Enables employees to no longer have to utilize sick leave, vacation leave, personal leave or other paid time off as a condition to their maternity leave.

Rhode Island Bill Summary: Maternity Leave and Paid Time Off

This bill would change the rules around maternity leave for workers in Rhode Island. Currently, some employers can require employees to use up their accrued paid time off — such as sick days, vacation days, or personal days — before or during their maternity leave. This bill would make that practice illegal, meaning employees could keep their earned paid leave separate from their maternity leave benefits.

The bill primarily affects working parents, particularly those who are pregnant or have recently given birth. Under the proposed change, an employee taking maternity leave could not be forced by their employer to drain their sick or vacation time as part of that leave. This means workers would be able to hold onto those benefits for future use — for instance, to care for a sick child after returning to work or to take a vacation later in the year.

This legislation is focused on maternity leave specifically, rather than broader parental leave. Employers would need to adjust their leave policies if the bill becomes law. Currently, the bill has been referred to the House Labor Committee and recommended for further study, meaning it has not yet been passed or signed into law.