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Opinion editorials Handling of Pit Appeal Calls for a Time-Out |
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opinion editorialsThis editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by editorial page staff and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers
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Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Put New Federal Perk on the Back Burner
House Democrats, including all three of New Mexico's freshmen representatives, last week voted to widen the benefits gap between federal and private sector workers.
Currently, government and private sector employees with a year on the job can use up to 12 weeks of job-protected unpaid parental leave under the Family Medical Leave Act. That's in addition to any paid leave a worker could opt to use.
Federal workers would get a much sweeter deal under the proposal: four weeks of paid parental leave after a birth or adoption or becoming a foster parent. A Republican amendment to require that workers first use up accumulated vacation time and sick leave was rejected.
The bill also gives discretion to the Office of Personnel Management to increase paid parental leave from four weeks to eight weeks, based on whether it would improve recruitment and employee retention, cost to the government and trends in the private sector.
Advocates say the new benefit would increase employee retention and satisfaction. Perhaps. But the timing — unemployment has spiked to 9.4 percent and many of those who still have jobs have had pay and pensions frozen — will definitely increase dissatisfaction in the private sector.
The Senate hasn't acted yet. Until the economy and employment get healthier and Congress summons the courage to ensure the solvency of Medicare and Social Security and to get a handle on the massive deficits, senators should lean toward putting this new perk on the back burner.
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