Bucks County Enacts "Family First" Parental Leave Policy For Employees

DOYLESTOWN BOROUGH, PA —The Bucks County Commissioners on July 2 adopted its first ever paid parental leave policy for county employees.

Approved by a unanimous vote of the commissioners, the policy provides for up to eight weeks of paid leave for new parents following the birth, adoption, or placement of a child through foster care.

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“When I had children, it was still possible to have one parent working while the other stayed home to raise children or maybe worked part-time. For most families in this economy, that is no longer an option, as both parents need to work full-time,” said Commissioner Chair Diane Ellis-Marseglia. “There was a time when not everybody had health insurance, vacation time, or sick time, but eventually those became necessary standards. Today, it is necessary to have paid parental leave, and we’re proud to provide our employees that benefit.”

Commissioner Vice Chair Bob Harvie called the policy "overdue" and "something that we know we, as a nation, are behind on when it comes to the rest of the industrialized world.

“When we talk about commitment to family and a commitment to what real family values are, I think it’s pretty clear that this is a measure that really emphasizes that we care about those first months of a family," said Harvie.

Commissioner Gene DiGirolamo added, "As a father of adopted children, I can say from experience that the first few weeks after your new child comes home are absolutely critical for building the bonds that will last a lifetime, so I am very proud to see parents who adopt reflected in this policy. Families are so important, and this new benefit for County employees demonstrates our commitment to supporting the families that serve our residents every day.”

The commissioners said they are hoping the new family-first policy will incentivize recruits to join the county's workforce and existing employees to stay in public service.

Under the new policy, which covers employees in all Bucks County government departments, new parents on leave will continue to be compensated at their normal rate while they bond at home with their new child.