After Allegheny County passes paid parental leave, a Philly resolution asks Harrisburg for statewide family leave

Philadelphia City Council could formally ask the state to create paid family and medical leave as soon as its next session. Resolution 260941, introduced Oct. 29 by at-large Councilmember Nicolas O'Rourke, calls on the General Assembly to pass Senate Bill 906, the "Family Care Act," and recognizes Allegheny County's new parental leave law.

For working parents and caregivers, this is about whether time off for a new child or a sick family member comes with a paycheck. Pennsylvania has no statewide paid leave program.

What happened in Allegheny County

Allegheny County Council passed a law requiring employers with 15 or more workers in the county to give 12 weeks of paid parental leave, Axios Pittsburgh reported Oct. 21. The vote was 11-4, according to the Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association. The original proposal was 18 weeks. County Executive Sara Innamorato signed it Oct. 22, according to the employment law firm Littler.

According to Littler and the providers' association:

• Leave is paid at the employee's base rate, capped at $4,200 a week, and employers pay for it.
• Full-time workers qualify after six months; part-time workers after 625 hours.
• It covers birth, adoption or placement of a child.
• Employers have until roughly October 2027 to comply.

The providers' group called it an unfunded mandate. Littler and other law firms have noted questions about how parts of it will apply, and at least one firm has noted it may face a legal challenge over whether a county can require this without state authorization.

What the state bills would do

WITF reported in June that two versions are pending:

• SB 906, from Sen. Devlin Robinson, a Republican from Allegheny County, would provide up to 20 weeks of leave for a new child or a serious health condition and up to 12 weeks to care for a family member. It would be paid for by employee payroll deductions capped at 1% of wages, with no employer contribution, and run by the state Department of Labor and Industry. It cleared the Senate Labor and Industry Committee in June.
• HB 200, from Rep. Jennifer O'Mara, a Delaware County Democrat, passed the House 107-92 in March. It caps leave at 12 weeks and offers grants to small employers who pay leave benefits.

What our records add

• Sponsors. O'Rourke is joined by Anthony Phillips, Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson, Kendra Brooks, Nina Ahmad and Rue Landau: six of 17 members.
• Status. Our record lists it as "In Council – Final Passage": it was placed on the final passage calendar rather than sent to a committee, so it can be adopted at the next session. Unlike many resolutions introduced Oct. 29, it was not adopted that day.
• What it does and doesn't do. A resolution states Council's position. It doesn't create a city leave program or bind the legislature.

O'Rourke's Oct. 22 Resolution 260901, celebrating the city's Zero Fare transit program, is also awaiting final passage.

What's next

Council meets Nov. 12. In Harrisburg, SB 906 was re-referred to the Senate Rules and Executive Nominations Committee, WITF reported, and no Senate floor vote has been reported.