A proposal by Allegheny County health officials to mandate 18 weeks of paid parental leave would increase time off for many working mothers and fathers in the county, but some business owners and their representatives argue it would come at too great a cost.
The Allegheny County Board of Health moved Wednesday to seek public comment on the plan, which would apply to all workers at employers of any size. Board members argued the policy would improve maternal recovery, family stability and health outcomes for infants.
Few employers in the area offer such generous paid time off following the birth, adoption or foster placement of a child.
UPMC provides up to two weeks of leave for eligible employees. At Carnegie Mellon University, new parents can get up to six weeks off, while the University of Pittsburgh offers four weeks. At the higher end, BNY and Duolingo give 16 weeks.
Many small and midsize businesses provide no parental leave at all.
Rob Storms, owner of Storms Restaurant in Baldwin, joined an unsuccessful legal challenge to Pittsburgh’s paid sick leave policy in 2015. His business was based in the city at the time. Allegheny County passed a similar law in 2021 and avoided legal challenges. Storms fears the new county proposal — an amendment to the paid sick leave law — would further force him to provide benefits beyond his means.
“If they want to do it through the county, let the taxpayers do it,” Storms said. “I don’t have two nickels to rub together.”
Carrie Nolan-Robson, executive director of the Northside/North Shore Chamber of Commerce, envisions the policy pushing businesses into surrounding counties, which lack paid parental leave mandates. It may also motivate employers to hire contractors over in-house workers to avoid providing benefits, Nolan-Robson added.
“Businesses should have the right to create their own policies that are cost-effective for the businesses,” she said. “We do, however, support initiatives that make working conditions better for employees — they just need to strike a balance for different types of businesses and organizations.”
The Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association, another plaintiff in the 2015 lawsuit against Pittsburgh, has yet to take a firm stance on Allegheny County’s paid parental leave plan. Lauren Brinjac, senior director of legislative affairs for the industry group, did note that smaller businesses face rising costs for labor, food, insurance and more.
“As the proposal moves through the public comment process, we encourage county leaders to work collaboratively with the business community to better understand the real-world impacts on employers, most of whom are small, independent operators, and explore approaches that support both workers and the long-term sustainability of local small businesses,” Brinjac said.
The public comment period will run for 30 days. From there, the board of health will review feedback and possibly alter the proposal. Once adopted by the board — no earlier than July, given the board’s meeting schedule — the paid parental leave plan would go to county council for a final vote. The amendment as written has a 180-day runway to enforcement, meaning the soonest it could go into effect is early next year.
“I’m sure we’ll get lots of comments from people with different perspectives and priorities, and we welcome the feedback,” said Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato. “But I want to be clear that my administration is never going to stop fighting for mothers, babies, families and workers.”
Paid parental leave laws are gaining traction nationwide. In April, Virginia passed a law guaranteeing 12 weeks of paid time off to care for a newborn, tend to a seriously ill loved one or recover from a severe health condition. The Pennsylvania House advanced a similar bill in March that has yet to clear the state Senate.
All told, 14 states and Washington, D.C., have enacted mandatory paid family leave programs.
“When you provide paid family leave to bond with the new child, it improves employee productivity, morale and loyalty,” said Jared Make, vice president of worker advocacy group A Better Balance. “As more states pass these programs, we’re seeing these really important benefits that are the counterweight to the costs of a proposal like this.”