Allegheny County wants to require all employers to provide 18 weeks of paid parental leave

The Allegheny County Health Department wants to require all employers in the county to give their employees paid parental leave. 

The health department says this issue is a public health issue, which is why they're leading the charge. If adopted, Allegheny County would be the first county in Pennsylvania to adopt paid parental leave.

The issue is being introduced to the Allegheny County Board of Health, and if they give it a go-ahead, it will go up for public discussion, which will be open for the next 30 days.

Allegheny County Health Director Dr. Iulia Vann says preliminary local data shows only about 42% of people who give birth in Allegheny County are able to access some form of paid leave. Fourteen states already offer paid parental leave, so local leaders say they've modeled this proposal off other nearby states and also a proposal that the Pennsylvania House considered previously.

The proposal is 18 weeks of paid parental leave at the full pay rate. Employees would be eligible 30 days after starting their jobs. It would apply to all employers that operate in Allegheny County for birth, adoption and legal permanent placement of a child within the first 12 months of a child's life.

Vann says right now, there's a "gap" in Allegheny County where parents either aren't taking leave or they're taking unpaid leave. 

"I feel incredibly supported in my role as a public health professional and very encouraged as a mother and professional who has had to put my children to the side to continue to work in an environment that did not support me postpartum with my second child, I was only able to take two weeks of vacation," Vann said. 

If the board of health votes to send this out for public comment, the feedback portion will last at least 30 days. People can write their thoughts, and there's a public hearing scheduled for early June.