National Association of Counties * Washington, D.C.            Vol. 32, No. 12 * June 26, 2000

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President announces paid leave
plan for familes with newborns

By Neil Bomberg
associate legislative director

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As part of his June 10 radio address, President Clinton announced two new measures to help working family members address the needs of newborns, newly-adopted children and sick family members. The first is a rule that allows states to enact legislation to permit parents of newborns and newly adopted children to receive unemployment compensation for up to 12 weeks.

States are being encouraged to take advantage of a new regulation that offers them the option to amend their unemployment compensation laws to provide paid leave for new parents working in the public and private sector. A year ago, when this issue was first raised by the Department of Labor, only four states had legislation pending that would enable workers to register for unemployment compensation so that income is available when a newborn or adopted child is first brought home.

According to the Department of Labor, 15 states are now actively moving legislation that would enable the state to offer unemployment compensation to the parents of newborns and newly-adopted children, and many states are considering moving forward with such a proposal. The final rule, which can be found at www.doleta.gov/wd/finalregbaa.htm, includes model state legislation that can be used to enact birth and adoption unemployment compensation laws.

The second is an effort by the federal government to allow federal workers to use up to 12 weeks of their accumulated sick leave to care for a family member. This benefit will broaden the options for federal employees to meet their family responsibilities. The Administration hopes that this program will become a model for the non-federal public and private sectors.

The actions are in response to two different studies that document the negative impact that taking family leave without pay has on poorer families and those with young children.

The study by the National Parenting Association showed that poor families and those with young children are least able to take the necessary time to care for children because they are least able to adjust to a loss of family income. The study by the Commission on Family and Medical Leave, demonstrated that the most significant reason parents do not take advantage of unpaid family and medical leave after the birth or adoption of a child is the expected loss of income.