Congress near deal to give 12 weeks of paid parental leave to federal employees

(NBC, KYMA, KSWT, KECY)- Congress reaches an agreement on paid parental leave for federal employees. This would be the first time the federal government would guarantee civilian employees access to paid leave.

NBC News reports the agreement would give 2.1 million non-military federal workers 12 weeks of paid leave to care for a newborn or adopted child. These would be the same benefits given to military members.

According to the report, the measure must still be passed by both chambers of Congress before it heads to President Trump to be signed into law.

NBC News said if passed, it would be the first major benefit expansion for federal workers since the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act that provides 12 weeks of unpaid leave.

Special adviser to the president Ivanka Trump has worked on this issue and is praising the inclusion of paid parental leave for government employees, according to NBC News.

“This will mark a HUGE step forward towards making paid leave a reality for all Americans,” she wrote in a statement.