In Congress, New Push on Family Matters

There is a renewed interest in Congress in providing paid parental leave, and it just might pay off for federal employees.

Reps. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-N.Y.) and Thomas M. Davis III (R-Va.), and House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) this week reintroduced a bill that would provide federally employed women with eight weeks of paid parental leave.

"The federal government should be leading the way and providing its employees with a truly family-friendly workplace," Maloney said in a written statement.

Hoyer noted that paid parental leave "is commonplace in the private sector" and would be "a simple way to recognize the value of the federal workforce."

Maloney has repeatedly championed adding the benefit to the federal workplace, in part because of opposition from the administration. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has urged Maloney to focus on family- friendly work policies as part of her work as vice chairman of the Joint Economic Committee. Two hearings have been held, and more are planned for after Labor Day.

The Senate also is looking at workplace policies, including a federal employee bill somewhat similar to the Maloney-Hoyer-Davis proposal.

That bill, introduced in January by Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), would provide eight weeks of paid leave to federally employed women after giving birth and five days of paid leave to new fathers. The bill also would provide five days of paid leave to federal employees who adopt children.

In addition to adding a benefit for federal workers, Congress is looking at expanding time-off policies for the private sector.

Sen. Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.) and Stevens are sponsoring a family-leave insurance bill that would provide up to eight weeks of paid leave to workers needing time off because of the birth or adoption of a child, to care for a family member with a serious illness or to care for themselves when they are sick.

Maloney also has looked at expanding the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act to provide the benefit. Her proposal would set up a pilot program allowing the government to provide paid leave for at least six weeks to eligible federal employees for the birth or adoption of a child or for family illness.

In previous years, Bush administration officials have balked at adding paid parental leave to the list of federal employee benefits. In their view, the government provides a generous package of vacation and sick leave for family responsibilities and that more paid time off would not improve recruitment and retention of employees.

But Linda M. Springer, director of the Office of Personnel Management, has expressed interest in offering short-term disability insurance to federal employees. That might be a way to provide maternity benefits and end complaints from younger federal employees who often say they run short of vacation and sick leave when caring for a newborn or an adopted child.