AWF Urges Opposition to Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act
Today, the Alliance for Worker Freedom sent the following letter to all U.S. House members to oppose H.R. 626, the Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act.
To: All U.S. House Members
Subject: H.R. 626 the “Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act” of 2009
Dear Representative:
On behalf of the Alliance for Worker Freedom (AWF), an organization established in 2003 to combat anti-worker legislation and promote free and open labor markets, I urge you to oppose H.R. 626 the “Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act” of 2009. This legislation, sponsored by Representatives Maloney, Carolyn and Bosher, is both costly and unnecessary.
The federal government comprises the largest employer in the country and already gives their employees 12 weeks leave for the birth, adoption, or fostering of a child. The “Federal Employees Paid Parental Act” would pay all federal employees for four of the 12 weeks given for parental leave. In addition, this legislation would give the Office of Personnel Management the option of offering an additional four weeks of paid leave.
This bill will put a greater financial strain on taxpayers, costing $60 million in 2009, $190 million in 2010, and a total of $850 million from 2009-2013. Private sector workers shouldn’t have to pay for federal employees time off.
Federal employees already receive a very comfortable benefits structure. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, “Federal government employees receive higher benefits in the form of pensions and health insurance contributions than private-sector employees.”
The Alliance for Worker Freedom urges all members to oppose H.R. 626. Every working American should not have to be further financially burdened so that one sector of the workforce can be given paid leave. We thank you for your leadership on this issue and look forward to your continued efforts.
AWF will rate this vote in our annual Congressional scorecard. A vote supporting this bill will negatively affect your contention for the Guardian of Worker Freedom award.
Sincerely,
Brian M. Johnson, MPA
Executive Director
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We already have to pay public sector employees to not doing anything useful, might as well pay them to not do anything useful at home. At the rate this country is going, we will all be public employees soon anyway, so this might be a pretty sweet deal, we can use that time off to stand in line to get bread, toilet paper,and vodka.
>> TCH June 9, 2009 9:34 am
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