Governor Laura Kelly Expands Parental Leave Policy for State Employees
~~Encourages other employers to develop similar models to strengthen Kansas’ workforce~~
TOPEKA – As part of her ongoing commitment to supporting State of Kansas employees, Governor Laura Kelly today issued Executive Order 21-24, which expands parental leave benefits to primary caregivers, secondary caregivers, and foster parents.
“Supporting working parents in our workforce is not only the right thing to do – it’s good for our economy,” Governor Kelly said. “We’re committed to recruiting and keeping talented Kansans in our state and creating a supportive environment for our families.”
Under the new policy, primary and secondary caregivers, along with foster parents, receive the additional leave. The new policy is as follows:
- Primary caregivers receive eight weeks of leave (an increase of two weeks from the original policy);
- Secondary caregivers receive four weeks of leave (an increase of one week from the original policy);
- Foster parents are now eligible for parental leave, with primary caregivers receiving eight weeks of leave and secondary caregivers receiving four weeks of leave;
- Parental leave can now be used thirty days in advance of the birth date, adoption, or fostering of a child or children per calendar year;
- New State employees become eligible after 180 days of employment. Current employees will not be subjected to this requirement.
“Paid family leave is a win-win for both families and employers,” said Wendy Doyle, President & CEO, United WE. “Policies like this that expand these benefits to women and their families bolster economies, improve health and education outcomes and strengthens business through a stronger employee workforce. We applaud Governor Kelly’s action today and urge other states without paid family leave policies to consider the research-backed benefits of strong economic policies that support employees and their families.”
Effective immediately, the Kansas Department of Administration’s Office of Personnel Services will implement the new policy and provide information to State of Kansas agencies and employees.