    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1999, Book I)]
    [May 24, 1999]
    [Pages 841-842]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Memorandum on New Tools To Help Parents Balance Work and Family
    May 24, 1999

    Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies

    Subject: New Tools to Help Parents Balance Work and Family

        Since I became President, my Administration has worked hard to make
    sure that parents have the tools they need to meet their obligations at
    home and at work. I am proud that the very first bill I signed into law
    was the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Since 1993, the FMLA has
    allowed millions of Americans to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave--
    without fear of losing their jobs--to care for a newborn or adopted
    child, to attend to their own serious health needs, or to care for a
    seriously ill parent, son, daughter, or spouse. Too many American
    workers, however, have been unable to take the leave they need because
    they simply cannot afford to go without a paycheck.
        Therefore, I am taking new steps toward enabling workers to take the
    leave they need.
        First, I hereby direct the Secretary of Labor to propose regulations
    that enable States to develop innovative ways of using the Unemployment
    Insurance (UI) system to support parents on leave following the birth or
    adoption of a child. In addition, I direct the Secretary to develop
    model State legislation that States could use in following these
    regulations. In this effort, the Department of Labor is to evaluate the
    effectiveness of using the UI system for these or related purposes. In a
    1996 study conducted by the Commission on Family and Medical Leave, lost
    pay was the most significant barrier to parents taking advantage of
    unpaid leave after the birth or adoption of a child. This new step will
    help to give States the ability to eliminate a significant barrier that
    parents face in taking leave.
        Second, I direct the Director of the Office of Personnel Management
    to propose government-wide regulations to allow Federal employees to use
    up to 12 weeks of accrued sick leave

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    each year to care for a spouse, son, daughter, or parent with a
    ``serious health condition,'' as that term is defined for the purpose of
    applying the FMLA. Currently, the amount of sick leave that can be used
    to care for a family member who is ill is limited to 13 days each year
    for most Federal employees. By enabling Federal workers to use the sick
    leave they have earned, we will eliminate a significant barrier to
    caring for a family member with a serious health condition. The use of
    paid sick leave under this policy will be subject to the same conditions
    as the use of unpaid leave for these purposes under the FMLA. In
    particular, the same notification and certification requirements that
    govern the use of unpaid leave to care for a spouse, son, daughter, or
    parent under the FMLA will apply to Federal employees who use paid sick
    leave for this purpose. I believe the Federal Government has an
    important role to play in setting an example for the Nation.
        Finally, I direct the Director of the Office of Personnel Management
    to establish an Interagency Family Friendly Workplace Working Group
    within 90 days to promote, evaluate, and exchange information on Federal
    family-friendly workplace initiatives. I also direct the head of each
    executive department and agency to appoint a family-friendly work/life
    coordinator to serve as a member of this Working Group. Working Group
    representatives will be responsible for making sure that Federal
    employees are aware of the full range of options available to them to
    meet their personal and family responsibilities (such as alternative
    work schedules, telecommuting, part-time employment, and job sharing).
    The coordinators also will provide employees with information about
    child and elder care resources currently available in their communities,
    and establish and promote parent support groups, elder care support
    groups, and on-site nursing mothers' programs.

                                                          William J. Clinton