Bill would create paid parental leave option

A pair of lawmakers are slated to reintroduce a measure they said seeks to create a voluntary option with regard to paid parental leave.

© Shutterstock

Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Mitt Romney (R-UT) maintain the New Parents Act would allow new parents to use a portion of their Social Security after the birth or adoption of a child.

Additionally, the lawmakers noted the legislation offers flexibility to maximize use of benefits by allowing parents to combine their leaves or transfer them to one parent. The bill would enable parents to finance three months of leave, or longer, via the New Parents Act, according to the legislators.

“Our economic policies need to reflect our values, and right now far too many young, working families are falling behind,” Rubio said. “We can support working and stay-at-home moms and dads alike without raising taxes or expanding federal bureaucracy. Our New Parents Act would give young families much-needed flexibility in how they choose to use their money and support their family.”

Romney said American families are facing greater financial strain worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to marriage and birth rates being at an all-time low.

“In Utah, and throughout the United States, a majority of working parents do not get paid when they take time off from work after the birth or adoption of a child, which can mean depleted savings, credit card debt, and student loan defaults,” he said. “We are reintroducing the New Parents Act in order to give parents the flexibility to take time off from work with pay during the first weeks of their children’s lives, without growing our national debt, raising taxes or creating a new entitlement program.”