[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 25, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1344-E1345]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           FEDERAL EMPLOYEES PAID PARENTAL LEAVE ACT OF 2008

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                               speech of

                             HON. PHIL HARE

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 19, 2008

  Mr. HARE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Federal 
Employees Paid Parental Leave Act.
  Currently, about 46 percent of private employers provide paid 
parental leave to their employees, but federal workers have no such 
guarantee. As a Member of the House Education and Labor Committee and a 
representative of many federal workers, this concerns

[[Page E1345]]

me. Federal workers, like those in the private sector, should also have 
the option of adopting or giving birth to their own child without 
having to go 12 weeks without a paycheck, which few families in our 
country can afford to do.
  Study after study shows that enabling working mothers and fathers to 
care for and bond with newly-adopted children and newborns lays the 
foundation for healthy child development and a safer, brighter future 
for our Nation. Paid leave makes it possible for workers to take time 
off without having to worry about a paycheck.
  Additionally, paid parental leave will help the federal government 
recruit and retain dedicated and talented workers. As the federal 
workforce ages, our government will be looking for new, younger 
workers. In order to attract and retain the best workers, federal 
benefits must be competitive.
  This paid leave would also save the government money by reducing 
turnover and avoiding costs associated with replacing and training new 
workers, which is approximately 25 percent of one worker's salary, 
making turnover-related costs among the most significant employer 
expenses.
  The Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act will provide federal 
workers who qualify for leave under the Family Medical Leave Act, FMLA, 
which guarantees 12 weeks of unpaid leave, with four weeks of full pay 
for the adoption or birth of a new child, allowing parents to care for 
their newborns while continuing to make ends meet.
  This legislation takes a strong step toward creating a more family-
friendly workplace in the United States. Hopefully, in my lifetime I 
will see federal paid sick and parental leave for every worker in every 
industry in the United States. I look forward to working with my 
colleagues to achieve this goal. As a father who spends every week away 
from his family serving here in the U.S. Congress, I understand how 
hard it is not to be with loved ones and to miss important events in 
their lives because of one's job.
  I urge my colleagues to pass this legislation and show American 
workers that we are committed to helping them balance their work and 
home responsibilities.

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