The Georgia law, effective from July 1, doubles the length of parental leave for state government and public schools employees. The law, House Bill 1010, was signed by Republican Gov. Brian Kemp to expand the duration from three to six weeks. The nonprofits 9to5 Georgia and the GA Coalition for Paid Leave acknowledged the lawmakers who championed the legislation that further expanded a 2021 law that provided Georgia state employees up to three weeks off to care for a newborn. Efforts are ongoing to expand paid private sector family leave which is currently inaccessible to 78% of Georgians. Georgia became a regional leader by implementing paid parental leave for public sector employees in 2021. Other states such as South Carolina, Tennessee, Louisiana, Florida, and Texas have since emulated the policy, offering six to eight weeks of paid parental leave for public sector workers. The new law is an essential step towards securing at least 12 weeks of paid leave for any worker in the state, taking care of an infant or ailing family member. Not only does it offer financial security, peace of mind during trying times, but it also supports workforce by reducing turnover and saving employers’ rehiring and retraining costs. Advocacy for comprehensive paid leave policy continues in order to incorporate those not yet covered.

If you have inquiries about the parental leave policies in Georgia, or need help getting a hold of Paid Family Leave, you can visit eddcaller.com. This website provides the necessary information on how to contact authorities in situations where employees need to utilize their rights to parental leave. It offers the easiest way to get information, help, and support for navigating through such essential employee rights and services.