MINNEAPOLIS — The Minneapolis City Council passed a resolution that quadruples paid parental leave time for city employees.
Parental leave policy will be amended from three weeks to 12 weeks for eligible employees for the birth or placement for adoption of a child, according to a press release. The City says this change in policy is part of commitment to provide flexible, competitive benefits that are "responsive to the needs of employees."
“Some argue this benefit will result in reduced productivity for those additional nine weeks of leave,” said Mayor Jacob Frey in a released statement. “I would argue there is a far bigger loss when an employee goes to work elsewhere because they can’t have a baby when working for the City of Minneapolis. With this policy, we are directly investing in our employees and their families, and I’m proud that the Council has approved this resolution.”
The City says it recognizes the need for paid leave in regards to family and work-life balance, which will ultimately help employee recruitment and retention.
“The research shows that this time is so critical for the bond between parent and child, and the relationship between partners during this momentous change in their lives,” said City Council Member Andrew Johnson. “This is truly a small price to pay for such a large long-term benefit for that individual, family, and society.”
The new policy will cover City employees retroactively who gave birth or had a child placed with them within 12 weeks of the policy's effective date.
Watch more local news:
Watch the latest local news from the Twin Cities in our YouTube playlist:
