Athens’ non-union employees are now eligible to receive paid parental leave due to a city ordinance that was passed at the end of 2019.
The ordinance allows for up to 240 hours, or six full weeks, of leave for qualifying employees in the event of a birth or adoption.
All 240 hours must be used within 10 weeks of the birth or adoption, according to the ordinance. At least 160 of the hours must be used consecutively. If approved by the employee’s immediate supervisor, the remaining hours may be taken on a part-time schedule.
During the time of parental leave, the individual is still covered under the city’s insurance and will receive full pay.
The only exclusion to the ordinance is the adoption of a spouse’s child or children.
To be eligible for parental leave, the employee must be eligible under the Family and Medical Leave Act, or FMLA. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, an employee is eligible if they have worked for the employer for at least 12 months and have a total number of hours exceeding 1,250.
This is all assuming that the employee works for a covered employer.
Sarah Grace, D-At Large and driving force for the ordinance, kept in mind what is best for employees and their families during the time of a birth or adoption.
“I really wanted to give parents six weeks, that is just purely parental leave without the requirements that they use up any accrued or accumulated vacation or sick days,” Grace said. “If they want to use it all up … consecutively that's fine, but I really believe that it's in the best interest of the employees, parents, children and families, to offer the parent that flexibility.”
Council member Jeff Risner, D-2nd Ward, said equality is strived for between union and non-union employees.
“When we're determining benefits and salary and other payments for non-union people … the administration sits down and works with the audit or finance committee, and tries to bring the non-union people to parity with the union people. We try to give them the same benefits we gave the union … so everyone is on an equal and level playing field,” Risner said. “This was long overdue, it should have been done years ago.”
In addition to the parental leave time, qualifying employees may choose to donate their extra sick time to someone that is taking parental leave in order to have more time than given in the ordinance, Grace said.
Grace also noted how employees have spoken to her and expressed appreciation for the ordinance. Many of those individuals are not necessarily ones that will personally benefit from this ordinance.
“It's knowing that their employer cares and believes that doing the right thing by their employees is what they're going to do,” Grace said.
