More Paid Leave for More Americans Act
More Paid Leave for More Americans Act would create a federally coordinated program to help states establish and fund paid family leave. States would need to pass their own paid family leave laws and participate in the Interstate Paid Leave Action Network (I-PLAN) to receive federal grants. The bill envisions a 6-week paid family leave benefit for qualifying events (birth/adoption) with a wage-replacement formula that scales by earnings and poverty level, and a maximum weekly benefit equal to 150% of the state’s average weekly wage. It also establishes a national intermediary and a framework (I-PLAN) to standardize how paid leave programs operate across states and to streamline benefits for people who work in more than one state. Funding is provided through annual appropriations in Title I and Title II, with oversight, reporting, and program evaluation requirements to ensure compliance and effectiveness. Key design features include: strong emphasis on public-private partnerships (state-level programs partnered with private entities), mandatory state participation in I-PLAN to qualify for grants, a standardized benefit and administration framework to reduce cross-state complexity, and a national intermediary to assist states and monitor progress. The bill also reallocates certain federal funds and authorizes specific appropriations for 2026–2028 to support these activities.
Key Points
- 1Establishes a State Paid Family Leave Public-Private Partnership Grant Program to fund states that enact a paid family leave law, provide 6 weeks of leave, and set benefits up to 150% of the state’s average weekly wage; funds can cover startup costs, benefit payments, design, software, outreach, and related activities.
- 2States must enact a paid family leave law and participate in the Interstate Paid Leave Action Network (I-PLAN) to be eligible for grants; priority criteria favor states using certain off-the-shelf software, expanding access, funding sustainability, and targeting low-income populations.
- 3Creates I-PLAN (Interstate Paid Leave Action Network) to develop and maintain an interstate agreement (I-PLAN Agreement) with common policy and administrative standards to harmonize definitions, eligibility, benefits, and employer interactions across states, and to coordinate claims processing for workers with multi-state work histories.
- 4Establishes a National Intermediary (a national nongovernmental workforce organization) to support I-PLAN, including organizing state focal points, publishing a public roadmap, producing annual inter-state comparisons of programs, and delivering a standardized, interoperable technology system for wages and claims processing.
- 5Includes oversight and accountability provisions: states must report on grant use and beneficiaries; the Department of Labor’s Inspector General conducts audits; yearly reports to Congress on progress, program changes, and access to benefits; with defined authorized appropriations for the intermediary and state grants for 2026–2028.