Summit County Council members gave more details Monday in their committee meeting session on a proposal to offer paid family leave to new parents who work for the county.
“The nature of the ordinance is to improve the way we treat young women within our employee workforce,” said Councilwoman-at-large Elizabeth Walters, who introduced the measure. She said unpaid parental leave is one reason women earn less than men in their lifetime because they typically stay home with a child.
Currently the county allows parental leave, but the employee has to exhaust their sick and vacation time if they want to stay home with a new child.
The proposal will be voted on by the full council next Monday.
“Paid parental leave is good economic policy, good workforce policy and good family policy,” Walters said. “In providing paid leave to new parents, we help reduce gender and economic disparities in earning power. We provide benefits that attract and retain younger employees who are concerned with finding jobs that support their families. From a workforce recruitment [standpoint], we’re never going to be economically competitive in terms of wages, but we should be competitive in terms of benefits and can serve as a helpful tool to arm our Human Resources Department.”
County chief of staff Jason Dodson said the legislation would allow paid leave for six straight calendar weeks, starting when the child is born or adopted.
To be eligible, the county employee must be employed at least 12 months and must have worked 60 percent of the time on their job, must be a biological parent or parent of a legally adopted child, and the child must reside with the parent. The new parent must provide documentation of the birth or adoption within 30 days prior to taking the time off.
He said there is some leniency for any unforeseen problems.
Under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, employers can take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave.
County employees can take more than six weeks if they need it but must use their sick time and vacation time to do so.
Councilwoman Gloria Rodgers will introduce an amendment that would provide three weeks of paid leave for parents of stillborn babies or newborns who die shortly after birth.
“They still have to go through the birth, the death, a funeral,” she said. “There are so many issues .... We need to consider the fact that it’s difficult for the mother, father and siblings.”
Under the existing county ordinance, parents are entitled to five bereavement days, but the time comes out of their sick days and vacation time.
Dodson said the estimated cost to the county for the proposed paid parental leave for new parents is $50,000 a year.
“Anything we can do to support families, I think is incredibly important,” Councilman Jeff Wilhite said.
He applauded Walters on her leadership with the proposal.
“It is not a budget buster and gives HR one more tool to help in recruiting,” he said.
Marilyn Miller can be reached at 330-996-3098 or mmiller@thebeaconjournal.com.