S. 2033

Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act of 2015

This bill allows a federal employee, including an employee of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), to substitute any available paid leave for any leave without pay available for either the: (1) birth of a child, or (2) placement of a child with the employee for either adoption or foster care. The bill makes available (subject to specified requirements) for any of the 12 weeks of leave an employee is entitled to for such purposes: (1) six administrative workweeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth or placement involved, and (2) any accrued or accumulated annual or sick leave.

The bill authorizes the Office of Personnel Management to promulgate regulations to increase the amount of paid parental leave available to such an employee to a total of 12 administrative workweeks, based on the consideration of: (1) the benefits to the federal government, including enhanced recruitment and employee retention; (2) the cost to the government; (3) trends in the private sector and in state and local governments; (4) the federal government's role as a model employer; and (5) the impact of increased paid parental leave on lower-income and economically disadvantaged employees and their children.

The bill amends the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 and the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to allow the same substitution for covered congressional employees, Government Accountability Office (GAO) employees, and Library of Congress (LOC) employees. Service by an employee of the executive branch, the TSA, Congress, the GAO, or the LOC while on active duty as a member of the National Guard or Reserves is counted as service for that branch or agency for purposes of determining such employee's eligibility to take or substitute leave as provided by this Act.

The GAO must report to Congress, not later than five years after enactment of this Act, on its implementation.