WASHINGTON 鈥� The District of Columbia鈥檚 mayor is not endorsing a听proposal to give residents听up to 16 weeks of paid family leave.
听 would create the most generous package in the nation among cities and states if approved by the City Council.
“Certainly everybody wants to support families. But, we have some questions,”听D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser tells听.听“I think there are some very important questions to be answered.”
The measure would provide听paid time off for 鈥渜ualifying events,鈥澨齭uch as听bonding with newborns and adopted children, or听helping a family member recover from illness.
“We have some questions for the District government itself and our 33,000 employees,” Bowser tells NBC4 while also noting that city businesses are awaiting a financial analysis of the proposal.
As the council bill stands now,听the District听and federal governments would not听contribute to the fund as employers. City businesses would be exclusively responsible for听funding the paid family leave pool with a payroll tax听based on the size of the business听鈥� similar to how health care contributions work. The tax would be听up to but not more than one percent.
Among the听questions some critics have is听whether听16 weeks is too long a time frame and whether city businesses should be responsible for funding听such leave even听for听D.C.听residents employed outside the District.
Eight out of 13 council members support the bill, which is expected to be ready听for a final vote early听next year.
草莓传媒’s Kristi King contributed to this report.
