(a) As used in this Section, “paid parental leave” shall mean a four (4) week leave of absence for the purpose of a parent bonding with a newborn or with a newly adopted child in which the employee is compensated at one hundred percent (100%) of their regular base rate of pay. Paid parental leave shall be in addition to, and not reduce, an employee’s balance of any other accrued paid leave provided to the employee by the City.
(b) As used in this Section, “paid childbirth leave” shall mean a twelve (12) week leave of absence in which a parent who gives birth shall be compensated at one hundred percent (100%) of their regular, base rate of pay while recovering from childbirth. Paid childbirth leave shall be in addition to, and not reduce, an employee’s balance of any other accrued paid leave provided to the employee by the City.
(c) All employees of the City who have been employed full-time for twelve (12) or more months, or part-time at an average of at least thirty-five (35) hours per week for twelve (12) or more months, shall be eligible to take paid parental leave one time in a twelve (12)-month period.
(d) All employees of the City who have been employed full-time for twelve (12) or more months, or part-time at an average of at least thirty-five (35) hours per week for twelve (12) or more months, and who are parents who give birth shall be eligible to take paid childbirth leave one time in a twelve (12)-month period.
(e) Paid parental leave and paid childbirth leave must be taken in one uninterrupted period of leave time and must be taken within twelve (12) months following the birth or placement of a child for adoption or foster care.
(f) Paid parental leave and paid childbirth leave shall run concurrently with each other, as applicable, and with Federal Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave, and be counted against the amount of FMLA leave available to and employee taking these benefits.
(g) Whenever the birth or placement of a child for adoption or foster care is foreseen, the employee must provide the Director of Human Resources at least thirty (30) days’ notice of their intention to take paid parental leave or paid childbirth leave.
(h) An employee who would otherwise be eligible for paid parental leave pursuant to the above, whose child is stillborn or dies during the third trimester of pregnancy, is eligible for three (3) calendar weeks of paid parental leave following the date of death of the unborn or stillborn child. In the event the newly born or adopted child dies during the period of time that the employee is on paid parental leave, the employee shall be entitled to the full extent of the paid parental leave permitted above, and the paid parental leave shall not terminate due to the death of the child. All other provisions of the paid parental leave granted pursuant to above shall apply.
(i) If an employee is enrolled in group health insurance or other insurance benefits
sponsored by the City, these benefits will continue as if the employee had not taken leave.
(j) Paid parental leave and paid childbirth leave taken by an employee shall not be counted as time worked for the purposes of calculating overtime.
(k) The Director of Human Resources shall promulgate a policy related to provision of medical documentation, adoption or foster documentation, intermittent leave, returning to work, confidentiality, and any other relevant considerations not inconsistent with this Section or the Family and Medical Leave Act.
(Ord. 79-2022. Passed 6-21-22.)