Comstock, Maloney Introduce Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act

Virginia Representative Barbara Comstock, VA 10th District.

Washington, D.C. – Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-VA) and Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) renewed calls Monday to extend paid leave protections to federal workers as they reintroduced the Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act (FEPPLA).

“As a young mom when I was a federal employee, I was acutely aware of the balance between raising a family and building a career,” said Congresswoman Barbara Comstock. “That is why I am teaming up with Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) in introducing the Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act which provides six weeks of paid parental leave to federal employees for the birth, adoption or fostering of a child. Extending paid parental leave to federal workers helps diminish the risk of real economic hardships as well as retain the best federal employees from competition in the private sector.”

FEPPLA would provide federal employees six weeks of paid leave following the birth, adoption or fostering of a child. Currently, federal employees are entitled to take up to twelve weeks of unpaid Family and Medical Leave, but unpaid leave makes parents choose between a paycheck and caring for a new child during the critical first weeks.

The legislation has been endorsed by 24 unions representing federal workers including the National Treasury Employees Union and the Federal Postal Coalition.

Submitted by Barbara Comstock's staff.