Summary: Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on Senate staff parental leave policies and procedures, and child care services within the Legislative Branch.
GAO noted that: (1) most Senate offices and committees surveyed had paternal and maternal leave policies; (2) the Legislative Branch treated paternal and maternal leave as distinct leave categories; (3) Senate committee parental leave policies and procedures varied widely; (4) about half of Senate offices and committees surveyed would allow leave for a seriously ill child; (5) the Legislative Branch has generally chosen to follow Office of Personnel Management parental leave policy, which combines sick leave, annual leave, and leave without pay for child care needs; (6) the Senate and the House of Representatives each operate a child care center, while most legislative agencies lack management support, adequate funding or space for child care facilities; and (7) it and the Government Printing Office planned to open child care facilities in 1990.
