Paid leave: New fed-sector law will impact private employers, too.

• Position: Employee Leave

Starting Oct. 1, certain employees of the federal government will be able to take up to 12 weeks of paid leave annually for the birth or adoption of a child. To be eligible, employees must have worked for their federal employer for at least a year.

The change directly affects civilian federal workers, but the ripple effects are only beginning. The new law has renewed the call to extend this right to all private-sector employees.

Currently, only eight states require employers to offer some amount of paid parental leave--California, New Jersey, Rhode Island, New York, Washington, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Oregon (and the District of Columbia).

Competing with Uncle Sam

On an individual employer level, these new market pressures may encourage more employers to offer paid parental leave on their own. Employers in areas with high concentrations of federal workers may have to offer paid parental leave or other family-friendly benefits to lure employees.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that currently only about 16% of the workforce has access to paid parental leave.

Should you offer it? First, consider the demographics of the pool from which you regularly hire. Paid parental leave would have little appeal to workers past child-bearing age. Other forms of work-family balance benefits may be more appealing.

Traditionally, the private sector has offered higher salaries to attract employees. In contrast, government jobs often appeal to workers seeking better benefits and job security. Federal parental leave may change the calculus a bit.

Employers...