Sec. 1. 26 MRSA c. 7, sub-c. 6-C is enacted to read:

SUBCHAPTER 6-C

TEMPORARY DISABILITY AND FAMILY LEAVE BENEFITS

§850-A.__Maine Temporary Disability and Family Leave Benefits

Program

1.__Definitions.__As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings:

A.__"Employer" means any public or private employer in the State.

B.__"Program" means the Maine Temporary Disability and Family Leave Benefits Program created in this subchapter.

C.__"Serious health condition" has the same meaning as in section 843.

2.__Program created.__The Maine Temporary Disability and Family Leave Benefits Program is created within the Department of Labor.__The program provides wage-replacement benefits to eligible persons who are on leave from employment for any of the reasons set forth in subsection 3.

3.__Eligibility. To be eligible for benefits, a person must have had earnings from employment in 12 of the prior 52 weeks, and must be on leave due to:

A.__A serious health condition of the employee;

B.__The birth of the employee's child;

C.__The placement of a child 16 years of age or less with the employee in connection with the adoption of the child by the employee;

D.__A serious health condition of a child, parent or spouse; or

E.__The donation of an organ of that employee for a human organ transplant.

4.__Benefits provided.__An eligible person under this chapter receives a weekly benefit of 2/3 of that person's average