Federal Daily - June 23, 2008

House Passes Family Leave Bill for Feds

The House on June 19 passed a measure that would grant federal employees four weeks of paid leave for the birth or adoption of a child. The bill, the Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act (H.R. 5781), was approved by a 278 to 146 vote. The bill now goes to the Senate, where a companion measure, S. 3140, has already been introduced by Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the bill, if enacted, would cost $850 million over the period of FY 2009 to FY 2013. The House bill, introduced by Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y.,  works by converting to paid leave four of the 12 weeks of unpaid leave currently available to federal employees under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) strongly supports the bill, and the union’s president, Colleen Kelley, applauded the vote. “The House passage of H.R. 5781 is a big step toward making a marked difference in the lives of federal employees and strengthening the government’s ability to recruit and retain needed workers,” Kelley said. To see more, go to: www.nteu.org/PressKits/PressRelease/PressRelease.aspx?ID=1292

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OPM Holds Summit on Human Capital Innovations

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) hosted this past week the second annual Human Capital Innovations Summit, designed to bring together Chief Human Capital Officers (CHCOs) to talk about strategic workforce management. Discussions centered on implementation of the Human Capital Assessment and Accountability Framework (HCAAF), a strategic human capital management tool created by OPM. The summit also focused on how agencies can continue moving strategic management reforms forward during the transition to a new administration. In addition, it provided the opportunity to explore what role CHCOs can play in assuring continuation of agency missions during the transition. “Exchanging information and ideas among human capital leaders in the federal community is vital to the continued transformation toward an effective federal government,” OPM Director Linda Springer said in a June 19 statement. OPM will use results of the summit discussions to share information and make recommendations, the agency said. To see more, go to: www.opm.gov/news/opm-convenes-summit-on-human-capital-innovations,1417.aspx.

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Bill Offers Help for Military Families with Members Deployed Abroad

Lawmakers introduced a bill this week to ease some of the burdens placed on military service members’ families when a family member is deployed abroad. Sens. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., Bob Casey, D-Pa., and Rep. Lynn Woolsey, D-Calif., authored the legislation, entitled the Military Family Support Act (MFSA). The bill would authorize federal employees who qualify as caregivers to use their saved leave time in a more flexible way than is currently permitted, allowing them time to better manage increased family needs resulting from loved ones serving overseas. This is the lawmakers’ second effort at moving the bill, after its language was removed from other, larger bills. “This effort won’t eliminate the incredible burden of having a loved one far away and possibly in harm’s way,” Feingold said. “But in return for the amazing sacrifice these Americans make for their country, we should be doing everything we can to alleviate the pressures of everyday life that their families face.” The bill is supported by the National Military Family Association. For more go to: http://feingold.senate.gov/~feingold/releases/08/06/20080619.html.

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