Allegheny County residents canvass for paid parental leave ahead of key vote
Supporters of a proposed paid parental leave policy in Allegheny County are canvassing neighborhoods to rally support ahead of a crucial Board of Health vote on Sept. 28.
PITTSBURGH —
Supporters of a proposed paid parental leave policy in Allegheny County are canvassing neighborhoods to rally support ahead of a crucial Board of Health vote on Sept. 28.
On Saturday, advocates knocked on doors and distributed yard signs in County Council President Michelle Naccarati-Chapkis’s neighborhood, encouraging residents to contact her in support of the proposal.
“Birth, no matter which way it happens, is a medical event,” said Jessica Krayer, a nurse at West Penn Hospital. “And I feel that it’s not treated as such. And it’s important for families to be able to have the time to bond, heal and start their new lifestyle with their babies without having the financial burden or the stress of having to go back to work.”
Krayer added, “We’re just asking people in this area to have a better idea of it, a better understanding of it. And we’re here in her area because we want to encourage her to bring awareness and support to this issue.”
The Board of Health recently revised the proposed policy, reducing paid leave from 18 weeks to 12 weeks. The policy would apply only to businesses with 15 or more employees, and full- or part-time workers would need to be employed for at least six months and 625 hours to qualify.
Aden Halpern, a canvasser, said, “What many people my age are saying is they just can’t afford to have kids right now. So if we want to grow this county, if we want to bring in more young people, I really think that paid parental leave is the way to do that.”
The Board of Health reported that 56% of the 1,500 public comments received in recent months were in favor of the policy. However, many small business owners remain opposed, even after the revisions, and have expressed a preference for a statewide policy instead.
“I think the two concerns for us are the competitive disadvantage that it creates relative to other markets as well as the notion that the scale and design of this particular policy is really not in line with even other markets that have done it,” said Matt Smith, chief growth officer at the Allegheny Conference on Community Development.
If the Board of Health approves the policy, it will move to the County Council and then to the county executive for final consideration.