PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Rhode Island workers who need time off to care for a seriously ill child or other family member would be eligible for coverage under the state's temporary disability insurance program, under legislation that cleared the General Assembly Wednesday.
The legislation sponsored by Sen. Gayle L. Goldin, D-Providence, and Rep. Elaine Coderre, D-Pawtucket, would cover residents who need to take time off from work to care for a seriously ill child, spouse, parent, parent-in-law, grandparent or domestic partner -- or to bond with a new child.
The House passed the bill Tuesday. The Senate approved the measure Wednesday.
It now heads to the governor for consideration.
Rhode Island is the third state to pass such legislation; the others are New Jersey and California, according to We Care Rhode Island, a coalition that includes workers, business owners and health-care providers.
The TDI program is funded solely through employee contributions, which amount to about 64 cents a week for workers earning $40,060 a year, the coalition said in a statement praising the legislation's passage.