South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

Green Park passes parental leave ordinance

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Green Park City Hall

Green Park has joined other municipalities in St. Louis County offering employees paid parental leave. 

The city’s Board of Aldermen unanimously adopted a new parental/bereavement leave policy for city employees 6-0 Feb. 22. 

Under the ordinance, eligible employees will be able to take up to three days of paid bereavement leave for certain family members, including parents, siblings, children, grandchildren and grandparents. 

People who give birth will be able to take up to four weeks of paid maternity leave, with an additional four weeks unpaid, while fathers, or those who adopt, can take up to two weeks of paid parental leave. Employees can use the leave time anytime within a six-month period. 

Previously, Green Park did not offer parental leave or bereavement leave. The idea was initiated by City Administrator James Mello, who is anticipating the birth of his first child in March. 

The board held a special workshop on the city’s leave policy in February. Mello had originally suggested sick leave in the employee manual be changed to “health and family leave” and feature a pool of days to be used for either parental, bereavement or sick leave, but aldermen ultimately determined to differentiate between each type of leave.

Green Park joins a small number of municipalities in the region that offer paid parental leave. Nearby Crestwood passed its own policy in June 2021, offering four weeks of paid parental leave. Clayton offers six weeks, while St. Louis County itself offers two weeks. In St. Charles County, Wentzville has a six-week parental leave policy. St. Louis University and Washington University offer six weeks and four weeks, respectively. 

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