{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://millermeeks.house.gov/media/press-releases/miller-meeks-introduces-legislation-incentivize-employers-paid-leave-programs", "Miller-Meeks Introduces Legislation to Incentivize Employers for Paid Leave Programs", "2021-06-30", "2021", "2021-06", "Republican", "House", "IA", "Mariannette Miller-Meeks", "M001215", "millermeeks.house.gov", "millermeeks", "https://millermeeks.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C.\u2014Today, June 30th, 2021, Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-02) introduced H.R. 4248, the Workflex in the 21st Century Act. This legislation encourages and allows employers to implement paid leave programs and flexible work arrangements voluntarily without the need for a burdensome and inflexible one-size-fits-all federal mandate.\n\nMiller-Meeks introduced this legislation with Reps. Virginia Foxx (NC-05), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05), Tim Walberg (MI-07), and Glenn Thompson (PA-15).\n\n\u201cIn this day and age, hard-working Americans across the country should have access to work scheduling options to better help them meet their family and work needs. Employers and employees need flexibility, not mandates and regulations,\u201d said Miller-Meeks. \u201cMy Workflex in the 21st Century Act would ensure that American workers have access to flexible paid leave policies, while providing certainty to businesses. This bill would provide more paid leave for employees than all state paid leave laws, and I am proud to introduce it today.\u201d\n\n\u201cAmerica\u2019s workers rely on flexible work opportunities to maintain a healthy balance of work and family life. We are offering the American people a path toward increased workplace freedom without spending hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars or forcing unfunded, unworkable mandates on small businesses,\u201d said Foxx, Republican Leader of the Education and Labor Committee. \u201cDemocrats\u2019 idea of workplace flexibility is either a taxpayer handout to fund a sweeping new entitlement program, or a rigid mandate that cannot bend to meet workers\u2019 or business owners\u2019 unique needs and circumstances. Our plan does what the federal government is supposed to do \u2013 remove barriers to workplace success so job creators and employees can thrive.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe 21st-century workforce values flexibility. Whether it\u2019s the single mom trying to make her son\u2019s baseball game, or the dad trying to leave work on time to drive across town to his daughter's dance recital, workplace flexibility measures help families juggle their busy lives,\u201d said McMorris Rodgers. \u201cThe future of work is changing, and this legislation recognizes that our workplace rules are outdated and limit the flexible options people seek today.\u201d\n\n\u201cHardworking moms and dads know how challenging it can be to juggle all the commitments that come at home and on the job. As the workplace continues to evolve, employees are increasingly looking for flexible work arrangements that strike the right work-life balance,\u201d said Walberg. \u201cTo better meet the needs of the 21st-century workforce, our legislation encourages innovative reforms to promote family-friendly policies without resorting to more costly and burdensome mandates.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe modern workplace is constantly changing, and employers must adapt to stay competitive. The Workflex in the 21st Century Act provides an innovative solution for employers to develop paid leave and workplace flexibility plans that will best fit their workforce,\u201d said Thompson. \u201cFamily-friendly policies are crucial to attracting and retaining high-quality employees. Through this legislation we can help companies implement flexible working arrangements, without wasting taxpayer funds or burdening small businesses with additional federal mandates. This is a win-win for all.\u201d\n\nTo read the full text of the legislation, click HERE.\n\nBackground:\n\nThis bill provides effective options for employers to meet workers\u2019 needs without burdening small businesses or forcing federal mandates that are irresponsive to the needs of workers and business owners.\n\nThe Workflex in the 21st Century Act creates a new type of benefit under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, which provides a voluntary safe harbor from the growing patchwork of state and local laws by providing a plan that offers a minimum number of hours of paid leave, congruent with a company\u2019s size and employee\u2019s length of service, and a flexible work arrangement, including compressed work schedules, biweekly work programs, telework, job-sharing, flexible scheduling, or predictable scheduling.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:57:00Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://millermeeks.house.gov/media/press-releases/miller-meeks-introduces-legislation-incentivize-employers-paid-leave-programs"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.1605520267039537, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}