Gov. Mike Braun expands paid parental leave benefits for state employees

Gov. Mike Braun signed an executive order Monday to expand paid leave benefits for state-employed Hoosiers.

Indiana's previous policy gave full-time state employees up to 150 hours of paid leave for parents after the birth or adoption of a child. Part-time workers received 75 hours. However, in order to qualify, workers had to be employed with the state for at least six months.

The new order expands that benefit to now include employees who have worked less than six months.

It also gives full-time and part-time workers "childbirth recovery leave" regardless of how long they’ve worked for the state.

Under the new policy employees can receive up to six weeks of paid leave after they give birth, with eight total weeks of leave for those who have a cesarean section. Employees in the job for less than six months must agree to keep working for the state for a year after they return from leave.

Braun said it's important for employers to support the needs of new parents.

“These new paid parental leave policies will benefit women recovering from childbirth, their spouses and the newborns — whose health and development will be improved by more time with their parents,” Braun said.
 

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The executive order also applies to employees who have a miscarriage at 20 or more weeks. Braun said losing a baby is difficult to endure and he wants to ensure state employees experiencing that have time to grieve.

Currently, Indiana law does not mandate employers provide paid leave for their workers.

Braun said resources could be a reason some businesses are not able to provide this benefit. He said he won't make "mandates" for this especially for businesses who can't afford it but he said more established companies should "aspire" to provide it.

Timoria is our labor and employment reporter. Contact her at tcunningham@wfyi.org.