Most employers in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, that have 15 or more full- and part-time employees must soon provide 12 weeks of employer-funded, job-protected, paid parental leave for use during the 12-month period following a birth, adoption, permanent placement, or stillbirth.
Allegheny County Council approved the bill to provide paid parental leave benefits on Oct. 20, 2026. County Executive Sara Innamorato signed it into law on Oct. 22, 2026. This law amends Allegheny County’s paid sick leave regulation (Article XXIV).
Key Provisions
Eligibility
Employees become eligible for paid parental leave after 180 continuous days of employment (part-time employees must be employed for 180 days and need to have worked 625 hours during that time). Temporary and seasonal employees are not eligible for paid parental leave. Spouses or partners employed by the same employer may both be eligible for leave benefits even when the leave runs concurrently. Leave also runs concurrently with FMLA.
Pay
Eligible employees are entitled to 12 weeks of paid parental leave per claim at their base rate of pay with benefits continued, with the paid benefit being capped at $4,200 weekly. The amount of leave and paid benefit for eligible part-time employees is calculated based on an employee’s average weekly hours worked in the prior six months.
Process
When requesting leave, eligible employees must submit a written claim, supporting documentation, and a leave schedule to their employer. When the need for leave is foreseeable, employees must provide written notice 30 days in advance. Once a request is made, employers must determine eligibility, in writing, within 10 business days. Employees may file a complaint with Allegheny County to review an unanswered claim or challenge a denial of eligibility. The county must provide a response within three business days.
Employers must also give written notice of this law’s requirements at hire, as well as annually, and keep leave records for two years. Employers may meet their legal obligations under this law through use of other paid-time-off plans.
Protections
Eligible employees are entitled to the same or an equivalent job upon return from leave. Retaliation, considering leave taken as an absence, and any waiver of rights provided by this law are prohibited.
What Happens Next
The law will take effect 180 days after passage. Employers must then implement all legal requirements within 180 days after the law’s effective date, i.e., Oct. 18, 2027. Violators face fines of up to $100 daily per violation, and employee lawsuits for violations can result in payment of attorney’s fees. Additionally, beginning in April 2028, and annually thereafter, employers will have to file a certification stating that they complied with the law’s requirements in the previous year.
How FBT Gibbons Can Help
We expect that there will be changes to the new law before its effective date. However, employers should begin preparing for the implementation of this law by assessing staffing needs and evaluating existing leave policies. Please contact the authors or any member of our Labor and Employment practice group if you have questions about how this new law may affect your business. Our team can assess coverage, revise leave policies, prepare notices, and train managers on how to handle parental leave requests.