Gaylor Baird proposes paid parental leave for City of Lincoln employees

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird on Thursday proposed paid parental leave for all non-union City of Lincoln employees.

The proposal, if approved, would make Lincoln the first city in Nebraska to provide such leave for its employees.

Currently, under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, city employees may take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave.

“This proposed paid parental leave policy offers a new benefit to our employees and cascading benefits to their families and our broader community,” Baird said in a press release. “By offering paid parental leave, the City of Lincoln will be in an even stronger position to compete for top talent who deliver the high-quality services our community expects and deserves.”

City Human Resources Director Barb McIntyre said employees and families perform their best when they’re supported.

“Paid parental leave helps new parents stay in the workforce by allowing them time to make adjustments to balance caregiver and work responsibilities, while improving their household economic security in the critical year following the birth, adoption, or fostering of a child,” she said in the release.

Some of the key provisions of the policy:

• Six weeks of paid leave for the birth, adoption or fostering of a child, with part-time employees receiving a prorated number of hours.
• Eligibility for employees who are regularly scheduled to work at least 20 hours per week.
• Leave may be taken at any time during the 12-month period after the birth or start of the adoption/foster placement process of a child.
• Paid parental leave must be exhausted before an employee may use sick leave, vacation leave or Personal Convenience Holidays for a birth, adoption or foster placement.

McIntyre also said the policy would be available to employees the moment they are hired; there is no waiting period.

She also said employees would be paid their full wage for the duration of their parental leave.

If the measure is approved by the city council, the benefit could start on May 1.

To see available city jobs, visit jobs.lincoln.ne.gov.