The Florida governor’s office announced new family and maternity leave benefits for state employees on Monday; a measure that, according to this body, is in line with the “Family First” approach pursued by the State Administration.
According to the local government’s notice, “eligible public servants can benefit from up to seven weeks of paid maternity leave and two weeks of parental leave, which can be combined to provide mothers with nine weeks of paid leave.”
Previously, the text states, public servants could use unpaid leave or annual and sick leave for this purpose. With the change, “this is the strongest paid postpartum leave policy for mothers compared to (those in) other southeastern states.”
The days of leave that can be requested by mothers or fathers who have been full-time employees of the State for at least one year are determined as follows: 280 hours (7 weeks) of paid maternity leave, with immediate effect from the birth of the child. Infant; 80 hours (2 weeks) of paid parental leave in the first year after the birth or adoption of a child and the right to use sick leave to be with the baby for a maximum of 16 weeks, including within the first 12 months.
The release goes on to say that these new leave benefits will ultimately have a positive impact on the health and well-being of children and parents because “they provide mothers with sufficient time to recover after the birth of a child and both parents the opportunity to do so to care for and bond with their newly adopted baby or child and adapt to changing family dynamics without having to worry financially about lost wages.”
DeSantis took this action less than four months later officially announce his candidacy for President of the United States in 2024.
When he mentioned them, he added a personal note: As a father of three children, he knew how important these first weeks are for new parents and their children.
“When I became governor, I made it a priority to defend policies that support families and empower parents,” said the Republican leader, who has held office since 2019.
At the national level, measures like the one passed in Florida are not the norm. The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that only 25% of government employees in the United States benefited from paid family leave in 2021. For those in private companies, the proportion was lower: 22%.