“The federal government is the nation’s largest employer, yet federal employees are among the millions of workers who do not have any type of paid family and medical leave through their job. This means they must forego a paycheck when they need time away from their job to welcome a new child, care for a seriously ill or injured loved one or address their own medical issue. The dedicated public servants who keep our government running — many of whom just withstood weeks of not being paid during the longest shutdown in history — should not have to make this impossible choice.

We applaud Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) and the members of Congress who have introduced an expanded paid leave bill that addresses the full range of caregiving needs reflected in the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). By including caregiving needs beyond parental leave, the Federal Employee Paid Leave Act (FEPLA) would be a model for the kind of comprehensive paid leave that all working people deserve, no matter where they live or work.

Paid leave is not just good for federal workers and their families. A comprehensive paid leave policy would help the government to attract and retain talented workers — particularly younger workers — and could help save taxpayers money by reducing employee turnover and replacement costs. We urge Congress to support and swiftly pass FEPLA, along with the Family And Medical Insurance Leave (FAMILY) Act, which would set a national paid leave standard for all working people.”