ATLANTA (AP) – The Georgian House of Representatives is trying again to grant paid parental leave to government employees, teachers and university employees.
The House voted 155-2 on Tuesday to pass Law 146, which would provide three weeks of paid parental leave to nearly 250,000 workers at any time after the birth, adoption or care of a child.
“We believe this is a positive step forward for our state,” Rep. Houston Gaines, a Republican from Athens, told the House of Representatives on Tuesday
The move mirrors a bill that sailed through the House last year that failed in the final hours of the Senate session. House Speaker David Ralston, a Republican with Blue Ridge, has made the move one of his priorities.
Currently, state employees in Georgia are entitled to 12 weeks of unpaid vacation as required by federal law.
Both mothers and fathers could take advantage of the vacation. An employee would qualify after six months of continuous employment with a government agency, college, or school. The measure does not include leave to care for sick family members or to treat personal medical problems. Non-state employers are also not included
Gaines notes that President Donald Trump backed paid parental leave for federal employees and urged Congress to require that private employers offer paid parental leave.
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