To: The Illinois State House, The Illinois State Senate, Governor J.B. Pritzker, The United States House of Representatives, The United States Senate, and President Donald Trump
Maternity/Paternity Leave for Federal Employees in 2018!
It is time to pass a bill supporting any type of Paid Maternity/Paternity leave for Federal Employees! Under current policies, federal employees may take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave under the very outdated Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993!
In 2017, H.R. 1022, the Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act was submitted for action -- This bill allows federal employees to substitute any available paid leave for any leave without pay for either the birth of a child or the placement of a child for adoption or foster care. It makes available for any of the 12 weeks of leave an employee is entitled to for such purposes: (1) six administrative weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth or placement involved, and (2) any accumulated annual or sick leave.
The Office of Personnel Management may promulgate regulations to increase the amount of paid parental leave available to such an employee to a total of 12 administrative workweeks. Such regulations must consider certain factors, including benefit and cost to the federal government.
The bill amends the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 and the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to allow the same substitution for covered congressional employees, Government Accountability Office (GAO) employees, and Library of Congress employees. Service in the National Guard or the Reserves by employees of the executive branch, Congress, the GAO, or the Library of Congress shall count as service for purposes of determining eligibility to take or substitute leave as allowed under this bill.
In 2017, H.R. 1022, the Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act was submitted for action -- This bill allows federal employees to substitute any available paid leave for any leave without pay for either the birth of a child or the placement of a child for adoption or foster care. It makes available for any of the 12 weeks of leave an employee is entitled to for such purposes: (1) six administrative weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth or placement involved, and (2) any accumulated annual or sick leave.
The Office of Personnel Management may promulgate regulations to increase the amount of paid parental leave available to such an employee to a total of 12 administrative workweeks. Such regulations must consider certain factors, including benefit and cost to the federal government.
The bill amends the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 and the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to allow the same substitution for covered congressional employees, Government Accountability Office (GAO) employees, and Library of Congress employees. Service in the National Guard or the Reserves by employees of the executive branch, Congress, the GAO, or the Library of Congress shall count as service for purposes of determining eligibility to take or substitute leave as allowed under this bill.
Why is this important?
It is 2018 and Federal Employees do not have paid Maternity/Paternity leave options without exhausting our earned Sick Leave or Holiday Leave. It is time things changed!