The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides workers job-protection and unpaid leave for specified family and medical reasons.
Federal Employees can use sick leave for family care and bereavement; annual up to 12 weeks (480 hours) for a family member with a serious health condition.
Connecticut Service Workers can take paid sick leave to take care for sick family.
Rulings in several US cities provide paid sick leave for employees to take care for sick family.
The Temporary Caregiver Insurance (TCI) program builds off of Rhode Island's existing, successful Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) program (in existence since 1942, the nation's first) and extends replacement income to workers who need to take time off to care for a new child or a seriously ill loved one.
In effect: January 5, 2014
What is Temporary Caregiver Insurance (TCI):
4 weeks of wage replacement benefits and job protection during a benefit year period (52 weeks) to workers who need time to take care for a seriously ill child, spouse, domestic partner, parent, parent-in-law or grandparent, or to bond with a newborn child, adopted child or foster child - Bonding claims may be requested only during the first 12 months of parenting.
Who is eligible?
- you must have earned wages in Rhode Island and paid into the TDC/TCI fund and
- you must have been paid at least $9,600 in either your base period* or alternate base period**, if you did not earn this amount, you may be eligible if:
1. you earned at least $1,600 in one of your base period quarters
2. your total base period taxable wages are at least one and one-half times your highest quarter earnings, and
3. your base period taxable wages equal at least $3,200.
* base period = he first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before the starting date of your new claim.
** alternate base period = he last four completed calendar quarters before the starting date of your claim.
Eligibility is the same as for TDI benefits, but if you receive up to the maximum of 4 weeks TCI benefits, it will reduce the maximum weeks of TDI during a Benefit Year Period
Proof needed to obtain the TCI:
- Caregiver claims: the claimant is responsible to obtain the medical documentation necessary
- Bonding claims: the claimant is responsible to provide proof of child/parenting relationship.
How to apply:
- go to the TDI website, you may apply online or download an application to complete and mail to TDI, P.O. Box 20100, Cranston, RI 02920. Or call: (401) 462-8420 and choose option 1. Your claim should be filed asap to avoid payment delay.
- do not file a claim ahead of time, the claim will be returned back
Notice Period Employer
The law requires you to provide your employer with 30-days notice, in writing, unless 'unforeseeable circumstances' prevail.
Payment of TCI:
- Within 3-4 weeks from the day TDI receives the application.
- Your weekly benefit rate will be equal to 4.62% of the wages paid to you in the highest quarter of your Base Period.
- Claims with a Benefit Year Begin Date effective 1-5-14 or greater, $74.00 is the minimum benefit rate. Claims with a Benefit Year Begin Date effective 7/7/13 or greater, $752.00 is the maximum benefit rate. This does not include dependency allowance.
Who pays for TCI?
The program is revenue-neutral, funded solely through employee contributions. The current withholding rate as of January 1, 2014 is 1.2% of your first $62,700 in earnings. Workers aged 14 and 15 are exempt from wage deductions and TDI/TCI coverage.
If you worked for more than one RI employer in a calendar year and your total wages were more than $61,400 (in 2013), you may be entitled to a TDI tax refund.
Sources and more info at:
FactSheet TCI
RI Department of Labor and Training
