Even though President Donald Trump threw his support behind a federal paid leave program during his first speech before a joint session of Congress, experts say any such proposal will likely meet numerous roadblocks from Republican lawmakers who have historically opposed any federally mandated paid leave plan.
Hugh F. Murray of McCarter & English LLP offered a similar outlook, saying it “seems unlikely that we’d be looking at a federal paid leave statute anytime soon” if the Trump administration doesn’t adequately press members of its own party to pursue legislation, regardless of the details in it.
“I have a hard time thinking Congress would make it a priority, and I don’t think the Trump administration would push them enough through executive orders, as the Obama administration did, to make it a priority,” Murray said.