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ARTICLE · 04 FEBRUARY 2015

Budget Proposal Seeks Funds For Paid Leave Programs, Whistleblower Protection, Wage & Hour Enforcement

Littler Mendelson
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As promised during last month's State of the Union Address, President Obama's budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2016 allocates funding to a number of initiatives designed to promote "middle class economics."

United StatesEmployment and HR
Littler Mendelson, P.C.
Littler Mendelson, P.C.
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As promised during last month's State of the Union Address, President Obama's budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2016 allocates funding to a number of initiatives designed to promote "middle class economics." The Department of Labor alone would receive $13.2 billion in discretionary funding, part of which would go to enhancing wage and hour law enforcement, protecting whistleblowers, and assisting states with establishing paid leave programs. While the budget proposal is more opening salvo than law, it indicates where the Administration's priorities lie. The following are some of the highlights from this year's proposal.

Paid Sick Leave

While legislation requiring private-sector employers to provide their employees with paid sick time off would likely fail this congressional term, states and localities have been marginally more successful in advancing such policies. To this end, the President's budget would provide $2.2 billion in mandatory funds for the Paid Leave

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