Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association questions Allegheny County's paid parental leave policy

A proposed paid parental leave mandate in Allegheny County is raising questions about what it could mean for restaurants. 

The Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association said the plan could put added financial pressure on businesses already operating on tight margins. 

The current proposal would apply to employers with 15 or more eligible employees and require covered employers to provide up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave following the birth or adoption of a child. For full- or part-time employees to qualify, they'd need to work there at least six months or for 625 hours.

The Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association said requiring employers to fund the benefit could be especially difficult for restaurants and other hospitality groups, as the restaurant industry often operates on tight margins, with staffing and scheduling challenges already a concern for employers.

"We've been looking all over the country, all over the commonwealth for different ideas to be able to support this proposal because our restaurants say they want parental leave," Ben Fileccia, senior vice president of strategy and engagement for the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association, said. "They just can't afford it. So they're saying, 'Help us afford it, and we want to provide it.'"  

Beyond the baby-related leave time, the proposal also includes big revisions to paid sick leave. It increases the annual leave allowances and allows for employees to earn that leave faster. Employees would now earn one hour of sick leave for every 30 hours worked, compared to the previous 35-hour requirement.

The Allegheny County Board of Health approved the revised proposal in September, sending it to county council. The 15-member county council will now consider it and vote as early as the next meeting on Oct. 20. It would need a majority vote to pass.