Texas Senate Approves Paid Parental Leave for State Employees
In a rare show of bipartisanship, the Texas Senate has passed a bill that would provide paid parental leave for state employees.
The bill, known as Senate Bill 222, has received support from both Republican and Democratic senators aiming to promote the mental and physical health of new parents while reducing healthcare costs for the state.
Senator Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, who introduced the bill, believes that the legislation would signal the importance of paid parental leave for employers and encourage them to follow suit. According to a published article in Kera News, the bill that provides paid parental leave for state employees has received overwhelming support since its inception and was even supported in its original form by senators from both parties.
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Senator Sarah Eckhardt, D-Austin, has described the bill as an “incredible help” to all state employees, highlighting the benefits that paid parental leave can have on the well-being of new parents. With the passage of SB 222, Texas joins a growing number of states that are recognizing the importance of providing paid parental leave for state employees. If passed by the Legislature, the bill would mark the first time that state employees in Texas are guaranteed paid leave for the birth or adoption of a child, Austin American Statesmen reported.
How Paid Parental Leave for State Employees Works
Currently, paid parental leave for state employees who have a baby is not implemented, so they must use their accumulated vacation or sick time. Additionally, they have the option to take unpaid leave under the Federal Family and Medical Leave Act.
However, Senate Bill 222 would:
- apply to members contributing to the Employees Retirement System of Texas and employees working for an agency, board, commission, or department within the executive branch of state government
- grant six weeks of paid parental leave for state employees who are newborn parents, as well as adoptive parents
- permit paid parental leave of 30 days for instances of childbirth, adoption, or surrogacy
- allow for 10 days of paid leave for employees whose spouses gave birth
- and does not require employees to exhaust all their paid or sick leave before taking parental paid leave
The bill that would provide paid parental leave for state employees has now been sent to the Texas House of Representatives for further consideration. If it is eventually passed into law, it will represent a significant step forward in recognizing the value of supporting new parents in the workplace and promoting their health and well-being.
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