| Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act |
| Many are surprised to learn that the federal government does not provide paid parental leave to its employees. As the nation’s largest employer, the federal government should be a leader in family friendly policies, but it has not kept pace with the changing American workforce. Most families today no longer have a stay-at-home parent to care for a new child, and even before the economic crisis few, could afford to go without pay for any length of time. Evidence shows that providing paid parental leave is good for children’s health and development, boosts employee morale and productivity, and saves costs for employers by reducing turnover. The evidence is clear – no one benefits when parents are forced to make the terrible choice between getting a paycheck and caring for their new child.
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Legislation
In January 2009, I reintroduced the Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act (H.R. 626) along with Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA), Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL) and Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-NY). H.R. 626 passed in the House of Representatives on June 4, 2009, by a vote of 258-154.
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