On December 20, 2019, Congress enacted the Federal Employee Paid Leave Act (Public Law 116-92, December 20, 2019) (FEPLA). FEPLA amended the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to allow most civilian federal employees, including eligible employees in the legislative branch, to substitute up to 12 weeks of “paid parental leave” for unpaid FMLA leave granted in connection with the birth of an employee’s child or for the placement of a child with an employee for adoption or foster care. FEPLA is a major enhancement of the federal compensation and benefits package.
The Office of Congressional Workplace Rights (OCWR) is responsible for implementing FEPLA in the legislative branch. Accordingly, on December 7, 2021, the OCWR Board of Directors issued a notice of adoption of modified FMLA substantive regulations, including provisions regarding paid parental leave in the legislative branch. For more information, please see the FMLA Pending Substantive Regulations page.
Additional Resources
Please see the facts sheets and a questions and answers document below for more information on the paid parental leave legislation and how it affects covered employees in the legislative branch, or contact the OCWR directly at (202) 724-9250.
- Notice Concerning Paid Parental Leave for Legislative Branch Employees
- Key Features of the Paid Parental Leave Provisions of the Federal Employee Paid Leave Act for Employing Offices and Employees in the Legislative Branch
- Notice on Implementing the Paid Parental Leave Provisions of the Federal Employee Paid Leave Act in the Legislative Branch
- Interim Guidance on Implementing the Federal Employee Paid Leave Act in the Legislaive Branch: Questions and Answers