On Wednesday, September 18, 2026, the Allegheny County Board of Health unveiled a revised version of its proposed paid parental leave policy. Originally introduced in May (as summarized here), the initial proposal sought to establish one of the most expansive local paid parental leave policies in the country, mandating up to 18 weeks of paid leave for employees who give birth, adopt or welcome a child into their family. The original plan required employers of all sizes, with no minimum employee threshold, to provide full wage replacement to their employees, with employees becoming eligible after just 30 days of employment.
The modified bill came after months of extensive public feedback and debate with more than 1,500 public comments submitted since the proposal was first introduced. Below are the key updates.
Key Updates
- Revised Duration: The original proposal of 18 weeks has been reduced to 12 weeks of paid parental leave.
- Employer Thresholds: Only businesses with 15 or more employees would be required to provide leave; smaller businesses are exempt.
- Eligibility Requirements: Employees must have worked for the employer for at least six months and logged 625 hours (for part-time workers) before qualifying.
- Wage Coverage: Employees would receive 100% of their wages, up to a maximum of $4,200 per week.
- Qualifying Events: Stillbirth has been added as a qualifying event for leave.
- Implementation Period: The law would have a 6-month implementation period after it is signed into law, extendable to up to 12 months depending on the employer’s fiscal year or budget cycle. This means all covered employers must implement the policy within one year of enactment.
- Funding Options: Employers can self-insure or purchase private insurance to cover the benefits.
Estimated Costs
Employers are now given the option to either self-insure or purchase private insurance to fund the benefits, rather than being mandated to fully cover the costs directly. The Board of Health claims that mandating the coverage would allow Allegheny County employers to take advantage of a large insurance pool and pointed to data from paid parental leave insurance provider, Parento, stating that coverage for an employee earning $15 per hour would cost an employer about $13 a month per employee, while coverage for an employee earning the county’s median annual salary of $66,000 would cost about $30 per month.
What Comes Next
The Allegheny County Board of Health will vote on the proposal during a special session of the Board of Health at noon on September 28. That meeting will also include time for additional public comment. The legislation would then go through readings and committee in the Allegheny County Council before a final vote. If approved by the council, the bill would then move on to be signed by Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato.
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