Federal Union Leader Applauds Obama's Push to Extend Paid Parental Leave to Federal Employees
Federal workers currently receive no paid leave for newborns, adoptions
WASHINGTON, Jan. 15, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- American Federation of Government Employees National President J. David Cox Sr. today issued the following statement:
"President Obama announced today that federal employees will be able to receive six weeks of advanced sick leave to care for a newborn or adopted child, help ill family members, or attend to similar matters.
"In addition, Obama will propose legislation in his fiscal 2016 budget extending to federal employees six weeks of paid leave for the birth, adoption or foster placement of a child.
"This proposal helps narrow a gaping hole in the benefits offered to federal employees, who currently receive no paid leave upon the birth, adoption or fostering of a child. Instead, federal workers must use their own vacation or sick days.
"Federal employees are only able to accumulate a maximum of 30 days of annual leave, which is hardly enough time to provide care to a newborn or newly adopted child. Because of this, employees are forced to either take off work without pay or return to work far too soon, robbing their children of early nurturing that's vital for future development.
"The federal government already reimburses its contractors for the cost of paid parental leave. It's time for government to extend these benefits to its own employees."
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union, representing 670,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia.
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SOURCE American Federation of Government Employees
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