Federal Employees Could Get 12 Weeks of Paid Family and Medical Leave Under New Bill

There’s a new effort to get federal employees access to paid family and medical leave. Supporters say adding paid family and medical leave will save the government at least $50 million a year in turnover and replacement costs and help with recruitment. 

The Comprehensive Paid Leave for Federal Employees Act would expand federal paid leave to include 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave. 

Currently federal employees are eligible for paid parental leave under the 2019 Federal Employee Paid Leave Act. However, other family and medical leave remains unpaid.

Sponsors include Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Don Beyer (D-VA), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA).

“Unpaid leave may protect a job on paper, but for too many working families, it is not leave they can actually afford to take," said Rep. Fitzpatrick. “When a federal employee faces a serious illness or needs to care for a loved one, the choice should not be between earning a paycheck and being present for their family.”

The legislation would guarantee 12 weeks of paid leave in certain situations. They include:

• A serious health condition that makes an employee unable to perform their job. 

• To care for a spouse, child, or parent who has a serious health condition. 

• To care for the employee or family member who is a survivor of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, sex trafficking, or stalking. 

• Because of any qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that the spouse, child, or parent of the employee is on covered active duty (or has been notified of an impending call or order to covered active duty) in the Armed Forces.

The legislation is supported by a wide range of federal unions and workforce organizations, including the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), and the National Partnership for Women & Families.

“The ability to take paid time off to meet caregiving responsibilities or protect their health and safety should not be an additional burden federal workers have to face now or in the future,” said Jocelyn Frye, President of the National Partnership for Women & Families.