The Biden administration denying requests from Trump appointees to extend parental leave benefits at the end of their term is ''outrageous,'' says Rep. Debbie Lesko, R-Ariz.
''When President Biden and the Democrats say they're for women, they need to show it instead of just talk,'' Lesko said Thursday during an appearance on Newsmax TV's ''American Agenda.''
''So, when you have a former Trump political appointee that are employees and they have a baby so they're on maternity leave or the husband gets off, this is part of their legal right. For the Biden administration to say, 'Oh, sorry, you're out of here, we're not going to cover your maternity leave,' it's absolutely outrageous. It just shocks me that my Democratic colleagues aren't as outraged and calling on President Biden to rectify this. It's just wrong.''
A number of former Trump officials lost their parental leave when Biden was sworn into office, with a White House official noting anonymously that political appointees ''do not enjoy the promise of federal employment past the end of the administration in which they choose to serve.''
''We understand that a few Trump appointees, including a handful currently on parental leave, submitted last minute requests to remain on government payroll,'' the official said. ''Because these requests were received so close to Inauguration Day … there was no way to implement an exception to the rule in a way that is fair to all outgoing appointees, including many who resigned as expected without making requests for extraordinary benefits.''
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Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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