County Executive Sara Innamorato signed the Allegheny County Paid Parental Leave legislation, passed by Council on Tuesday by a vote of 11-4, into law.
The policy makes Allegheny County the first county in the nation to mandate the benefit in a state without a statewide requirement. The measure guarantees that eligible workers receive 12 weeks of paid leave to care for a new child.
“By passing the first county-level Paid Parental Leave policy in the country, we are showing that we take seriously the work of protecting workers and their families at one of the most economically and medically vulnerable times in their lives,” said Innamorato in prepared remarks.
“Paid leave is not a luxury. Paid leave is NOT radical. It should be a floor. It’s how we make sure a healthy start for a child doesn’t depend on a parent’s tax bracket or an employer’s generosity. And it’s good for all of us: stronger families, healthier babies, workers who stay in the workforce, and employers who keep their people.
“Together, we can make Allegheny County the best place to raise a family and grow our economy by embracing policies that deliver shared prosperity and better health for all.”
The measure requires businesses with 15 or more employees to provide paid leave following the birth or adoption of a child, including benefits for parents who experience stillbirths. The policy followed months of debate over advocates’ support for paid leave and business owners’ concerns about rising costs.
Under the policy, employees would receive their regular base pay during that period, capped at $4,200 per week. Employers would be required to protect employees’ jobs and maintain their health insurance benefits during leave.
Both full- and part-time employees could qualify, provided they meet minimum emplyment and hours-wokrd requirements. Temporary and seasonal employees would not qualify.
Council member Lissa Geiger Shulman acknowledged that there were concerns about who would bear the cost of the program. “There are costs to individuals’ health and the collective health of our community of not having paid parental leave.”
Citing statistics that show Black women in the region have some of the nation’s highest rates of maternal mortality, and Geiger Shulman said Allegheny County’s infant mortality rate was on par with those in Bulgaria and Qatar.
“Is this who we want to be?” she asked.
“These policies do have a cost on employers. That cost has to go somewhere,” said Rebekah Paxton, research director at the conservative think-tank Employment Policies Institute, to WESA. The group released an analysis warning the policy could lead to higher prices, job cuts and an exodus of businesses.
