The Columbia City Council on Monday will discuss the details of a paid family leave ordinance prepared by city staff.
Paid family leave gives workers paid time off for various reasons, such as if an employee or their family member is seriously ill, maternity leave or paternity leave.
The benefit is not federally mandated, and few Missouri cities offer it. The council unanimously approved adding the benefit as part of a larger push to hire and retain more employees.
After approving and appropriating funds for the benefit in the fiscal year 2024 budgeting process, city staff members were tasked with bringing an ordinance to the council that would outline how the program would work by the end of the year.
Paid family leave was approved by the council with the FY2024 budget Sept. 18. Monday’s discussion will be on specific factors of the benefit laid out in the ordinance.
The proposal includes six weeks of fully paid leave per year for all city employees, permissible to be used on the employee or a family member.
The total cost of the benefit is expected to be around $1.3 million yearly. If an employee needs more than six weeks of family leave, they can take another six weeks of unpaid leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
The ordinance also includes a provision that sick leave can now be used in the first 30 days of employment with the city.
This proposal is on the more generous end of the options considered in September. Some of the alternatives were to only compensate workers at 80% of their pay while on leave. A consideration to require employees to use all sick and vacation days before using paid family leave was also not included in the final ordinance.
The ordinance can be considered for a vote as soon as the Dec. 18 City Council meeting. The council has said it wants to have the benefit in place by Jan. 1.
Mayor Barbara Buffaloe will be in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Monday for a conference. Fourth Ward Councilperson and Mayor Pro Tem Nick Foster will lead Monday’s meeting.
