Rhode Island § 28-41-34 - Temporary Disability Insurance — Benefits

§ 28-41-34. Temporary caregiver insurance.

The purpose of this chapter is to establish, within the state temporary disability insurance program, a temporary caregiver insurance program to provide wage replacement benefits in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, to workers who take time off work to care for a seriously ill child, spouse, domestic partner, parent, parent-in-law, grandparent, or to bond with a new child.

Definitions as used in this chapter:

(1) “Adopted child” means a child adopted by, or placed for adoption with, the employee.

(2) “Bonding or bond” means to develop a psychological and emotional attachment between a child and his or her parent(s) or persons who stand in loco parentis. This shall involve being in one another’s physical presence.

(3) “Child” means a biological, adopted, or foster son or daughter, a stepson or stepdaughter, a legal ward, a son or daughter of a domestic partner, or a son or daughter of an employee who stands in loco parentis to that child.

(4) “Department” means the department of labor and training.

(5) “Domestic partner” means a party to a civil union as defined by chapter 3.1 of title 15.

(6) “Employee” means any person who is or has been employed by an employer subject to chapters 39 — 41 of this title and in employment subject to those chapters.

(7) “Grandparent” means a parent of the employee’s parent.

(8) “Newborn child” means a child under one year of age.

(9) “Parent” means a biological, foster, or adoptive parent, a stepparent, a legal guardian, or other person who stands in loco parentis to the employee or the employee’s spouse or domestic partner when he/she was a child.

(10) “Parent-in-law” means the parent of the employee’s spouse or domestic partner.

(11) “Persons who stand in loco parentis” means those with day-to-day responsibilities to care for and financially support a child or, in the case of an employee, who had such responsibility for the employee when the employee was a child. A biological or legal relationship shall not be required.

(12) “Serious health condition” means any illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition that involves inpatient care in a hospital, hospice, residential healthcare facility, or continued treatment or continuing supervision by a licensed healthcare provider.

(13) “Spouse” means a party in a common law marriage, a party in a marriage conducted and recognized by another state or country, or in a marriage as defined by chapter 3 of title 15.