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COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, HOSPITALS AND HUMAN SERVICES 11/13/2025-REPORTED OUT TO THE FLOOR 10/28/2025-AMENDED AND REPORTED OUT TO THE COMMITTEE ON RULES AND JUDICIARY 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. Sponsors: Hubert L. Frederick, Avery L. Lewis and Carla J. Joseph Co-sponsors: Ray Fonseca, Clifford A. Joseph, Sr. and Marise C. James 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, or who has been entrusted with or assumed 9 responsibility for the care of an “elder” as defined in section 452(k) of title 34 Virgin 10 Islands Code or a “dependent adult” as defined in section 452(j) of title 34 Virgin Islands 11 Code, are entitled to four hours administrative leave per month, each calendar year to 12 2 perform caregiving duties. Full-time employees of beneficiaries under the Industrial 1 Development Program, and employees of employers who receive benefits under Act No. 2 4740 who are the primary caregiver of a seriously ill spouse, child, parent, or any 3 individual who is the legal dependent of that employee are entitled to two hours leave per 4 month, each calendar year, to perform caregiving duties.” 5 (b) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (e) and by adding a new subsection 6 (c) and a subsection (d) as follows: 7 “(c) To be eligible for caregiver’s leave, not more than 48 hours after the absence, 8 the caregiver shall submit proof to the caregiver’s employer that the time off was taken 9 in accordance with the criteria set forth in subsection (b). Failure to submit the proof is 10 sufficient cause for the employer to not pay the caregiver for the time not worked. 11 BILL SUMMARY 12 This bill specifically identifies the caregivers’ duties and expands caregivers leave to 13 include the employees of beneficiaries under the Industrial Development Program and 14 beneficiary under Act No. 4740. 15 BR25-0472/April 3, 2025/SLR 16 ..\..\..\..\AMENDS\36th Legislature\FRANCIS, JR., NOVELLE E\Amendment 36-599\36- 17 599-DRAFTED ON YELLOW.docx 18