The Ohio Civil Rights Commission recently proposed that the state require employers to offer a maternity leave policy that exceeds what is offered under the 1993 federal Family and Medical Leave Act, the New York Times reports.

The federal law requires businesses with 50 or more employees to offer women who have worked at the business for one year -- or 1,250 hours -- 12 weeks of unpaid leave to care for an infant. The Ohio commission's proposal would require businesses with four or more employees to offer women 12 weeks of unpaid maternity leave, regardless of how long they have been employed by the business.

Under the proposal, women would need a doctor's order to qualify if they do not meet eligibility for FMLA. The commission next month is expected to submit the final proposal to a joint state Senate and House committee, which could approve the changes without further legislative action. According to the Times, the commission is revising the proposal after receiving complaints from business groups claiming that the regulations would hurt small businesses and the state's economy.

Tony Fiore, director of labor and human resources policy for the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, said that requiring businesses to hold positions for 12 weeks and to provide leave for women immediately after beginning work would be a hardship. Ty Pine, legislative director for the Ohio branch of the National Federation of Independent Businesses, said the market had established reasonable maternity leave policies for workers and businesses.

Jeanine Donaldson, who is leading the commission, said a new maternity leave policy is necessary to ensure women are protected against discrimination. Donaldson said that she was willing to compromise on the number of weeks of guaranteed leave under the proposal but that she hoped to maintain the requirement that a woman's length of employment would not affect her eligibility (Driehaus, New York Times, 8/12).