Sponsors (96)
The bill grants VA employees an extra four weeks of unpaid parental leave within a predictable 12-month window—improving bonding time and preserving existing entitlements—while imposing potential income loss for recipients and creating unequal access and modest administrative complexity across the federal workforce.
VA employees (new parents) receive a four-week additional unpaid parental leave within 12 months after a birth or placement, giving more time to bond with and care for a new child.
VA employees keep this four-week leave on top of existing Title 5 or 38 U.S.C. §7425(c) entitlements, so they do not have to exhaust other leave first.
VA employees and their families get a clearly defined 12-month window tied to birth or placement for using the leave, improving predictability for childcare and bonding plans.
VA employees who take the four-week leave will receive no pay for that period, risking lost income for those who cannot afford unpaid time off.
Only VA employees are eligible, creating unequal parental-leave access across the federal workforce and leaving employees at other agencies without the same benefit.
Agencies and VA HR may face added complexity coordinating this supplemental leave with existing paid and unpaid leave programs, increasing administrative burden and potential confusion for employees.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Adds four weeks of unpaid supplemental parental leave for VA employees to be used within 12 months of a birth or child placement (adoption or foster care).
Official title: To establish an entitlement to a supplemental period of unpaid parental leave for employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Introduced March 24, 2026 by Janelle S. Bynum · Last progress March 24, 2026
Provides VA employees an extra four administrative (unpaid) weeks of parental leave within 12 months after the birth or placement of a child (by adoption or foster care). The leave is supplemental to existing federal parental leave entitlements and expires 12 months after the birth or placement. The entitlement uses the definitions of "employee" and "son or daughter" in federal law and does not change existing paid leave entitlements; it merely adds an unpaid administrative leave option for qualifying VA workers.