Lawmakers Reintroduce Legislation to Expand Paid Leave for Federal Employees

A group of bipartisan lawmakers recently reintroduced legislation that would expand paid leave for federal employees to include 12 weeks of family and medical leave.

On June 11, U.S. Representatives Don Beyer, Brian Fitzpatrick and Chrissy Houlahan reintroduced the Comprehensive Paid Leave for Federal Employees Act. The bill seeks to guarantee 12 weeks of paid family leave for federal employees in all instances covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), according to a statement from Beyer’s office.

As that statement noted, federal employees are eligible for paid parental leave under current law, but family and medical leave continues to be unpaid. If passed, this legislation would guarantee 12 weeks of paid leave in the following cases:

• Because of a serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the functions of the employee’s position; and
• In order to care for the spouse, child, or parent of the employee, if such spouse, child, or parent has a serious health condition;
• In order to care for the employee or a family member who is a survivor of dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, sex trafficking, or stalking;
• Because of any qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that the spouse, child, or parent of the employee is on covered active duty (or has been notified of an impending call or order to covered active duty) in the Armed Forces.

“I’m proud to represent a district with one of the largest numbers of federal employees in the country, so I am especially conscious of how beneficial it would be to provide comprehensive paid family and medical leave to our public servants,” said Beyer, in a statement.

“We’ve already made meaningful progress by securing paid parental leave for federal employees and expanding paid leave for service members who transition to the federal workforce. The next step is expanding family and medical leave to all federal workers, because every American deserves the peace of mind that comes from being able to take time off to care for their health or a loved one without losing a paycheck.”