PHX Reporter

Starting Oct. 1, Phoenix will provide eligible city employees up to 12 weeks paid leave for births, adoption or placement of a foster child during a 12-month period.

The benefit was unanimously approved by the Council on July 1, according to a release on the city’s website. The release said the measure makes Phoenix “a top employer in the region,” the 480 hours of paid leave gives the city “among the most generous parental leave packages offered by any local government agency,” the release added.

“This new benefit will help the City stay competitive and able to attract the best employees to serve Phoenix's residents,” said Mayor Kate Gallego.

Gallego added that the employers have had to adjust to the environment, and the city is doing that.

“The working world has changed dramatically, and we are focused on meeting the needs of today's parents,” she said. “The new, additional leave is extremely flexible to meet varying challenges that arise when a new child comes into the family."

City Manager Jeff Barton said the change was needed to allow the city to compete for talent.

“Our employees are our most valuable assets," he said in the release. “Adding parental leave to the many benefits offered by the City demonstrates our investment in them, which in turn, is an investment in our community."

City Councilwoman Ann O’Brien said the changes have become necessary.

“Certainly after the pandemic and the great resignation, we are all hurting for additional workforce and the available workforce is demanding more from their future employers,” she said in a story by KJZZ.

Gallego expressed relief that the city was able to make the benefit happen.

“When I was first elected, I worked on a[n] equal pay group at the city of Phoenix trying to move forward with pay equity, and we tried at that time to invest in parental leave at this level and it has taken quite a long time to figure out how we can pay for this generous benefit,” she said in the story.