# Plain Language Summary: Part-Time Worker Bill of Rights Act

This bill makes two major changes to protect part-time and temporary workers. First, it expands access to family and medical leave by eliminating strict hour requirements. Currently, workers need to have been employed for 12 months and worked at least 1,250 hours to qualify for unpaid leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act. This bill would change that to just 90 days of employment, meaning part-time workers who haven't been at a job very long could take leave for serious health issues, childbirth, or family care without losing their jobs. This takes effect one year after the law passes.

The second part of the bill prevents employers from treating part-time workers unfairly compared to full-time workers doing the same job. If a part-time and full-time employee do substantially equal work, employers can't pay the part-timer less, deny them benefits, or exclude them from promotions just because they work fewer hours. Part-time workers would earn benefits like paid time off on a proportional basis—so a worker doing half the hours would get half the benefits. However, employers can still pay different wages based on seniority, performance, or how much someone produces.

The bill also requires employers to ask new hires what hours they want to work and their availability, then must offer those hours to existing employees before hiring new people from outside. If an employer hires someone new instead of giving those hours to an existing employee who wanted them, the existing employee gets paid for those missed hours. The law applies to employers with more than 15 employees and includes protections for federal, state, and congressional workers.