Allegheny County Adopts Controversial Paid Parental Leave Policy

PITTSBURGH, PA — Reaction is mixed to Allegheny County Council's approval Tuesday of a controversial policy mandating employers with at least 15 workers to provide 12 weeks of paid parental leave to eligible parents.

With council's 11-4 vote to adopt the policy, Allegheny County becomes the first county in the country to independently require paid parental leave.

County Executive Sara Innamorato, who spearheaded the effort and is herself expecting her first child, applauded council for approving the measure.

“I want to thank County Council for taking a bold step tonight and putting the health of Allegheny County's families first," she said in a statement following the vote.

"By passing the first county-level paid parental leave policy in the country, we're showing that we're serious about protecting workers and their families at one of the most economically and medically vulnerable times in their lives."

The Pittsburgh Regional Alliance, formerly the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, strongly criticized the move.

"By imposing an unshared mandate solely on employers operating within Allegheny County, this measure creates an anti-competitive environment that places our employers at a distinct disadvantage compared to neighboring counties and regional peers," the organization said in a release.

"At a moment of critical economic opportunity for Southwestern Pennsylvania, placing additional operational strain and cost burdens on regional employers—particularly small and mid-sized businesses—weakens our region's ability to attract investments, retain talent, and grow jobs."

Innamorato is expected to sign the bill into law on Thursday.

To obtain the leave, full and part-time employees must have worked six months or 625 hours, depending on their employment status.

Workers on leave will still receive their regular base pay. Employers will be obligated to keep their health insurance and provide job protection during leave.

The policy includes birthing parents, adopting and fostering ones, and parents who suffer stillbirths.