At a time of federal inaction on paid leave, state and local governments are leading the way on innovating and passing policies to support workers in their communities as they welcome and care for new children, without sacrificing their income. Allegheny County, PA is one municipality showing how local governments can step in to promote community health and support its families, and recently made important progress toward passing a county-wide paid parental leave policy.
On September 28, the Allegheny County Board of Health unanimously passed a proposal for a parental leave policy that would provide workers across the county with paid leave to care for a new child. After advancing through the County Council’s health committee on October 8, the proposal now lies with the full Council for a final vote.
The proposal, a public health measure originally introduced this spring, would be the first policy nationwide to enact paid parental leave as a requirement for larger employers rather than as a statewide insurance-based program. In response to rounds of feedback from working parents, employers, advocates, and other stakeholders, the parental leave proposal was updated in order to ensure it meets the needs of the community.
The updated policy would provide 12 weeks of fully-paid leave to workers who have been employed for a certain period of time with their employer and exempt small businesses with fewer than 15 employees from the requirement. This paid leave would also now be available for parents who experience the stillbirth of a child, so that they can take time to recover and grieve without having to stress over their paycheck during a difficult time. Additionally, the proposal would strengthen the County’s paid sick leave policy (which A Better Balance worked on 5 years ago when first passed) by increasing the amount of leave and the rate at which paid sick leave is accrued.
We urge the Allegheny County Council to approve this proposal, and improve the lives of new parents and growing families throughout the community. A Better Balance has worked alongside partners in Pennsylvania and Allegheny County to advocate for paid leave for years, and we are hopeful that this exciting proposal, and the robust support for it, will demonstrate how all-around beneficial these policies are for communities, as we continue to build momentum for a statewide paid family and medical leave program in PA.