Sen. Webb makes great sense every now and again. Whether it’s his GI Bill proposal or now his legislation to provide four weeks of paid paternal leave to federal workers, the same benefits as given to military members, he demonstrates that the federal government, indeed, at times, can be practical. From a Webb press release:
The federal government, the country’s largest employer with more than 2.7 million employees, does not currently provide any paid parental leave for its employees, while 75% of Fortune 100 companies provide an average of six to eight weeks of paid leave to new mothers. Currently, all federal employees are entitled to 12 weeks of unpaid leave guaranteed to them by the Family and Medical Leave Act, but most can’t afford to forego pay to take leave.
“The legislation we introduced today is an issue of fairness for the working family,” said Senator Webb. “Paid parental leave will improve recruitment and retention for federal agencies. The federal government should set the standard for family-friendly workplace policy that supports new families.”
The reality is that it is extremely important for parents to be with their newborn children at the time of birth. This is a no-brainer…especially for those of us that believe that we should foster a culture of life.
