October 2021 Update
New national strategy on gender equity and equality.
On October 22, the White House Gender Policy Council (GPC) released its National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality. The 42-page report outlines intersectional guiding principles and goals for addressing gender equity and equality in multiple spheres, including the workplace. Here are some highlights of the GPC’s commitments for the federal workforce:
The federal government will “update policies and programs to prevent and address sexual harassment and other forms of harassment and discrimination across the federal workforce and our armed services, including supports for survivors.” DOJ is mostly ahead of the game on this one. Its sexual harassment steering committee—which the Deputy Attorney General created after DOJ GEN requested its formation—is in the process of exploring policy reforms to the current system.
“We will pursue policies to eliminate reliance on prior salary in compensation decisions, which can perpetuate and compound the effects of prior discrimination.” If this sounds familiar, it’s because we’ve been screaming about it for years (some examples here and here). But to date, DOJ continues to rely on past salary when setting pay. For example, the recent job ad for DOJ’s new chief diversity officer required all applicants to provide their salary history, as did the ad for the chief of the Civil Rights Division’s Appellate Section (that requirement was eliminated yesterday, after a DOJ GEN member complained).
“To succeed in implementing this strategy, agencies should take steps to strengthen the commitment of managers to gender equity and equality, such as by including the issue in Senior Executive Service performance plans and appraisals.” That would be cool!
DOJ GEN board member Colleen Phillips has been instrumental in coordinating DOJ’s involvement in this process. If you have questions about the National Strategy, you can email her at colleen.phillips@usdoj.gov. To learn more about our awesome board members, check out the link below.
The uncertain future of paid family leave for all American workers.
President Biden originally proposed 12 weeks of comprehensive paid family and medical leave for all American workers as part of his American Families Plan—the large spending package that Congress and the White House are still negotiating. Unfortunately, it looks like the amount of paid leave in the law could be scaled back significantly, and may be cut entirely.
There’s still time to urge your federal elected officials to prioritize comprehensive paid family leave! You can find their contact info here.
Regardless of what happens with the spending package, federal employees still have a chance of getting the full 12 weeks. The Comprehensive Paid Leave for Federal Employees Act (CPLFEA) would provide all federal employees with 12 weeks of paid leave every year to care for a sick spouse, child or parent, or themselves.
After we learn the fate of paid leave under the American Families Plan, DOJ GEN will form an advocacy strategy around CPLFEA. Our position has always been that as the nation’s largest employer, the federal government should be a role model for the entire workforce. The White House Gender Policy Council agrees. As stated in the National Strategy on Gender Equality and Equality, “fulfilling our commitment to gender equity and equality starts with ensuring that the federal government is as a model employer on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.”
To find out how you can be part of our paid family leave advocacy group, click below to contact us!
Paid bereavement leave for federal employees.
An amendment to the Comprehensive Paid Leave for Federal Employees Act (CPLFEA) that the House already passed would grant federal employees 12 weeks of paid leave to grieve the death of a child.
The new leave would come from a modest expansion of the paid parental leave law that went into effect in October 2020.
The measure seeks to amend the National Defense Authorization Act, which must pass by the end of the year—so if you’d like to let your lawmakers know that you support this change, you should do so soon! You can find their contact info here.