Congress Passes Long-Overdue Parental Leave, Fair Chance Hiring Protections
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Shin Inouye, [email protected], 202.869.0398
WASHINGTON – Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement on the inclusion of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act of 2019 and paid parental leave for federal workers in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed by Congress:
“The Leadership Conference applauds Congress for including sorely needed policies that will help people provide for their families. The Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs provisions eliminate burdensome employment obstacles that have relegated individuals with arrest or conviction histories to the margins. This improved path to reintegration will give these individuals— and the families they support— a chance to succeed. In addition, the bill for the first time provides 12 weeks of paid parental leave for all federal employees.
“While we applaud these notable advancements, more gains must also be won for all employees by way of the FAMILY Act, which would provide comprehensive paid family and medical leave for all working people in America. We are also disappointed that the bill does not end the ban on transgender individuals serving in the armed services. We will continue to fight to make sure these critical issues are addressed. Nonetheless, with this bill, Congress has made good bipartisan progress with respect to hiring and paid leave. It’s now incumbent upon President Trump to sign this legislation into law.”
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 220 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.