    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1997, Book I)]
    [April 11, 1997]
    [Pages 432-433]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Memorandum on Expanded Family and Medical Leave Policies
    April 11, 1997

    Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies

    Subject: Expanded Family and Medical Leave Policies

        I have strongly supported meeting Federal employees' family and
    medical leave needs through enactment of the Family and Medical Leave
    Act of 1993 (FMLA) and the Federal Employees Family Friendly Leave Act
    of 1994 (FEFFLA). However, Federal employees often have important family
    and medical needs that do not qualify for unpaid leave under the FMLA or
    sick leave under the FEFFLA. I ask you to take immediate action to
    assist Federal workers further in balancing the demands of work and
    family.
        Last year I proposed to expand the Family and Medical Leave Act of
    1993. My legislation would allow Federal and eligible private sector
    workers 24 hours of unpaid leave during any 12-month period to fulfill
    certain family obligations. Under the legislation, employees could use
    unpaid leave to participate in school activities directly related to the
    educational advancement of a child, including early childhood education
    activities; accompany children to routine medical and dental
    examinations; and tend to the needs of older relatives.
        In furtherance of my proposed policy, I ask that you take immediate
    action within existing statutory authorities to ensure that Federal
    employees may schedule and be granted up to 24 hours of leave without
    pay each year for the following activities:
          (1) School and Early Childhood Educational Activities--to allow
            employees to participate in school activities directly related
            to the educational advancement of a child. This would include
            parent-teacher conferences or meetings with child-care
            providers, interviewing for a new school or child-care facility,
            or participating in volunteer activities supporting the child's
            educational advancement. In this memorandum, ``school'' refers
            to an elementary school, secondary school, Head Start program,
            or a child-care facility.
          (2) Routine Family Medical Purposes--to allow parents to accompany
            children to routine medical or dental appointments, such as
            annual checkups or vaccinations. Although these activities are
            not currently covered by the FMLA, the FEFFLA does permit
            employees to use up to 13 days of sick leave each year for such
            purposes. Agencies should assure that employees are able to use
            up to 24 hours of leave without pay each year for these purposes
            in cases

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            when no additional sick leave is available to employees.
          (3) Elderly Relatives' Health or Care Needs--to allow employees to
            accompany an elderly relative to routine medical or dental
            appointments or other professional services related to the care
            of the elderly relative, such as making arrangements for
            housing, meals, phones, banking services, and other similar
            activities. Although Federal employees can use unpaid leave or
            sick leave for certain of these activities under the FMLA or
            FEFFLA, such as caring for a parent with a serious health
            condition, agencies should ensure employees can use up to 24
            hours of unpaid time off each year for this broader range of
            activities related to elderly relatives' health or care needs.
        This new policy will assure that Federal employees can schedule and
    receive up to 24 hours away from the job each year for these family and
    medical circumstances. I also urge you to accommodate these employee
    needs as mission requirements permit, even when it is not possible for
    employees to anticipate or schedule leave in advance for these purposes.
    In addition, I ask that you support employees' requests to schedule paid
    time off--such as annual leave, compensatory time off, and credit hours
    under flexible work schedules--for these family activities when such
    leave is available to these employees. The Office of Personnel
    Management shall provide guidance to you on the implementation of this
    memorandum.
        I encourage you to use a partnership approach with your employees
    and their representatives in developing an effective program that
    balances the employees' needs to succeed both at work and at home. I ask
    agencies, unions, and management associations to continue to work
    together to assess and improve the use of family-friendly programs and
    to make certain that employees are aware of the expanded family and
    medical leave policy.

                                                          William J. Clinton

    Note: This memorandum was embargoed for release until 10:06 a.m. on
    April 12.