By Erin Powell, RHU® | Seubert Compliance Officer
Allegheny County Paid Parental Leave Proposal – Board of Health Approves Revised Proposal
Allegheny County’s Board of Health approved a revised Paid Parental Leave proposal on September 28, 2026. The revised proposal is narrower than the original version and would require covered employers to provide up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave to eligible employees following the birth or adoption of a child, including qualifying stillbirths.
Key provisions of the revised proposal include:
- Applies to employers with 15 or more eligible employees.
- Employees generally must have at least six months of employment and satisfy the applicable hours requirement to qualify.
- Paid leave would provide 100% of wages, subject to a maximum benefit of $4,200 per week.
- Leave must generally be taken within the first year following birth or adoption.
- The County leave would run concurrently with FMLA when the employee is otherwise FMLA-eligible.
Implementation timeframe: The proposal is not yet effective. It must still be voted on by Allegheny County Council and signed by the County Executive. If enacted, the proposal provides for a six-month implementation period. An additional six-month grace period may be available to organizations that cannot implement the requirements until the beginning of their next fiscal year or budget cycle.
Insurance: The leave benefit would be an employer responsibility rather than a government-funded insurance program. Employers may satisfy the requirement by self-insuring the parental leave benefit or obtaining a private parental leave insurance plan, provided the private plan meets the requirements of the regulation. Seubert will be working with our insurance carrier partners to evaluate potential insurance programs that may be available to assist employers in meeting the proposed paid parental leave requirements. The details of any available insurance solutions, including eligibility, coverage terms, and implementation requirements, are not yet finalized.
At this time, no immediate action is required because the proposal has not yet been enacted. Employers with 15 or more employees should, however, begin evaluating their existing leave programs to determine how they may coordinate with the proposed requirement if it is ultimately enacted.
We will continue to monitor the proposal as it moves to Allegheny County Council and will provide additional guidance once the final requirements and effective date are known.
Questions About How Allegheny County’s Paid Parental Leave Will Impact Your Business in Pittsburgh, PA?
Seubert’s Employee Benefits Team monitors evolving compliance requirements to help employers stay ahead of regulatory changes and minimize risk. Contact us at 412-734-4900, [email protected], or your Seubert representative for guidance on how these updates can potentially affect your organization.
Erin is the Compliance Officer in Seubert’s Employee Benefits Department. She joined Seubert in 2008 and has more than 18 years of experience in the employee benefits and compliance industry. In her current role, Erin is responsible for ensuring awareness of new developments and/or changes in the various federal and state laws that may impact a business’ employee benefits program.
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