LEHIGH COUNTY, Pa. – Lehigh becomes one of just a few counties in Pennsylvania offering full paid parental leave for county employees.

This marks new County Executive Josh Siegel’s first piece of major legislation passed, and it was unanimously.

“As soon as we found out, we started saving so that, you know, we had enough to cover the bills while I was out,” Lehigh County employee Kelly Evans said in relation to her the birth of her son.

That was 3 years ago when Lehigh didn’t offer paid family leave.

“Did it take anything away from the experience? Like being a new mom, bonding with your child, but also having this financial pressure on you?” 69 News reporter Bo Koltnow asked Evans.

“I think yes, and no, I tried not to let it, but it definitely it’s a stressor in your mind the whole time you’re out,” she responded.

The signing of new legislation erases that financial stress.

The county now has 8 weeks paid family leave for county employees starting a family.

County Executive Josh Siegel says it includes, natural, foster and adopted children of any age.

“If we’re going to be pro employee, we also have to be pro-family. This is about making sure new parents don’t miss those critical early memories and moments with their newborn or their new family, and it’s also economically sound,” Siegel said.

Legislation with immediate impact for Luz Cruz. The 23-year-old domestic relations employee is set to have her first child with her boyfriend in November.

“We both just moved into a new apartment so where we’re financially going through it, but is these helps a lot,” Cruz said.

Lehigh joins a small handful of counties and the state which offers family benefits to state employees.

For parents like Evana, whose daughter is due in July, it’s not just time off, it’s time without financial worry.

“I’m considered high risk. I have several things going on, so I’ve had a lot more appointments than last time, and it’s been difficult to even take time off for those because I was trying to save any time that I had, so it’s a lot a lot easier now,” Evans said.