Press Releases
June 16, 2008
Senator Jim Webb's Floor Statement On Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act Of 2008
JUNE 16, 2008
Mr. President, I rise to introduce the bipartisan Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act of 2008. I introduce this bill with Senators Warner, Clinton, Schumer, Mikulski, and Sanders. This bill has a simple yet important requirement: that federal employees be granted 4 weeks of paid paternity and maternity leave.
I believe strongly in protecting the rights and benefits of our federal employees, many of whom have given years of public service to our Government. I commend their service to our nation. The Federal Government is the country’s largest employer, with over 2.7 million employees. Federal employees can be found across the country, in a wide range of jobs. My state of Virginia is home to more than 100,000 federal workers. Therefore, as the nation’s largest employer, the Federal Government should be the leader in workplace policy. The Federal Government should provide benefits that are as good as the “best practices” in the private sector.
Furthermore, according to the Office of Personnel Management, more than half of the federal government’s employees will become eligible for retirement in the next ten years. Approximately 40 percent of the federal workforce is expected to retire. The federal workforce is aging faster than the private workforce and recruitment among younger workers has been weak. The benefits desired by younger workers are offered by private sector employers, but not by the federal government. Although, the federal government cannot compete with private-sector salaries, we should offer comparable benefits.
The current parental leave law for federal employees is flawed. That is why we have introduced The Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act of 2008, in part, with the hope of improving recruitment and retention in the Federal work force. The Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act provides that, of the 12 weeks of unpaid leave guaranteed by the Family and Medical Leave Act, federal employees will be allowed to substitute 4 weeks of paid leave, as well as any accrued annual or sick leave, for the birth or adoption of a child. This requirement mirrors the Senate Armed Services Committee’s recent decision to allow for 21 days of paid paternity leave for servicemen in the National Defense Authorization Act.
The legislation we introduce today is also an issue of fairness for the working family. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that more than 70% of women with children over the age of one are in the workforce and both parents work in most families. Additionally, according to the National Partnership for Women and Families, in today’s highly competitive, “24/7” jobs environment, there is little workforce flexibility to help working women and men care for their families and still succeed at their jobs. This is particularly true for those Americans whose economic security is most at-risk.
It is important to note the parental leave practices of non-federal employees. Research by the Joint Economic Committee has found that Fortune 100 firms offer paid leave, which typically lasts six to eight weeks. Additionally, all of the United States’ economic rivals provide paid parental leave, as do many other nations in the world. The European Union requires that member countries offer 14 weeks of paid leave and most offer more than the required amount. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development countries now provide an average of 18 months of childbirth-related leave, much of it paid.
By contrast, our nation’s current laws force healthy, long-term federal employees to save up their sick days and vacation time so they can use this paid time off to care for their newborn or newly adopted child. Asking employees to cobble together accrued leave makes it difficult for relatively new employees or those who experience health problems to save up enough time for parental leave.
We owe it to our civil servants to continue to work to promote policies that help ensure basic fairness for all federal employees. We have a long way to go before the benefits for our workforce are competitive in attracting and retaining employees. However, this bill is critical start. That is why our nation’s leading associations representing federal employees and families support this legislation.
I note that the House of Representatives recently reported a similar bill out of the appropriate House Committee on an overwhelmingly bi-partisan vote. I hope that the Senate begins similar action on this bill, and I urge my colleagues’ support of this pro-family, pro-federal worker legislation.
Mr. President, I yield the floor.
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