State employees in the United States may be on the verge of acquiring a new benefit. Thanks to Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who proposed for an employee's paid parental and medical leave for up to 12 weeks.
Clinton's paid parental leave proposal, which was detailed on her website, aims to benefit employees who are caring for a new child or a family member who's seriously ill. Even though paid parental leave would benefit women with children, Forbes revealed that it may be a disadvantage for women of child-bearing age as economic analysis showed they're the main group of people who would be responsible in paying for the said benefit.
With that said, who would really take advantage of the paid parental leave? This benefit would be an advantage to women of child-bearing age but these women would also become less valuable to employers, making their wages decrease.
Despite the issues surrounding paid parental leave, the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees (MAPE) has negotiated for a six-week paid parental leave for both mothers and fathers after the birth or adoption of a child. According to Star Tribune, if the memorandum will be approved, it will be available on an interim basis by November.
Paid parental leave has been a part of a women's movement's agenda for the last four decades. However, the push for parental leave in Minnesota and the rest of the Unites States was stalled due to the fact that the baby boom generation has moved out of its childbearing years.
Paid parental leave has also found its way into a few union contracts, as well as into the employee benefit policies of enlightened corporations. Since paid parental leave was highlighted once again, Gov. Mark Dayton requested the 2016 Legislature to appropriate $6 million over three years for paid parental leaves for all state employees, but the Legislature hasn't acted yet.
Aside from Minnesota, paid parental leave may also be offered to employees in Washington County, NWA reported. Quorum Court member Daniel Balls made a proposal to the Washington County Personnel Committee on Sept. 6 for a two-week paid parental leave but the committee revised the proposal to 8 weeks.
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