Parental Leave Act For Federal Employees Passes House, Faces Veto Threat

Main Category: Women's Health / Gynecology
Also Included In: Public Health
Article Date: 24 Jun 2008 - 6:00 PDT

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The House approved the Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act (HR 5781) by a 278-146 vote on Thursday, the Washington Post reports. The legislation would provide federal and congressional employees with four weeks of paid parental leave for the birth of an infant, adoption of a child or care of a foster child. The Bush administration has threatened to veto the bill, calling it a "costly, unnecessary, new paid leave entitlement."

Under the measure, employees would be able to continue to use accrued vacation days as part of their parental leave. The bill also would make it easier to use sick leave to care for a child by eliminating the current requirement to demonstrate medical need. The Office of Personnel Management would have the discretion to grant an additional four weeks of paid leave. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the legislation would cost about $105 per federal employee annually (Baribeau, Washington Post, 6/20).

Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), the bill's sponsor, said, "The federal government may refer to its leave policies as 'family friendly,' but the reality is that it's forcing many of its employees to choose between their paycheck and their new child" (Yager, The Hill, 6/19). Maloney in a statement also said that the measure "not only pro-family, it is pro-government, and will strengthen the federal government's ability to compete for high-quality employees" (Yehle, Roll Call, 6/19).

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 8% of private-sector employees are allowed paid family leave. Supporters of the bill argue that the act could save the federal government recruiting and retention expenses. Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.), a co-sponsor of the legislation, said, "This measure ... says to employees, 'We care about you and your family. We want you to stay with us,'" adding, "But it's more than a recruitment and retention tool. It's a matter of fairness" (Washington Post, 6/20).

A companion bill (S 3140) has been introduced by Virginia Sens. Jim Webb (D) and John Warner (R). The White House Office of Management and Budget on June 17 sent out a Statement of Administration Policy in opposition to the legislation, claiming that current policies that allow federal employees to use accrued sick and vacation days for parental leave are sufficient. Instead, OMB supported an alternate proposal that would allow employees to use short-term disability insurance (Roll Call, 6/19).

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