| Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act |
For a complete summary of Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act:
Many are surprised to learn that the federal government does not have a paid parental leave policy for its employees. Long thought to be a leader in providing excellent benefits to its employees, the Federal Government is actually lagging behind the private sector when it comes to paid leave for the birth or adoption of a child. Federal workers must rely on accrued vacation or sick leave if they want a paycheck during their parental leave. As too many families know, this approach may work for the family who never gets sick or takes a vacation, but in reality it puts an undue strain on working families in the federal workforce. Experts in child development indicate that mothers need time to recover from childbirth, and both parents need time to care for the new baby. We should not be forcing parents to choose between this valuable time with their child, and their paycheck.
|
Legislation
HR 5781, the Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act, provides federal employees 4 weeks of paid leave for the birth or adoption of a child. Currently, federal employees do not receive any paid time off when a new child arrives. Like most American workers, they are eligible for 12 weeks of unpaid leave through the Family and Medical Leave Act, but many families cannot afford to take unpaid leave. If they want any paid leave, they must save their vacation days and sick time. This bill recognizes that most families do not have a stay-at-home parent and many struggle to balance work and family responsibilities. The federal government should do all it can to help working families, and providing paid parental leave to federal employees a step in the right direction.
|
