[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 155 (Wednesday, September 25, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1205]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





 INTRODUCTION OF THE FEDERAL EMPLOYEE SHORT-TERM DISABILITY INSURANCE 
                              ACT OF 2019

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 25, 2019

  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, today, I introduce the Federal Employee 
Short-Term Disability Insurance Act of 2019, which would help provide 
financial relief for federal employees who have a short-term injury or 
disability, become pregnant, or develop a pregnancy-related illness. 
This bill would offer federal employees short-term disability insurance 
at no cost to the federal government. Employees would be responsible 
for 100 percent of the premiums and be able to receive disability 
insurance benefits for up to one year, which would replace a portion of 
their lost income due to a non-work-related injury or illness or 
pregnancy. These benefits would be particularly advantageous to ensure 
that our federal employees, who do not yet enjoy paid maternity leave, 
are able to utilize the 12 weeks of unpaid maternity leave permitted by 
federal law while continuing to pay their bills, buy groceries and make 
their mortgage, car and other loan payments without depleting their 
retirement or other savings accounts. Too many federal employees do not 
take advantage of the full amount of federal unpaid maternity leave 
they and their newborn need because they have no way to replace the 
lost income.
  I decided to investigate how we could provide short-term disability 
insurance for federal employees after learning that many of them 
already buy short-term disability insurance as individuals in the 
private market at high individual rates. Although federal employees 
have good health insurance, federal health benefits do not replace lost 
income if employees are unable to work. Moreover, while federal 
employees may have available sick or annual leave days, they may not 
have enough such days to pay the bills if they have to be out of work 
for an extended period, such as following surgery. Although there are 
long-term disability options for federal employees who become 
permanently disabled, federal employees do not qualify for such 
benefits until they have worked for the federal government for at least 
18 months. My bill does no more than put federal employees in the same 
position as many oftheir private-sector counterparts, who often have 
access to disability insurance through an employer at group rates, an 
option unavailable to federal employees. This bill would not allow 
participating insurance companies to exclude persons based on 
preexisting conditions. Because of the federal government's purchasing 
power, this bill would provide these benefits at a more competitive 
rate than is available for employees purchasing as individuals, as many 
do. Under the bill, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management 
would contract with private carriers to provide this coverage, 
essentially providing the equivalent of group coverage available to 
workers in the private sector.
  According to the Social Security Administration, a 20-year-old worker 
has a one-in-four chance of becoming disabled by retirement age. The 
majority of disabilities are not caused by major accidents, but by 
injury or illnesses, such as back injuries or cancer, according to the 
Council for Disability Awareness. There is every reason to allow our 
federal employees to take advantage of the federal government's group 
rates to obtain the most reasonable price if they choose to purchase 
short-term disability coverage on their own at no cost to the federal 
government.
  I strongly urge my colleagues to support this bill.

                          ____________________