Defense Would Benefit From Paid Parental Leave.

• Author: Berge, Alexandra
• Position: NDIA Policy Points

The federal workforce is undergoing rapid demographic change with the ongoing departure of the baby boom generation. A highly skilled workforce is a requirement if the nation is going to have the best Defense Department in the world, one that can acquire, execute and support its mission.

To more effectively lead in the globalized 21st century, America needs to better utilize its diverse talent pool, find innovative ways to incentivize the best and brightest to choose careers in government, and most importantly, retain high-quality employees throughout their career.

For those who do pursue positions within the federal government, the retention rate for women is significantly lower compared to men. While there are many factors in a woman's decision to leave government life, many cite the pursuit of a better work-life balance as the primary driver. Specifically, these women leave in pursuit of better benefits packages, placing an emphasis on those packages that include paid parental leave. The United States is the only democratic industrialized country to not have mandated paid parental leave for its government workforce.

In March, Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y, introduced the Federal Employee Paid Leave Act (FEPLA), offering up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave to federal employees. The act aligns the government with commercial best practices to offset workforce challenges, focusing on work-life balance. Currently, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allows parents to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for birth and adoption. The paid version currently has bipartisan support and enjoys significant support from federal unions. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has previously expressed interest in paid parental leave.

Young workers today lead a more transient professional lifestyle and are more willing to leave a job that fails to align with their priorities. These demographic shifts and social trends are being noticed on Capitol Hill, and serves as the impetus for this policy change. To the point, statistics from The Hill show millennials leaving government jobs on average 3.8 years after starting. This high rate of turnover drives significant costs in recruitment, training and, where necessary, security clearances. The government must adapt to deliver benefits valued by millennials in order to retain valuable workers.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends at least six weeks of recovery time after giving...