Senator Proposes Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Act for Michigan Workers

On October 14, 2026, Michigan Senator Erika Geiss introduced the Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Act, which would have a profound impact on Michigan workers who require a leave of absence for personal or family medical reasons.

Currently, the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allows eligible workers up to 12 weeks of job-protected time away from work for qualifying personal or family medical reasons but does not explicitly provide income protection. To date, 14 U.S. states and the District of Columbia have enacted similar statutory statewide paid leave programs that allow employees to take paid time away from work for personal and family medical needs.

The bill, if approved, provides a phased implementation approach that ultimately allows workers up to 12 weeks of personal and/or family medical leave per year. It also includes a bereavement leave benefit capped at 10 days per qualifying family member death, not to exceed 15 days per year.

Key employee advantages of the proposed bill include:

• 100% income replacement of the employee’s average weekly wage, subject to a cap of two-thirds of the Michigan State Average Weekly Wage
• Reinstatement to the same or equivalent position upon return from leave
• Continuation of health benefits during the protected leave period
• Protection from adverse employment action, such as retaliation or discipline, for using leave

Given the bill’s current stage of introduction, there are currently no employer requirements. The bill was referred to the Housing and Human Services Committee shortly following introduction by Senator Geiss.

The above information does not constitute advice. Always contact your employee benefits broker or trusted advisor for insurance-related questions.

Authored By:

Jenn Shepard, Leave Management Practice Leader