The birth or adoption of a child is a life-changing event, yet many current and aspiring middle-class families cannot afford to take time off to welcome and bond with the new child. Workers recovering from a long illness or caring for elderly or disabled family members often face a similar squeeze. While the Family and Medical Leave Act , passed in 1993, guarantees 12 weeks of unpaid leave to many employees for a personal or family illness or a new child, there is currently no federal requirement that employers offer paid leave. The Family Leave Insurance Act of 2009 would answer that need by establishing a Family and Medical Leave Insurance Fund financed by both employer and employee contributions equal to 0.2% of an employee's annual earnings (small businesses make a lower contribution). The Fund would cover up to 12 weeks of paid leave per year for employees to care for a new child or a seriously ill family member or to recuperate from their own serious health condition. Leave could also be used for emergencies that arise from a military deployment. The lowest income workers would receive their full paycheck when they take the leave, while those with higher incomes would receive a portion of their weekly earnings. The bill bans discrimination or retaliation against employees that take paid leave and gives employees the right to sue if they are discriminated against. All employees who have paid into the fund for at least six months would be eligible for approved leave. States with a more comprehensive paid leave program could opt out, as could employers that choose to offer more generous leave.