Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Columbus To Offer Paid Family Leave To All Employees

Two city hall sources tell WCBE Columbus officials today will announce plans to offer paid family leave to all 85 hundred municipal employees this year. The new policy will give city workers four weeks of parental leave and two weeks of leave to care for a sick family member. Workers will get 70 percent of normal pay. Employees would have to take a two-week waiting period, when they would use accrued sick or vacation leave or take unpaid time before the paid leave starts. Under current rules, the city's only paid leave is for birth mothers using short-term disability.The new policy will be added to new union contracts. Next month, City Council will consider legislation to extend benefits to more than 40 political appointees. City employees are eligible for unpaid leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act. All of the city's elected officials are Democrats, and paid family leave has been an issue touted by that party for several years. Three City Council seats are up for grabs this election year, and council president Zach Klein is running for City Attorney.

Jim has been with WCBE since 1996. Before that he worked as a reporter at another Columbus radio station, and for three newspapers in Southwest Florida.
Related Content