Macon-Bibb officials grant paid parental leave

Macon-Bibb County government employees will be able to take paid time off to take care of their newborn child through a new parental leave measure.

The County Commission unanimously approved Tuesday an ordinance that provides up to four weeks of pay for mothers and one week for fathers and parents of newly adopted children. Macon-Bibb joins Middle Georgia cities of Warner Robins and Fort Valley which implement parental leave policies in recent months.

The Macon-Bibb ordinance was introduced by Commissioner Virgil Watkins and advocated for by the grassroots organization Georgia Women (And Those Who Stand With Us).

Prior to the ordinance, Macon-Bibb employees had to take time off through the unpaid Family and Medical Leave Act or if they wanted to receive pay they must use sick or vacation time to take care of their new born children.

“It puts a huge financial strain on families if they don’t have any paid benefits accrued,” Georgia Women group member Lynn Snyder said.

Georgia Women also worked with Fort Valley and Warner Robins officials to get their paternal leave measures approved. The organization says its part of a coalition pushing for the same policy being adopted by Houston County and other local governments.

“The coalition plans to continue its efforts across the midstate to ensure that every city and county has a paid parental leave plan,” Georgia Women member Amber Schmidtke said in a statement.

In other business Tuesday, commissioners also approved:

▪  The selection of a new consulting firm for the former city of Macon’s pension plan. Graystone Consulting, part of Morgan Stanley, replaces Independent Portfolio Consultants.

▪  A resolution closing a portion of Spring Street in downtown Macon. The street closure, located near St. Joseph’s Catholic School, would connect High Street Park and Lanier Park.

▪  A $2.5 million contract with Womack Paving for patching and other road improvements across the county. Macon-Bibb will receive some financial assistance through the state’s Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant program and also use a portion of special sales tax revenue to cover the costs.

This story was originally published June 6, 2017 at 7:00 PM with the headline "Macon-Bibb officials grant paid parental leave."