House Panel OKs Paid Family Leave for Federal Workers
Federal workers could receive four weeks of paid family leave to care for a newborn or adopted child under a bill approved by a U.S. House subcommittee yesterday. If enacted, the bill also would allow federal workers to use up to eight weeks of accrued paid sick time or annual leave immediately following the first four weeks of parental leave.
Says AFGE President John Gage:
The time has come for the federal government to set the standard for U.S. employers on paid parental leave. The benefits to children and families of four weeks of paid parental leave are enormous and long lasting. This sets an example for private sector employers.
Rule Freezes Bush Move on Chemical Safety, Can’t Stop Family Leave Change
Just hours after President Barack Obama took office yesterday, the Obama administration put the brakes on dozens of pending and just-issued rules and regulations the Bush administration tried to ram through at the last minute.
Bad news: The action couldn’t stop changes in the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) implemented last week that make it harder for workers to take the leave.
Good news: The move blocked a proposed rule that could lead to increased exposure of workers to dangerous chemicals and toxins by changing the way worker exposure is measured.
