USVI Public Records

Document text

COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, HOSPITALS AND HUMAN SERVICES BILL NO. 36-0086 Thirty-Sixth Legislature of the Virgin Islands May 8, 2025 An act amending title 3 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 25, section 590b, the Caregivers Leave Act PROPOSED BY: Senator Novelle E. Francis, Jr. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the Virgin Islands: 1 SECTION 1. Title 3 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 25, section 590b is amended as 2 follows: 3 (a) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following new subsection (b): 4 “(b) All fulltime employees of the Government of the Virgin Islands, including 5 employees of independent boards, commissions, agencies, autonomous and semi- 6 autonomous agencies, and instrumentalities of the Government of the Virgin Islands who 7 are the primary caregiver of a seriously ill spouse, child, parent, or any individual who is 8 the legal dependent of that employee are entitled to four hours administrative leave per 9 month, each calendar year to perform caregiving duties. Full-time employees of 10 beneficiaries under the Industrial Development Program, and employees of employers 11 who receive benefits under Act No. 4740 who are the primary caregiver of a seriously ill 12 2 spouse, child, parent, or any individual who is the legal dependent of that employee are 1 entitled to two hours leave per month, each calendar year, to perform caregiving duties.” 2 (b) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (e) and by adding a new subsection 3 (c) and a subsection (d) as follows: 4 “(c) To be eligible for caregiver’s leave, not more than 48 hours after the absence, 5 the caregiver shall submit proof to the caregiver’s employer that the time off was taken 6 in accordance with the criteria set forth in subsection (b). Failure to submit the proof is 7 sufficient cause for the employer to not pay the caregiver for the time not worked. 8 (d) For the purposes of this section: 9 (1) Caregiver also includes an employee who has been entrusted with or 10 has assumed responsibility for the care of an elder person as defined in 34 V.I.C. § 11 452(k) or a dependent adult as defined in 34 V.I.C. § 452(j). 12 (2) Serious illness means a health condition that carries a high risk of 13 mortality and either negatively impacts a person’s daily functioning or quality of 14 life or excessively strains his or her caregivers.” 15 BILL SUMMARY 16 This bill specifically identifies the caregivers’ duties and expands caregivers leave to 17 include the employees of beneficiaries under the Industrial Development Program and 18 beneficiary under Act No. 4740. 19 BR25-0472/April 3, 2025/SLR 20