House Subcommittee Approves Amended Parental Leave Bill For Federal Employees

Main Category: Women's Health / Gynecology
Also Included In: Pregnancy / Obstetrics
Article Date: 17 Apr 2008 - 8:00 PDT

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The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee's Federal Workforce Subcommittee on Tuesday approved an amended version of a bill (HR 3799) that would provide four weeks of paid parental leave for federal employees for the birth of an infant or adoption of a child, the Washington Post reports (Barr, Washington Post, 4/16). The Bush administration is opposed to the measure and has said that federal employees have generous benefits -- such as paid sick leave and vacation days that can be carried over -- which can be used to care for an infant or adopted child (Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 3/7).

The measure initially would have offered eight weeks of paid leave, but Committee Chair Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) offered an amendment to shorten the time to four weeks. Waxman said four weeks of paid parental leave would make the federal government a leader in strengthening families and would be a "prudent fiscal approach." Waxman said his amendment would provide four weeks of paid leave and then allow federal employees to take up to eight weeks of paid sick leave, provided that they have accrued enough sick leave.

The measure was approved on a 7-3 voice vote. The three Republicans present at the mark up -- Reps. Darrell Issa (Calif.), Jim Jordan (Ohio) and Kenny Marchant (Texas) -- voted against it. Issa said that Congress should not consider increased benefits for federal employees during an economic slowdown, adding that by doing so, Congress is "making a statement that [it is] out of touch." Marchant said he was concerned the measure would have a "hefty price tag," and Jordan asked for a cost estimate.

The most recent cost estimate is from a 2000 bill that would have provided six weeks of paid parental leave and would have cost $95 million in the first year, Waxman said. He added that he hopes the Congressional Budget Office provides an estimate before the measure is up for a floor vote in the House. The cost of the measure should be balanced against the cost of hiring and training new workers, Waxman said.

Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), sponsor of the measure, said that although she would have preferred eight weeks of paid leave, the amended measure is "a positive step in the right direction." Maloney has said the U.S. has not kept pace with the family leave policies in other industrialized countries or the needs of families, particularly those that "no longer have a stay-at-home parent to provide care for a new child." Maloney added that the federal government's current parental leave policies "are a talent drain on the government" and "an incentive for skilled people to look elsewhere for work at the very time when our government needs them the most" (Washington Post, 4/16).

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