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Washington, D.C.--A bill introduced in the House of Representatives this week would provide federal workers with four weeks of paid parental leave for the birth or adoption of a child and allow substitution of paid leave for unpaid, bringing this key benefit closer to what is available in the private sector while providing important time for a family to bond, said the leader of the nation’s largest independent union of federal employees.

“The time after the birth of a child is critical as new parents must have the ability to adequately care for a new child and for themselves,” said National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) President Colleen M. Kelley. “Being able to substitute leave without pay with paid leave for the birth or adoption of a child will make a significant difference in the lives of both parent and child.”

Kelley has long fought for the government to provide paid parental leave which is more equal to what is available in the private sector and the standard in many industrialized nations.

The legislation, H.R. 616, the Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act (FEPPLA), is similar to one approved by the House in the last session of Congress, and was introduced by Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), Gerald Connolly (D-Va.) and Steny Hoyer (D-Md.).

In addition to giving federal employees four weeks of paid leave, FEPPLA would allow them to use any accumulated annual or sick leave to offset the 12 weeks of unpaid leave guaranteed by the Family and Medical Leave Act.

“It is time for America to catch up with the rest of the world on this issue and realize that a right to paid leave is more than a family matter – it is a public good that means healthier families, more productive children, and a stronger economy for all of us,” Rep. Hoyer said.

“Families shouldn’t have to choose between a paycheck and getting their newborn home and settled in, especially in these economic times. With FEPPLA, the Federal government can make ‘family-friendly’ more than a buzzword and ensure that both newborns and the government benefit—especially as government needs to attract new workers to replace retiring baby boomers,” Rep. Maloney said.

“To recruit and retain the next generation of civil servants the federal government must have personnel policies that are competitive with the private sector,” Rep. Connolly said.

“Paid parental leave is becoming critical to recruiting young and talented employees who have a greater expectation for work-life balance,” Kelley said. “Additionally, it would save the government money by reducing employee turnover and replacement costs, which is estimated to cost 25 percent of a worker’s salary.”

As the largest independent federal union, NTEU represents 150,000 employees in 31 agencies and departments.