Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ bill to offer paid parental leave to state employees advanced in the Senate Tuesday, as she tries for a third year in a row to get Republican lawmakers to pass it.
Her bill would provide four weeks of paid leave for a parent who gave birth and for parents who adopt a child. It would also give one week of paid leave for a non-birthing parent.
Reynolds said in a recent statement that nothing is more important than family.
“The time after birth is a crucial bonding period for new parents and their babies, and it’s time state employees have a chance to be fully present for them,” Reynolds said. “Under President Donald Trump’s leadership, federal employees were granted up to 12 weeks of paid leave to care for a child, and at least 24 other states have some form of paid leave. Let’s pass this bill and put families first.”
State agencies hope to retain and recruit employees
State workers currently have to save up vacation and sick time to get paid while caring for a new child.
Molly Widen, the state treasurer’s chief of staff, said the most time a newer state employee can save up is about four to six weeks. That’s without taking any sick or vacation time for a year prior to welcoming a new child.
“And the current program, you can only use sick leave when it’s that time for you healing as a mother,” Widen said. “Once you get to the point of bonding with your child, you have to use vacation, even though it’s definitely not a vacation.”
"The time after birth is a crucial bonding period for new parents and their babies, and it’s time state employees have a chance to be fully present for them."Gov. Reynolds
She said she had to start working four weeks after giving birth to premature twins, often working from the neonatal intensive care unit where her daughter was receiving treatment for a heart defect.
“Four weeks of leave — it would have been incredible,” Widen said. “Because it would’ve meant that the time that I did cobble together from sick leave and vacation, that I could’ve spent time at home with my kids before having to come back to work.”
She also said establishing paid parental leave is important for recruiting new state employees, because it’s an area where the state doesn’t compete with the private sector and the federal government.
Haley Hook, with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, said the agency lost out on some employees recently because they were concerned about the lack of paid parental leave.
“So that’s just one of our concerns as well, is being able to recruit and retain our employees at the department,” she said.
A three-member Senate subcommittee advanced the bill unanimously.
But Sen. Jason Schultz, R-Schleswig, said he only voted for it because moving the bill through the process will allow him to get an estimate of how much paid leave will cost.
“I am concerned about the either growing or shrinking divide — whether state government is catching up with the private sector employer experience, or if we are pulling away from the private sector employer experience,” he said. “Because we have to measure that there is a private sector economy who are going to also be competing for these high value employees. Are we using tax dollars to pull them out of the private sector or entice them away?”
Senate Democrats call for more paid leave
Mary Nelle Trefz, a lobbyist for Iowa ACESs 360, said the bill is a very important step in expanding access to paid parental leave. But she also asked lawmakers to consider allowing for more time because major medical groups recommend a minimum of six weeks of paid leave.
“That’s where research really shows… you start to reap those benefits,” Trefz said. “And we’re talking about benefits in terms of improved maternal mental health, better rates of returning to the workforce and stronger parent-child relationships.”
She also said most child care providers don’t accept infants until they are at least six weeks old.
Sen. Bill Dotzler, D-Waterloo, called the bill “a great first step.”
Senate Democrats proposed their own bill to provide up to 12 weeks of paid family or medical leave. It would apply to Iowans who work for private employers with at least 10 employees per day and to all public employers.
Senate Minority Leader Janice Weiner, D-Iowa City, said last week that Democrats proposed their own bill because Reynolds’ bill is very limited.
“We think that Iowans deserve better than that, and they deserve to be able to take care of their families and earn a living at the same time without worrying about losing their financial security,” she said.
Weiner said she doesn’t know how much paid leave would cost the state, but she said it would pay dividends by preventing employee turnover.
