Paid Parental Leave

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2009-09-05T11:37:00.002-04:00

Hello wonderful readers...

Please check out my new (and improved) blog...

http://www.findingtheworklifebalance.com

Thanks

Transcript of House floor debate on HR 626

2009-06-05T18:46:00.001-04:00

For those who are interested in exactly what was said in the House debate please click this link.

Once again, the main issue of debate for paid parental leave in the US is cost.

HR 626 has PASSED in the House

2009-06-05T12:50:00.003-04:00

On June 4th the House passed bill HR 626 providing federal employees 4 weeks of paid parental leave at a vote of 258-154.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi had this to say about the passage of the bill:

"Today's House passage of paid parental leave for federal employees after the birth or adoption of a new child is a victory for all working families. As the nation's largest employer, the federal government should offer competitive benefits to those already offered in the private sector. Family-friendly practices help improve children's health and development; they also reduce turnover.

Supporting families with paid parental leave is an investment in our future. I salute Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney for her relentless efforts to ensure a strong bipartisan vote in support of this legislation. With this vote, in tough economic times, the House has stood with hardworking Americans and their families, and on the side of fiscally sound management."

Now onto the Senate...

The House to Vote on HR 626 Tomorrow!!!

2009-06-02T13:16:00.004-04:00

Breaking News: The House to consider H.R. 626, Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act of 2009 -- Jun 3, 2009 at 3 p.m.

This bill would provide federal employees with PAID parental leave for 4 weeks. Please give a last push of support to your congresspeople. Email or call them now!

I will update with more information as soon as it is available.

Is Paid Family Leave a Partisan Issue?

2009-05-20T11:42:00.003-04:00

Governor Corzine brings up an interesting point after announcing the passage of paid family leave in New Jersey. He believes that the bill would not have been able to be passed without the democratic control of the state government. I question why policies that benefit families are a partisan, or more accurately a democratic issue. Since the 1980s the Republican party has been running on a family values platform, and what policies could more easily integrate into this platform than those that help mothers and families? Personally, it does not make sense why such a family focused party does not support policy that would allow a child adequate time to bond with the parents and breast-feed. Is the issue that the conservatives prefer a nuclear family model where mothers do not work? Because that is simply not possible for many families today where two incomes are needed. I ask you to ponder why policies like paid parental leave are a partisan issue and not a family issue and then call your elected official and urge them to support paid parental leave policies across the country like H.R. 626.

New - Michelle Obama on Working Family Policies

2009-05-18T15:17:00.000-04:00

How Much Will HR 626 Cost?

2009-05-14T11:19:00.002-04:00

A new Congressional Budget Office Report was released: "CBO estimates that implementing HR 626 would cost $67 million in 2010 and a total of $938 million over the 2010-2014 period, subject to appropriation of the necessary funds. Enacting H.R. 626 would not affect direct spending or receipts."

The $67 million is around 3% of the proposed $2 billion a year plan of universal paid leave by John Edwards. As the percentage of federal employees of the entire US population is much more than 3%, it is a good sign that this plan would be less expensive. However the plan only covers 4 weeks of paid leave...is that enough?

Tell your Representative You Need Paid Parental Leave

2009-05-09T19:38:00.002-04:00

Here is a list of all house representatives who are NOT sponsors of bill HR 626. If you are in their district please email them and urge them to support this bill.

Here is a list of all senators who are NOT sponsors of bill S 354. If you are in their state please email them and urge them to support this bill.

Success in Australia

2009-05-09T19:22:00.003-04:00

Now the United States will be the only developed nation without a paid parental leave policy.

Today the Australian Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan confirmed that the new federal budget, to be released on Tuesday, will fund national paid parental leave. The new plan, due to begin in January 2011 and will cover families earning less than $150,000 a year. The leave will be for 18 weeks at the federal minimum wage of $544 per week. The estimated cost will be $450 million.

This is a huge success after months of campaigning Down Under. With HR 626 and S 354 currently awaiting votes in congress to pass federal employee paid parental leave this could push added pressure on the US government to pass the bill. Tell you representatives to pass paid parental leave now.

What worked in Australia was a loud voice for change. It is going to take more than think-tank and democratic support to pass this bill, the people need to take ownership for their own family welfare by become vocal supporters.

Paid Parental Leave Digital Petition in Australia

2009-05-08T01:13:00.001-04:00

Michelle Obama and Women

2009-05-08T01:06:00.001-04:00

Whose Responsibility is it to Provide Paid Leave?

2009-05-08T00:52:00.002-04:00

Today Michelle Obama spoke at the Corporate Voices for Working Families event highlighting her support for aid for working families. While on the surface this might seem fantastic publicity for supporters of work/life balance policy, a subtler question was put into play...whose job is it to pay for these policies?

The first lady highlighted the need for paid sick days, paid parental leave, and high quality on-site childcare, yet she was not suggesting that the government take charge of creating these policies, instead she steered her focus towards "the corporation."

While there have been many cases made that show that a stronger work/life balance and more women in the workplace is better, economically, for companies. Yet, with the economy as poor as it is, it seems unlikely that employers would start adding more benefits.

Who do you think should be responsible for these working family benefits? The government, the corporate world, or both?

Progress in America

2009-05-07T09:22:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, Wednesday, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee passed HR 626 by a voice vote. It will now head to the full House, where a vote has not yet been scheduled.

This is great news for Rep. Carolyn Maloney's Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act, where federal employees who are new parents would be allowed four weeks of paid leave.

Next we wait to see how a similar bill, S 354, does in a senate committee vote.

A small step of progress for a big change.

Paid Leave in the US: Currently a State by State Issue

2009-05-04T14:35:00.002-04:00

Currently California, New Jersey and Washington have policies for paid parental leave. Today there is news that Oregon might be the next state to step up to plate. Hyped by the website Parents for Paid Leave and Mom's Rising, the bill in the state legislature was voted favorably out of the Senate Commerce and Workforce Committee. Similar to the issue of gay marriage, this may become an issue that is legislated state by state before the federal government makes a big enough action. Let's hope this bill continues swiftly on the road to being put into law.

Click here to tell the Oregon legislature to keep the bill moving!

Possible Big News in Australia

2009-05-03T19:37:00.002-04:00

Next week the Australian government is poised to announce their new budget. There are reports that the government will include in their budget a plan for paid parental leave, though with a delayed start date and longer phase-in period. The Productivity Commission has recommended a taxpayer-funded scheme of 18 weeks paid leave at the minimum wage. If this news is in fact true, the United States will become the only developed country that does not provide paid parental leave to its citizens.

Not only is this great news for Australia, but possibly great news for the US. I feel that this could put added pressure on the US government to implement its own paid parental leave plan. In the short term this could mean pressure to pass the Federal Employee Paid Leave bill in the House and Senate. Let's hope Australia follows through with this news and brings the rights parents need across the world.

So What Exactly Do We Have in the US Now? The FMLA Explained...

2009-04-29T13:26:00.002-04:00

While we do not currently have an paid parental leave policy in the United States we do have the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA). So what exactly does the FMLA provide? This act is explained below:

The labor law recognizes the growing needs of balancing family, work, and obligations and promises numerous protections to workers. Some of these protections include:

Up to twelve (12) work weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for various reasons such as
- Caring for the birth of a son or daughter or the adoption or placement into foster care of a child
- Caring for a child, spouse or parent with a serious health condition
- For one's own serious health condition
Restoration to the same position upon return to work. If the same position is unavailable, the employer must provide the worker with a position that is substantially equal in pay, benefits, and responsibility.
Protection of employee benefits while on leave. An employee is entitled to reinstatement of all benefits to which the employee was entitled before going on leave.
Protection of the employee to not have their rights under the Act interfered with or denied by an employer.
Protection of the employee from retaliation by an employer for exercising rights under the Act.

Generally, the Act ensures that all workers are able to take extended leaves of absence from work to handle their own or an immediate family member's serious health condition without fear of being terminated from their jobs by their employers or being forced into a lower job upon their return.

The leave guaranteed by the act is unpaid, and is available to those working for employers with 50 or more employees within a 75 mile radius. In addition, an employee must have worked for the company at least 12 months and 1,250 hours in the preceding 12 months.

Do you think the FMLA is enough for the citizens of the United States?

The Effects of the Global Economic Crisis on Paid Parental Leave Policy

2009-04-29T12:45:00.002-04:00

It is no secret that the global economy is in the midst of a huge economic downturn. When nations are faced with corporations reporting in the red, increased unemployment, and a rising deficit, priorities are put into check. Only 5 countries in the world currently have no national paid parental leave policy, the most jarring being Australia and the United States. While Congresswoman Maloney recently introduced HR bill 626 for federal employee paid parental leave in the US and Australia continues to be close to implementing new policy that would pay parents on leave, there is one thing standing in the way...the economy. Today it was reported in the Australian media that paid parental leave policy, that was about to be approved and implemented by the government, may now be in jeopardy because of budget issues (Paid Maternity Leave Latest Casualty of the Recession) Without a doubt the cost of paid parental leave will be very expensive to both the government and businesses. Current research has placed the number at $2 billion in the US and $450 million in Australia. In the current economy can our governments and companies afford to take on such a high expense?

I think the question is can we afford not to? Yes, this would be a huge expense to the government and employers on a whole, but currently the lack of paid parental leave has a huge economic effect on families which can only be exacerbated by the current economic downturn. When parents (especially mothers) are not given paid parental leave they suffer a huge lose of income. For many families that live paycheck to paycheck, or have little savings, this decrease in monthly income can be the difference between whether or not the bills get paid. In fact without paid leave many families could be pushed into poverty. The cost of having a child is already quite high, and the additional burden of income lose can be very dangerous to a family's economic health. In these uncertain times it is crucial that when evaluating expensive policies we consider both the macro and micro economic effects.

Zimbio

2009-04-13T19:09:00.001-04:00

Hillary Clinton's Plan for Family Leave during 2008 Campaign

2009-04-13T14:35:00.000-04:00

A Mother for Paid Parental Leave in the US

2009-04-10T16:22:00.001-04:00

Paternity Leave in Sweden

2009-04-10T16:11:00.000-04:00

John Edwards' Plan for Paid Family Leave

2009-04-08T20:17:00.004-04:00

In 2007, then-presidential candidate John Edwards laid out a bold plan for universal paid family leave. Edwards' plan aimed to create a $2 billion National Family Trust to achieve the goal of offering paid family and medical leave benefits to all workers by 2014. The Trust would help states create paid leave systems with challenge grants to help finance benefits, technical assistance and public awareness campaigns to inform workers of the new laws. Rather than subsidizing piecemeal tax credits or employer incentives, the National Family Trust would support states that offer minimum benefits, including eight weeks of leave for new parents. Edwards would also make the federal government a model employer with a generous paid leave benefit. While this plan would put the United States on the right path to being on par with its peer countries, the cost is steep. With the current economy being in a huge downward slump, an annual cost of $2 billion might seem excessive to a lot of Americans. It puts into focus the effect of cost on the implementation of paid parental leave policy in the United States and current national priorities.

The Politics of Parental Leave

2009-04-08T20:06:00.001-04:00

Paid Family Leave in New Jersey

2009-04-08T20:02:00.001-04:00

Rep Maloney on Paid Parental Leave

2009-04-08T19:51:00.002-04:00

The Next Step for the US

2009-04-08T19:16:00.002-04:00

As posted below, the US House of Representatives has put out a new bill for a vote that would allow all federal employees paid parental leave. Due to the fact that the United States is one of only five countries without any paid parental leave this might seem like a great first step... but is it the right one?

The American taxpayer pays for federal employee benefits. There are currently around 19.7 million federal employees, making up 14% of the 140 million people working in the United States. With so many families, and especially, mothers struggling economically after the birth of a child, would it seem unfair for some women to be paid for maternity leave with uncovered women’s tax dollars? It can be feared that there could be a backlash, hurting the cause.

On the other hand, implementing this type of policy on a small scale can allow the kinks to be worked out with less potential for major problems. It remains to be seen firstly if this legislation can be passed by congress. If the legislation is not passed again, is that the end for the foreseeable future for paid parental leave legislation? Is there other legislation that may be more effective?

Parental Leave in the UK

2009-04-08T19:07:00.002-04:00

In the United Kingdom the parental leave policy differs based on gender. Women in the UK are allowed 26 weeks off, regardless of how long they have worked for their employer. The Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) is paid for 26 weeks. The first six weeks the mother is paid at 90% of average earnings and for the remaining 20 weeks the mother is paid £108 a week or 90% of average weekly earnings if this is less. In addition, mothers can take another 26 weeks of additional unpaid maternity leave in certain circumstances. The mother must have completed 26 weeks continuous service with their employer by the beginning of the fourteenth week before their expected week of childbirth.

Fathers are allowed two weeks' paid paternity leave. Fathers are paid £108 a week or 90% of their average weekly earnings if this is less, for two weeks, known as Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP). The paternity leave can be taken from the date of birth or up to eight weeks from the birth. However, to qualify the father must have worked for his employer for 26 weeks by the fifteenth week before the baby is due and earn more than £79 a week. In addition, he must notify his employer of the date he wants to start paternity leave by the fifteenth week before the baby is due.

Parental Leave in France

2009-04-08T18:39:00.002-04:00

The right to parental leave first gained focus by the French government in 1977. By 1984 the Allocation parentale d'éducation, the allowance given for taking leave to raise children, was implemented. The allocation was meant to compensate for the loss of earnings resulting from a parental leave. The current french law makes paid parental leave an obligation for every employers where all employees (if they have worked for the company for at least a year) with children under three can ask for child-raising leave. While on leave employees may either stop work altogether or work part time.

France offers all women workers a paid, job -protected maternity leave six weeks before and 10 weeks after the births of the first two children, eight weeks before and 18 weeks after the birth of the third child, 34 weeks (12 prenatally) for twins and 42 weeks (24 prenatally) for triplets or more. Maternity leave, pre and postnatally, is mandatory. The leave can be renewed up to three times. The policy requires that upon return from leave, employees have the right to return either to their same job or one that is of equal level and pay. The new salary cannot not be lower than the one previously payable and all benefits acquired before taking leave are still valid. In addition to this long term leave, in July 1994, the government established an unpaid three-day statutory period of leave to look after a sick child which can be extended to five days if the child is less than a year old.

While on leave, the employee receives no salary from their employer but the law allows a compensatory income to be claimed from the Caisse nationale des allocations familiales, which is a part of the Social Security system. The APE is given to parents after the birth of the second child. The amount appropriated to parents is at a flat-rate, correlated to applicant's employment status and amount of work performed during parental leave. For parents who are out of work, they receive the full rate APE at 462 euros a month. For parents working 50% or less of their normal working hours they receive 307 euros a month. Finally, those parents working between 50-80% of their normal hours receive 231 euros a month. It can be noted that consistently women make up 99% of the recipients of leave policy and almost 80% of the recipients get the full rate of APE, demonstrating that part-time work is not popular.

Parental Leave in Sweden

2009-04-02T15:36:00.002-04:00

Sweden leads the world for the most generous paid parental leave policy. The state-sponsored parental leave (Föräldraledighet) entitles parents to a total of 480 days paid leave per child, with both mothers and fathers entitled and encouraged to share the leave. These parental benefits are paid out by the government, through the Swedish Social Insurance Administration (Försäkringskassan).

The first 390 days of the parental leave, parents are entitled to 80% of their salary, if they have been working legally in Sweden for over 240 days. However, this only applies to salaries under a certain amount, about 34,000 kronor per month (or $4,237 US). People who earn more than this will receive 80% of the highest permissible salary. Of course, the rules are subject to various conditions and exceptions.

In Sweden, mothers and fathers are expected to share the 480 days equally. However, it is acceptable for one parent to take up to 420 days of the total leave, but the remaining 60 days are then reserved for the other parent. The only exception to this rule is for single parents with sole custody. In these cases, the parent can take all 480 days leave. In addition to the paid leave of 480 days per couple per child, parents are also entitled to reduce their working time by 25%, though this is not compensated for by the state.

Swedes may not work at all while receiving the benefits, according to the rules. However, it is possible to work part-time and take parental leave (with benefits) the rest of the time. It is not permitted for both parents to take leave at the same time. The only exception to this is directly after childbirth when the second parent can take out an extra ten days leave.

Fact Sheet on Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act of 2009

2009-04-01T19:43:00.002-04:00

Background:

Although all federal employees currently are entitled to 12 weeks of unpaid leave guaranteed to them by the

Family and Medical Leave Act, few are able to afford taking unpaid leave. The federal government does not

offer any paid time off specifically to care for an infant or newly adopted child, putting the United States in the

extreme minority of industrialized countries.

Under current law, federal employees who have a child and want paid time off have the option of using their

accrued sick days and vacation time. This means that employees must save up their leave time in the years

leading up to having a 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. Even the

best-prepared new parents face difficult choices when child care needs arise - many are forced to choose between

their child and their paycheck.

The lack of paid parental leave also makes it hard for federal agencies to compete with the benefits packages

provided by top-tier U.S. firms. Paid parental leave will improve recruitment and retention for federal agencies.

This is especially important now, with 40 percent of the federal workforce expected to retire over the next ten

years.

The Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act of 2009 would:

Provide that, of the 12 weeks of unpaid leave guaranteed by the Family and Medical Leave Act, federal

employees 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.

Who Benefits:

Federal workers in all three branches who are eligible for unpaid family leave under the Family and Medical

Leave Act. 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.

The American worker benefits because the federal government often sets the standard that business will follow.

In this case, the federal government is lagging behind. Once we get up to par, we will set a standard for the rest

of the private sector.

Paid leave is good for children. Experts in child development tell us that mothers need time to recover from

childbirth and that mothers and fathers alike need time to care for and bond with a new baby.

The bill is endorsed by the American Federation of Government Employees; National Treasury Employees

Union; National Fatherhood Initiative; American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees; Moms

Rising; Partnership for Women and Families; Partnership For Public Service; American Association of University

Women; Federally Employed Women and other organizations.

House Counterpart Bill:

Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) offered the counterpart bill (H.R. 626) on January 22, 2009. Last

year, the House passed an identical bill by a bipartisan vote of 278-146.

Score: The Congressional Budget Office estimates the five-year score is $850 million.

Question & Answers

The Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act of 2008 (S. 3140)

Coverage

Q: Who is covered by FEPPLA (Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act)?

A: All employees of the federal government who are eligible for 12 weeks of unpaid leave under the Family

and Medical Leave Act. Employees must have been with their current employer for at least one year and

have logged 1,250 hours (full-time employment) in the past year.

Q: Who is NOT covered by FEPPLA?

A: -DC government employees

-temporary employees

-part-time employees

-Panama Canal Commission employees employed in Panama

-presidential appointees

-employees of a corporation controlled by the Farm Credit Administration

-alien employees who work outside the U.S., except a chief of mission as defined by the Foreign Service Act

of 1980.

Q: Who is covered in the legislative branch?

A: All employees of the House and Senate (including Members’ personal offices and Committee Staff),

Capitol Guide Service, Capitol Police, Congressional Budget Office, Office of the Architect of the Capitol,

Office of the Attending Physician, Office of Compliance, the Office of Technology Assessment, Library of

Congress, and the Government Accountability Office.

Q: Member and Committee offices make their own vacation and sick leave policies. Why wouldn’t they

continue to make their own parental leave policies?

A: Member and Committee offices do not make their own unpaid parental leave policy. As a result of the

Congressional Accountability Act, FMLA applies to the legislative branch, including Member and

Committee offices. This new benefit is based on FMLA leave, so it is natural that it would apply to Member

and Committee offices the way FMLA does.

A: If Congress is going to set this standard for the rest of the federal government, they should follow it

themselves.

A: This policy is consistent with the length of leave already offered by House and Senate offices and many

offices exceed the standard proposed in this legislation.

Q: In looking at the bill, GAO and Library of Congress employees are listed separately from the rest of the

Legislative Branch. Why?

A: GAO and LOC employees are considered differently for the purpose of leave in the existing laws. They

are eligible for FMLA, but it is applied in a different statute, so it is necessary to create a separate section of

the bill to ensure that they are eligible for the eight weeks of paid parental leave.

Q: Is a parent eligible to take this leave at any point in their child’s life?

A: FMLA leave for the birth or adoption of a child must be taken within one year of the birth or adoption.

For a birth, the leave must be taken for the purpose of caring for the child (i.e., if a parent waits to take leave

until the child is 6 months old, it must be to care for the child, they cannot take it if the child is in daycare).

Q: In the case of an adoption, is the leave only available to parents who adopt a baby, or are adoptive

parents of older children eligible for this leave?

A: This leave is available to parents who adopt a child of any age, within one year of the adoption. No

matter how old the child, there is still presumably a period of adjustment for the family.

Cost

Q: What will this cost the federal government?

A: CBO estimated that implementing this bill would cost $60 million in 2009, $190 million in 2010, and a

total of $850 million from 2009-2013. Enacting this bill would not affect direct spending or receipts.

A: For the most part, it is not likely that agencies will hire temps to replace workers on leave. Rather, they

will need to deal with the management issue of how to cope in the employee’s absence.

Current Practice

Q: Don’t federal employees already have the best compensation packages in the nation?

A: Federal employees may have had the best compensation packages in the 1950s but not today. In a recent

survey, the Chief Administrative Officer of the House found that the federal workforce is not “benefits-rich:”

the federal defined benefit plan and retiree health insurance are highly ranked, but the federal government

falls short on the benefits desired by younger, working families.i

Q: What parental leave benefits do federal workers have now?

A: Currently, Federal employees do not have any paid leave for the birth or adoption of a child. Federal

employees are eligible for 12 weeks of job-protected unpaid leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act

(FMLA) once they have met the job tenure requirements (one year with their employer and having logged at

least 1,250 hours over the past year), although workers often cannot afford to take advantage of this leave.

Currently, the only way for federal workers to receive pay for parental leave is to use accrued paid sick days

and vacation time. In contrast, Fortune 100 companies, typically offer women at least six weeks of paid

maternity leave.

Why We Need this Benefit

Q: Why is it important to provide paid leave to Federal Employees? Wouldn’t it only help people in

Washington, DC?

A: Only one-in-six (16 percent) of federal employees are employed in the Washington, DC area. 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. Providing paid parental leave would help not only

Washington, DC-based employees, but also federal workers nationwide.

A: As the nation’s largest employer, the Federal Government should be the leader in family-friendly

workplace policy. The federal government should provide benefits that are as good as the “best practices” in

the private sector. Research by the Joint Economic Committee has found that Fortune 100 firms offer paid

leave and it typically lasts six to eight weeks.ii This is also consistent with the amount of leave typically

offered by Congressional offices.

Q: Doesn’t the current system work well? Is this really necessary?

A: The current system is flawed. It forces healthy, long-term employees to save up their sick days and

vacation time so they can use this paid time off to receive wage replacement during their FMLA parental

leave. 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.

A: Further, using all of one’s sick and vacation time for parental leave potentially leaves federal employees

without paid sick days available when they need them. A new baby typically requires multiple doctor visits

and young children are prone to catching colds and flu, but if employees use their paid sick days for parental

leave, they are left with few options when they or their family actually gets ill.

A: The lack of a paid leave policy means that federal employees who have been unable to accrue sufficient

paid time off for a parental leave are left with only unpaid leave, which they may not be able to afford to use:

research has found 77.6 percent of those who do not exercise their right to leave under the FMLA report that

one reason they did not take leave was because they could not afford to go without pay.

A: All of the United States’ economic rivals provide paid parental leave, as do nearly all other nations in the

world. The European Union requires that member countries offer 14 weeks of paid maternity 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.

A: Paid parental leave will reduce turnover and save the federal government money. Turnover costs are more

expensive than the cost of paying for eight weeks of paid leave.iii

A: Paid parental leave will help recruitment and retention of younger workers, both pressing problems for the

federal government. According to the Office of Personnel Management’s Budget Justification for fiscal year

2009, more than half of the federal government’s employees will become eligible for retirement in the next

ten years and approximately 40 percent of the federal workforce is expected to retire. The federal workforce

is aging faster than the workforce overall and recruitment among younger workers has been weak. Benefits

prized by younger workers, such as paid parental leave, are offered by private sector employers, but not by

the federal government.iv The federal government cannot compete with private-sector salaries, but we

should be able to offer comparable or superior benefits.

Contingency Plans

Q: How will government agencies cope with the increased absences?

A: Government agencies already make adjustments to accommodate employees who take unpaid FMLA

leave. They shift responsibilities, and plan ahead, since parental leave is foreseeable. With careful human

resource management, agencies should be able to accommodate any increase in leave.

Q: Is there a limit to how many times an employee can use this benefit? If an employee wants to have

multiple children, is there a certain period of time that they have to wait?

A: Just like the FMLA, there is no limit on how many times over the course of employment that one person

could use this leave. The benefit can only be used once in the span of one year, however.

A: There is no waiting period in between children, other than the stipulation that the leave can only be used

once in a year’s time. But many employees may choose to combine their paid parental leave with some

accrued leave to get the majority of their FMLA leave paid, and therefore may wait to have another child

until they have accumulated enough leave.

Daniel Beard, “Investing in the Future of the Federal Workforce: Paid Parental Leave Improves Recruitment and Retention,”

Testimony before the Joint Economic Committee and the Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce, Postal Service, and the District

of Columbia, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, March 6, 2008.

Joint Economic Committee, Paid Family Leave at Fortune 100 Companies: A Basic Standard, but Still Not the Gold Standard,

March 2008.

iii

A meta-analysis being conducted by the JEC is finding that turnover costs are about 15 to 20 percent of annual salary at least

slightly—if not more—above the cost of paying for eight weeks of paid leave.

Daniel Beard, “Investing in the Future of the Federal Workforce: Paid Parental Leave Improves Recruitment and Retention,”

Testimony before the Joint Economic Committee and the Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce, Postal Service, and the District

of Columbia, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, March 6, 2008.

Maternity Leave in Europe

2009-04-01T19:37:00.000-04:00

The Only Countries with No Paid Parental Leave

2009-04-01T18:59:00.001-04:00

Five countries in the world do not offer some form of paid parental leave - Australia, the United States, Liberia, Swaziland, and Papua New Guinea.