From July 1, 2024, if you are employees of a local educational authority or the state of Georgia, you have expanded protection to take care of your child and to maintain your economic security. With Georgia HB 1010, authorized employees can now take up to 6 weeks paid parental leave for the birth of a child or to place a minor child for adoption or care.
What does HB 1010 do?
- HB 1010 expanded the law of Georgia 2021, which provided state employees and employees of the local educational authorities with 3 weeks (120 hours) paid parental leave.
- The new law doubles the amount of the vacation to 6 weeks (240 hours) and adds the list of authorized employees of the charter school. In addition, your employer must inform you about your rights according to this law.
Am I covered?
- The law covers certain state or local educational agencies in Georgia, which …
- Are classified as full -time
- Have been employed for 6 continuous months
- Have experienced a qualified life event in the past 12 months
- The following employees can be entitled:
- Employees and educators for public school and charter school
- Full -time employees who are compensated directly by a department, an agency or an institution of the state government, including the employees of the public university
- Administrative and office company of the General Assembly Georgia
- Some legitimate hourly employees can take paid parental leave if they have worked for at least 700 hours in the six months immediately before the requested paid parental leave.
What is a qualified life event?
- The birth or mediation of a minor child for adoption or care is a qualified life event for paid parental leave.
- In a period of 12 months, you are only guaranteed up to 6 weeks of paid parental leave, regardless of how many qualified events you experience in one year. This rolling period of 12 months is measured backwards from the date where you use your parents' vacation.
- Every vacation that remains 12 months after their first qualification event cannot be transferred to the future use.
How do I ask for paid services for parents' vacation?
- You should contact your manager or personnel department to obtain further information about the PPL requirements form (paid parental leave) (PPL).
Do I have to take all of my paid parental leave at the same time?
- No. The vacation can be distributed over time and used in smaller steps of less than 8 hours as long as it is taken within the 12-month period.
Can this vacation be used for my pregnancy health needs before birth?
- No. Paid parental leave cannot be used for prenatal medical appointments or absences due to illness during pregnancy, but can be used for the birth of your child.
- You may be able to use other forms of rechargeable leisure or to apply for a leisure or other accommodations according to federal laws such as the family and medical Leave Act (FMLA), Americans with disabilities Act (ADA), pregnancy fairness Fairness Act (PWFA) or pregnancy discrimination (PDA). Find out more about this link.
Can this vacation be used for qualified life events that took place before July 1, 2024?
- Yes, if you are a justified employee who experienced a qualified life event before July 1, 2024, you are entitled to paid parental leave. In the 12 months after the first qualification event, however, all vacation vacation must be taken.
- If you have already paid 3 weeks of parental leave for a qualified event before July 1, 2024, you have been considered 3 more weeks from July 1, 2024 (if the time before the application of the applicable 12-month period can be taken).
If both parents work for the state or for a local educational agency, can you take 6 weeks of vacation?
- Yes. If both parents are justified employees, they can take 6 weeks of paid parental leave each.
- In particular, the FMLA has special rules for spouses who work for the same employer. Under the FMLA, both parents would have protected, unpaid vacation for these qualified life events for a total of 12 weeks. Based on the written directive of your employer, this FMLA vacation may have to be taken at the same time as the paid parental leave in Georgia.
How interacted with FMLA?
- If you qualify for FMLA and paid parental leave, the FMLA can run at the same time as the paid parental leave. This depends on the written directive of your employer.
- The time for paid or unpaid vacation does not count for your justification for FMLA.
- A legitimate employee may be able to use the paid parental leave before you can be considered for FMLA if you have continuously worked on the employment unit for 6 months. In this case you could take 18 weeks of vacation because paid parental leave and the FMLA would not run at the same time.
Am I still for the Georgian law on paid parental leave in Georgia if my local education authority already has a paid guideline for parental leave?
- State law does not prevent local educational authorities in addition to the state law to provide their own paid parent or family vacation.
Do I have to use sick or vacation days beforehand?
- No. According to this law, paid parental leave is provided in addition to the paid or unpaid health, vacation or medical holidays.
- You don't have to use your vacation or illness before taking your parents' vacation.
Can teachers and school staff use the paid parental leave in summer?
- Perhaps. It can depend on the regulations of the local school authority for the paid parental leave. Contact your local district to obtain further information.
Do you need help or have questions?
Call up the free, confidential legal helplines of better balance under 1-833-NED-ABB (1-833-633-3222) to talk to a lawyer about their rights at the workplace.
Click here to download a PDF version of this resource.
