Senate approves expansion of paid leave for state employees, adds guardianship eligibility

The Utah Senate approved First Substitute Senate Bill 100, as amended, extending paid leave benefits for state employees beyond the maternity leave provided last year.

Senator Weiler, presenting the bill, said the change is intended to help the state retain employees in a competitive labor market by modernizing benefits. "If we want to keep our best employees and not have them continue to be picked off by the private sector, I think this is the right step to do," he said.

Key points from the floor:
- The bill provides three weeks of paid leave for parents who adopt or who are the non-birthing parent; part-time employees receive a pro rata benefit (for example, 20-hour employees would receive three weeks at 20 hours per week).
- Amendment 1 (moved and accepted on the floor) expanded eligibility to legal guardians of minor children and incapacitated adults, after a sponsor request to include guardianship situations.
- The sponsor noted a fiscal note of approximately $1,700,000 associated with the expansion.

Senators voted to adopt the amendment and then read the bill a third time. The roll call recorded 24 yeas, 0 nays and 5 absences.

Quotes:
"This bill would also provide 3 weeks of maternity leave for any parent who adopts or doesn't give birth," Senator Weiler said.

Next steps: The bill was advanced after third reading and will proceed through the usual enrollment and implementation steps; human-resources and payroll offices will need to implement program changes and coordinate required payroll funding.