TO AMEND THE UNIFORM ATTENDANCE AND LEAVE POLICY ACT; AND TO GRANT PAID LEAVE TO PUBLIC EMPLOYEES IN THE EVENT OF THE DEATH OF A PUBLIC EMPLOYEE'S FAMILY MEMBER OR CHILD.

Senate Bill 241 amends the Uniform Attendance and Leave Policy Act to provide paid leave for public employees. It allows for up to forty hours of catastrophic leave with pay each calendar year in the event of the death of an immediate family member. The bill broadly defines "immediate family member" to include various relatives, in-laws, and individuals acting as a parent or guardian. It also clarifies "child" to encompass biological, unborn, step, adoptive, and foster children. This leave is available to employees if the administrator of their catastrophic leave program elects to provide it.