Paid leave to workers with newborns, seriously ill workers in Kentucky

FRANKFORT, Kentucky: Kentucky plans to provide state employees with paid time off so they can bond with a new child or deal with a serious medical situation, Gov. Andy Beshear said on December 12.

The governor announced that the new benefit will provide state executive branch employees with up to six weeks of paid leave at three points in their careers. New employees will be eligible for six weeks of paid leave immediately. They can receive another six weeks after 10 years of service and a final six weeks after 20 years.

This initiative aims to make state government jobs more attractive. However, according to the administration, leave does not carry over from one interval to the next.

The state Personnel Cabinet estimates that about 30,500 executive branch employees will qualify for this benefit once it begins. The leave will be implemented through a regulatory change and could take effect as early as next summer. It builds on the current benefits package, which already includes annual, sick, and compensatory leave.

Under this plan, workers can use six weeks of paid leave to treat a serious health condition or welcome a new child through birth, adoption, or foster care. Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman, who experienced both situations while in office, emphasized the importance of this support, especially for new mothers or patients facing serious health challenges.

Republican state Senator Amanda Mays Bledsoe praised the plan as a "pro-family and pro-workforce" measure, saying it will help Kentucky compete for and retain workers. Bledsoe, who has advocated for paid family leave in the past, noted that Kentucky has been behind in offering such benefits.

This is part of a broader effort to support the state workforce. Governor Beshear recently announced that new state employees would get health insurance starting their first day, and lawmakers approved pay raises totaling a 20 percent increase by the next fiscal year.