Paid Parental Leave Proposal Gets a Makeover

After weighing over 1,400 public comments — mostly from parents, health care workers, and small business owners — the county health department made some major edits to its paid parental leave proposal. That includes cutting the length from 18 weeks to 12 and exempting the county's smallest businesses. Host Megan Harris, executive producer Mallory Falk, and Public Source's Oliver Morrison discuss the changes, why this policy has been so much more divisive than the county's paid sick leave proposal, and what comes next. Plus, Oliver shares his takeaways after reading through every single public comment.

Notes and references from today’s show:

• Parents say paid leave would be a savior, but employers say costs could shut them down [PublicSource]
• Paid parental leave compromises emerge at Allegheny County health board meeting [Public Source]
• Paid Parental Leave Would Strengthen Allegheny County Families and Economy at Minimal Cost [Keystone Research Center Data]
• 1,400 paid parental leave comments show support, deep split, room for change [Public Source]
• Allegheny County’s paid parental leave proposal: 13 questions answered [Public Source]
• Innamorato’s paid parental leave push is personal, political and maybe a national precedent [Public Source]

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Learn more about the sponsors of this Monday, September 21st episode:

Carnegie Library

The Frick Pittsburgh

Hazelwood Local