A new proposal before Summit County Council tonight would allow employees to take off six weeks of paid leave after the birth of a child 鈥� a big change from the current policy.
The provides for up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave, but County Councilwoman Elizabeth Walters is . She estimates about four-dozen babies are born to county employees each year, and the new plan would include both mothers and fathers.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great recruitment tool for us. Because while we can鈥檛 be competitive with corporate America in terms of wages, we can provide benefits that support their life outside of work.鈥�
If passed, the new leave rules would be the first for a county in Ohio. Cities currently offering paid leave include Cincinnati, Dayton and Newburgh Heights.
Councilwoman Walters says she has the support of , and she has gotten positive feedback from the other members of County Council.
