Friends: As of August, 2000, the US Federal Government, US Dept. of Labor is allowing states to experiment with using unemployment compensation to help pay for time off from work re: birth or adoption. Now it is up to states (through their legislatures) to pass laws allowing this kind of expenditure. I have not read the entire document (it is 36 pages), but it does include model language for state legislation. The summary follows my signature. This is pertinent to breastfeeding as: - it will allow families to get some money during maternity leave time to help defray expenses and potentially allow the mom to stay home with baby longer than previously; - it supports provisions for paid leave within the ILO's new Maternity Protection Convention (#183), which the US signed on to but which still needs to be ratified by the US Senate. If you'd like to see it on the Web: 1) go to <http://www.access.gpo.gov> and select "GPO Access" 2) Select "Federal Register" under the Quick Links. 3) Search Federal Register, 2000, final Rules and Regluations, for search term "Birth and Adoption Unemployment Compensation" 4) Select 13jn00 (June 13, 2000) Fed Register entry which has the final rule. You can see a summary (the basic info below), the on-line version (HTML) or the PDF of the actual printed Federal Register. So, find out if this effort is being considered for legislation in your own state and let us know. The more states that adopt this rule, the more likely the US is to ratify ILO MPC #183. Good Luck! --Doraine Bailey Lexington, KY, USA Birth and Adoption Unemployment Compensation AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration, Labor. ACTION: Final rule. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (Department) is issuing this Final Rule to create an opportunity for State agencies that administer the Unemployment Compensation (UC) program to provide partial wage replacement, on a voluntary, experimental basis, to parents who take approved leave or who otherwise leave employment following the birth or placement for adoption of a child. This regulation permits interested States to experiment with methods for allowing the use of the UC program for this purpose. EFFECTIVE DATE: This Final Rule is effective August 14, 2000. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gerard Hildebrand, Office of Workforce Security, Employment and Training Administration (ETA), U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Room S-4231, Washington, DC 20210. Telephone: (202) 219-5200 ext. 391 (this is not a toll-free number); facsimile: (202) 219-8506; e-mail: [log in to unmask] _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com *********************************************** The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html