Working parents’ paid leave options bolstered under LaHood bill

U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood (R-IL) on July 16 sponsored the Protecting Worker Paychecks and Family Choice Act to expand access to paid family and medical leave by incentivizing more employers to provide leave and focusing on gaps in coverage. 

“Ensuring that working parents have the ability to choose how they care for their children, particularly a newborn, is vital to the long-term stability of a family and the success of a child,” Rep. LaHood said. “I am proud to introduce legislation that provides the needed flexibility of child care dollars allowing low-wage workers the option to stay home with their newborn or utilize traditional child care programs.”

Specifically, H.R. 4462 would amend the Child Care Entitlement to States (CCES) title of the Social Security Act to allow eligible low-income parents the option of receiving a child care payment directly as partial wage replacement, rather than child or infant care assistance, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. LaHood’s office.  

Under current law, CCES funds have specific allowable uses outlined in the program rules. H.R. 4462 would expand them to provide low-income new parents the financial flexibility to use the funds as a partial wage replacement to stay home with their child, the summary says. 

Additionally, the bill would provide oversight measures to ensure the expanded benefit is being used correctly, according to the summary.

The legislation is part of an effort by U.S. House Ways and Means Committee Republicans to provide parents with greater flexibility and choice while targeting the most beneficial resources to low-wage workers, according to an early draft of the bill released in May by Ways and Means Republicans, who collaborated on the draft with Republicans on the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee.

H.R. 4462 is now under consideration by Ways and Means Committee members.