A Democratic bill with 2 Republican cosponsors · See all 3 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, and House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill amends the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to give eligible workers up to 12 additional weeks of leave when their newborn child receives care in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). It allows parents to spend critical time with their hospitalized infants without exhausting the leave they need for bonding after the baby comes home. The legislation establishes a combined total of 24 workweeks of leave during a single 12-month period for standard FMLA leave and the new neonatal intensive care leave. It also permits workers to use accrued paid leave, such as vacation or sick leave, to cover parts of this specialized time off. Furthermore, the bill protects employees' job benefits and outlines certification requirements for taking this leave.
Yes· 3 of 8
- Scored +7
Would children be better off under this?
The bill ensures parents can be present in the NICU for critical care and bonding, which significantly improves neonatal health and developmental outcomes.
- Scored +7
Would women be better off under this?
Mothers facing high postpartum health risks and infant NICU hospitalizations receive dedicated leave that protects their jobs and postpartum recovery.
- Scored +6
Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this?
Young adults of childbearing age directly benefit from expanded leave options during high-risk postpartum and infant hospitalization events.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Additional Leave for NICU Care: Section 3(a) provides eligible employees with a total of 12 workweeks of leave during a single 12-month period if their child is receiving care in a NICU for a serious health condition. This directly benefits working parents by giving them dedicated time to be present with their vulnerable infants without sacrificing standard bonding leave.
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Preservation of Bonding Time: Section 3(a) ensures that leave taken for NICU care is designated separately from standard family and medical leave under paragraphs (1)(A), (B), or (C). This is a positive outcome because working parents will not be forced to choose between supporting their hospitalized infant and saving time to care for the baby once they return home.
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Flexibility with Paid Time Off: Section 3(d) allows employees to substitute accrued paid vacation, personal, family, medical, or sick leave for any part of the 12-week neonatal intensive care leave period. This helps families maintain financial support while taking time off to care for their newborn.
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Employment and Benefits Protection: Section 3(f) updates the Family and Medical Leave Act to protect employment and maintenance of health benefits for workers who take neonatal intensive care leave. This safeguards workers from losing their jobs or healthcare coverage while tending to a critically ill newborn.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Unpaid Leave Burden: Section 3(d) specifies that if an employer provides paid leave for fewer than the total number of workweeks entitled, the additional workweeks may be provided without compensation. This could create a financial hardship for families who cannot afford to take unpaid time off, even though the leave is legally guaranteed.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would children be better off under this? — The bill ensures parents can be present in the NICU for critical care and bonding, which significantly improves neonatal health and developmental outcomes. Would women be better off under this? — Mothers facing high postpartum health risks and infant NICU hospitalizations receive dedicated leave that protects their jobs and postpartum recovery. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — Young adults of childbearing age directly benefit from expanded leave options during high-risk postpartum and infant hospitalization events. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — While some leave may be unpaid, the ability to use accrued paid leave and protect employment helps lower-income workers weather severe medical crises. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — Middle-class families gain critical job and benefit protections when facing expensive and prolonged NICU stays without sacrificing standard bonding leave. Would people in middle age be better off under this? — Working parents in middle age who experience complicated births with NICU admissions receive vital job-protected leave.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The bill provides eligible employees with up to 12 additional weeks of FMLA leave to care for a newborn in a neonatal intensive care unit, supporting infant health outcomes.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — By protecting employment and health benefits while allowing the use of accrued paid leave for NICU stays, the bill helps vulnerable families avoid financial destitution.
- 11/12/2026
- Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on Oversight and Government Reform, and House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 3 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
Michael LawlerRepublican · New York
Morgan McGarveyDemocrat · Kentucky
Ryan MackenzieRepublican · Pennsylvania