Federal Daily - June 8, 2009

Bill Granting Paid Leave to Fed Parents Passes House

The House on June 4 approved a bill that would—if signed into law—provide federal employees with four weeks of paid leave for the birth or adoption of a child. The bill, H.R. 626, passed by a 258 to 154 margin. The legislation, which now goes to the Senate for consideration, would expand options available to federal employees under the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). FMLA provides 12 weeks of unpaid leave for a number of reasons, but under the bill, federal workers who take FMLA leave for birth- or adoption-related activities would be paid for up to four weeks. The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., called passage a significant victory. “As more families are relying on just one paycheck in these times, we can’t afford not to help them in this way,” Maloney said. Labor unions also applauded the vote. “This important legislation is a vital step to helping families who struggle to be both good parents and good employees,” said Colleen Kelley, president of the National Treasury Employees Union. To see more, go to: http://maloney.house.gov/index.php?option=
content&task=view&id=1858&Itemid=61 or www.nteu.org.

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Union Criticizes Plan to Close Regional Weather Stations

The union representing air traffic controllers criticized Commerce Department officials for moving ahead with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) plan to close most of the 21 National Weather Service (NWS) aviation weather service centers and consolidate forecasting at centers in Maryland and Kansas City. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) on June 4 said the Center Weather Service Units (CWSUs) located at each of the 21 FAA regional en route centers and should be kept open as a safety matter. Without the regional CWSUs, air traffic controllers will no longer have immediate access to the expertise of an on-site meteorologist to advise them where to route aircraft that experience difficulty in adverse weather, NATCA said. NATCA and the NWS Employees Organization are urging an end to the proposed plan due to both organizations’ concern over risks to the flying public, said NATCA President Patrick Forrey. “We cannot believe such a reckless idea has gotten this far,” Forrey said. “The public needs to know that if put into place, this plan would directly and negatively affect the margin of safety.” According to published reports, no jobs will be lost in the consolidation effort. To see more, go to: www.natca.org.

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House OKs Bill Allowing TSA Workers to Wear Masks

The House on June 4 approved a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reauthorization bill that would allow TSA workers to wear protective respirator masks during a public health emergency such as the ongoing H1N1 flu epidemic. Language regarding the protective gear was included in H.R. 2200, which the House approved by a 397–25 margin, and which now moves to the Senate for consideration. Federal labor unions also have complained that Customs and Border Protection employees were prevented by their managers from wearing protective masks or were made to remove masks they had decided on their own to wear. National Treasury Employees Union President Colleen Kelley, who has been sharply critical of TSA policy on the masks, applauded the vote. Kelley called the vote “a key step in righting an ongoing wrong.” But Kelley also called for an agency-wide policy at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). “While today’s action is a positive step for TSA employees, there is more that needs to be done to protect the health of frontline security employees and their families. This should be extended to all DHS employees.” To see more, go to: www.nteu.org/SwineFlu.aspx.

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