Editorial on federal leave disappoints
As the representative of 150,000 dedicated federal employees in 31 agencies and departments, I found disappointing and factually incorrect the recent editorial (Federal paid leave bill is an affront, July 1) on legislation that would provide federal employees with paid parental leave.
The legislation approved by the U.S. House, and a companion bill in the Senate, would give federal employees four weeks of paid parental leave, not eight.
The editorial claims federal employees are a "special interest" group that curries favors from the U.S. Congress but nothing could be further from the truth.
Federal employees are citizens in communities across the nation who work hard to help defend our homeland, protect our borders, ensure the safety of our natural resources, health, food supply, financial systems and have answered a call to public service.
In Illinois there are more than 111,000 such federal employees.
These hard-working employees are not highly paid.
According to the government's own figures, federal employees nationwide make an average of 23 percent less than their counterparts in the private sector.
Yet these employees have the same high cost of living as those in the private sector in Chicago, one of the most expensive localities in the country.
A study by the Joint Economic Committee of Congress found that roughly 75 percent of Fortune 100 companies offered six to eight weeks of paid parental leave to employees.
Worldwide, 163 industrialized nations guarantee paid maternal leave.
As the congressional members who voted for the bill recognize, federal employees are the backbone of our country and we must find ways to attract and retain the best and the brightest to public service.
In the next 10 years, it is estimated that 60 percent of the current federal work force will be eligible for retirement.
Paid parental leave is one way the federal government can compete against the private sector for the younger, talented employees this country needs.
Colleen M. Kelley
National President
National Treasury Employees Union
Washington, D.C.