Social Security Legislative Bulletin

Number: 111-16
Date: June 9, 2009

House Passes H.R. 626, the "Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act of 2009"    

On June 4, 2009, the House passed H.R. 626, the "Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act of 2009", by a vote of 258-154. Among other provisions, the bill would provide Federal employees 4 weeks of paid parental leave.

The bill contains the following provisions of interest to SSA:

• Would allow Federal employees to substitute any available paid leave for any leave without pay available for either the birth of a child or placement of a child with the employee for either adoption or foster care.


• Would make four administrative weeks of paid parental leave and any accumulated annual or sick leave available for such purposes.


• Would authorize that the additional weeks of leave be paid from the Agencies' appropriations.


• Would be effective for any birth or placement occuring after the end of the 6-month period beginning on the date of enactment.


• Would allow OPM to promulgate regulations to increase the amount of paid parental leave to 8 administrative workweeks. OPM would have to analyze the benefits and costs to the federal government and trend sin the private sector before doing so.

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