The Family and Medical Leave Act, passed in 1993, supports middle-class families by guaranteeing employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave from work for a personal or family illness or to welcome a new child into the family. Employers cannot replace employees on leave or retaliate against them in any way. But this crucial piece of legislation has many gaps: it applies only to companies with more than 50 employees, and even many Americans who are eligible for leave under the FMLA cannot take the time off because they cannot afford to miss the paychecks. This legislation would address those shortcomings by expanding the FMLA to any company with 25 employees or more. Additionally, the bill authorizes grants to state governments to establish their own paid leave programs for people employed in their state. Finally, the bill entitles employees to a maximum of 24 hours a year of time off to participate in an academic activity -- such as parent-teacher conferences -- at their child's school and provides leave to employees addressing issues of domestic violence.