Listen: Innamorato makes case for paid parental leave

With the Allegheny County Board of Health scheduled to vote on a proposal to require that most employers provide paid parental leave, there’s national interest in the concept of local mandates favoring new mothers and fathers. If approved by the board and then by County Council, the ordinance would be the first of its kind by a county. It would rank as generous to parents — and expensive to employers — when compared to similar policies in 14 states.

NPR and Pittsburgh’s Public Source reporter Oliver Morrison teamed up to explore the debate and the stakes.

“I will be so disappointed in myself as the first county executive who will give birth in office to not be able to provide parental leave to other families who are struggling every day,” County Executive Sara Innamorato told Morrison. Innamorato is expecting her first child in November, around when council could vote.

Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato smiles and talks with a young child in a colorful classroom while other children sit and interact in the background. — Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato speaks to a child at Estelle S. Campbell Boys & Girls Club on Aug. 28, in Lawrenceville. (Photo by Danny Arensberg/Pittsburgh’s Public Source)

The basics

Leave would apply to businesses with 15 or more employees.
Only those employed with their employer for a year or more would qualify.
Employers would have to pay qualifying parents for 12 weeks after child’s birth or a stillbirth.
Maximum payment would be $4,200 per week for employees who earn $218,400 or more.

Public Source will report on the Board of Health’s action today.

Prior coverage

Paid parental leave compromises emerge at Allegheny County health board meeting

1,400 paid parental leave comments show support, deep split, room for change

Innamorato’s paid parental leave push is personal, political and maybe a national precedent

Allegheny County’s paid parental leave proposal: 13 questions answered

Oliver Morrison is the health and environment reporter at Pittsburgh’s Public Source and can be reached at oliver@publicsource.org.

Help us continue telling stories like this one.

We’re Pittsburgh’s Public Source, an independent, nonprofit newsroom. That means we rely on donations from readers like you to help us report accurate, timely and impactful stories for the Pittsburgh region — available to everyone without paywalls.

Everyone deserves access to credible information to understand and help shape the region they call home, which is why we work hard everyday to deliver fact-checked stories on education, environment, health, local government and more.

We've seen our journalism prompt widespread change in the Pittsburgh region — but none of it would be possible without the support of our community. If you found this story valuable, consider "paying it forward" by making a gift today.

GIVE NOW