The Kentucky Republican, who has not been seen publicly since mid-June and was discharged from rehabilitation in early August to continue recovering at home, has remained on the federal payroll throughout his medical absence. Congress has no official paid sick leave policy, and members can continue receiving their salary indefinitely while on a medical leave. At the same time, millions of American women who give birth each year do not have access to any guaranteed paid maternity leave.
The United States remains the only wealthy nation without a federal paid parental leave guarantee for most workers. While FMLA provides eligible workers with up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave, the law does not require it to be paid leave. It also excludes many workers employed at smaller businesses and those who have not met minimum employment requirements.