Sen. Bernie Sanders is trying to put rival Hillary Clinton on the defense over one of her signature issues: paid family leave.

Mr. Sanders backs legislation in Congress that would create a federal fund to reimburse a portion of lost wages when workers take up to 12 weeks off after the birth or adoption of a child, to care for a family member’s serious health condition or for a serious health problem of their own.

The proposal is funded by new payroll tax of two-tenths of a 1% paid by both employers and employees. It is modeled on programs already in place in California, New Jersey and Rhode Island.