NFFE Lauds House Passage of Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act

Washington, D.C. – The National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE), a union representing 100,000 federal government workers nationwide, praises the U.S. House of Representatives for the passage of H.R. 626, the Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act (FEPPLA).

The bipartisan bill, sponsored by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), extends four weeks of paid leave to federal employees with a newly born, adopted, or fostered child. Under current law, federal employees may take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave when caring for a newborn, forcing many new families to choose between a paycheck and caring for their child.

“Faced by a slumping economy, federal employees are increasingly unable to afford the option of taking unpaid leave after the birth of a child,” said NFFE National President Richard N. Brown. “This puts some federal employees in the unenviable position of having to delay starting a family because of the financial hardship associated with lost wages. As a matter of principle, families should not have to choose between bringing home a paycheck and caring for their newborn child.”

NFFE has always been a strong supporter of obtaining paid parental leave for federal employees. Having won passage in the House Thursday, NFFE’s efforts are now directed toward getting its companion bill, S.354, through the Senate.

“We applaud the House for taking the initiative on this crucial piece of legislation,” said Brown. “We look forward to working with members of the Senate and the Administration in delivering this important benefit for federal employees.”

“A paid parental leave benefit is a good idea for a lot of good reasons, but above all else, it’s the right thing to do,” Brown said.