participated in the roundtable discussion,” Laughlin said. “They made it clear that a basic ‘safety net’ is needed to provide financial stability for families in times of crisis.”