Paid Parental Leave in the Legislative Branch

The Office of Congressional Workplace Rights (OCWR) has posted on its website new detailed information on implementing the Federal Employee Paid Leave Act (FEPLA) in the legislative branch. FEPLA is a major enhancement of the federal compensation and benefits package. The Act 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” (PPL) for unpaid FMLA leave in connection with births or placements for adoption or foster care occurring on or after October 1, 2020.

PPL is defined as paid time off from a covered employee’s scheduled tour of duty that is substituted for unpaid FMLA leave in connection with a birth or a placement of a child with the employee for adoption or foster care. The entitlement to PPL expires 12 months after the date of birth or the date of placement.

FEPLA includes provisions applicable to the legislative branch that both: (1) change the eligibility rules for employees to take protected leave for births or placements under the FMLA; and (2) permit employees to substitute PPL and other paid accrued leave for unpaid FMLA leave for such births or placements.

For more information on FEPLA and how the new law will be administered by the OCWR, including a Questions and Answers document, please visit the Paid Parental Leave for Legislative Branch Employees page on the OCWR website (ocwr.gov) or contact the OCWR at 202-724-9250 or by email at ocwrinfo@ocwr.gov. Confidential advising is available.