PITTSBURGH — Allegheny County Council voted to approve a policy that will mandate paid parental leave within the community.
The vote passed 11-4 on Tuesday.
Community leaders and organizations have been sharing responses to the decision since it passed.
View the list of statements shared with Channel 11 below and check back in as more are added.
RELATED COVERAGE >>> Allegheny County Council approves policy mandating paid parental leave
Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato
“I want to thank County Council for taking a bold step tonight and putting the health of Allegheny County’s families first. By passing the first county-level Paid Parental Leave policy in the country, we’re showing that we’re serious about protecting workers and their families at one of the most economically and medically vulnerable times in their lives. Together, we can make Allegheny County the best place to raise a family and grow our economy by embracing policies like this one that deliver shared prosperity and better health for all. Thank you to Council Members Hallam, Rose, Madonna-Emmerling, Geiger Shulman, Gryzbek, Palmiere, Walton, Klein, Palmosina, Botta and Council President Naccarati-Chapkis for voting for Paid Parental Leave tonight.”
Pittsburgh Regional Alliance
“The Pittsburgh Regional Alliance strongly supports pro-family workplace policies and believes that supporting parents and growing families is essential to building a healthy, vibrant workforce across Southwestern Pennsylvania. Meaningful workplace benefits, however, must be structured thoughtfully, sustainably, and fairly.
“We committed to county leadership that we would join them in collaborating on developing comprehensive, balanced statewide policy solutions that support working families without undermining the economic competitiveness and vitality of our communities. This parental leave policy falls short of that goal and will hurt our region’s competitiveness. Across the country, successful paid leave programs are established through state-managed frameworks that pool resources and share the funding responsibilities. This county regulation places the entire financial and administrative burden squarely on individual employers.
“By imposing an unshared mandate solely on employers operating within Allegheny County, this measure creates an anti-competitive environment that places our employers at a distinct disadvantage compared to neighboring counties and regional peers. At a moment of critical economic opportunity for Southwestern Pennsylvania, placing additional operational strain and cost burdens on regional employers—particularly small and mid-sized businesses—weakens our region’s ability to attract investments, retain talent, and grow jobs.”
Executive Director of Pennsylvania United Alex Wallach Hanson
“This is an historic moment. Generations of children will start their lives on strong footing. Countless parents will get the time they need to recover from childbirth, bond with their newest family member, and improve physical and mental health outcomes.
“I want to thank County Executive Innamorato for her leadership on this issue, as well as members of the County Council, for answering the call of an unprecedented coalition of community members, organizers, advocates, labor leaders, public health partners, and union nurses standing up for working parents in Allegheny County.”
Executive Vice President of SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania Silas Russell
“This victory is a shining example of what we can accomplish when labor, community, and elected leaders come together for the common good. At a time when our politics are increasingly defined by gridlock, partisan disputes, and lowered expectations, Allegheny County has forged a different path. Common-sense solutions to our shared problems are possible, and we’ve laid out a blueprint for counties across the Commonwealth or our leaders in Harrisburg to pick up the mantle.”
Pennsylvania Homecare Association CEO Mia Haney
“We support the goal of expanding paid parental leave, and we appreciate what Allegheny County is trying to do for working families. But unlike most employers, Medicaid-funded home care agencies cannot simply raise their prices to cover new costs. Government sets our reimbursement rates, and Pennsylvania’s rates are already the lowest in the region, with Allegheny County’s rate set as the lowest in Pennsylvania. Home care providers would love to provide paid parental leave to their employees, but they simply can’t afford to until Harrisburg finally addresses the home care workforce crisis caused by unacceptably low reimbursement rates.”
Pennsylvania Senate Candidate Thomas West
“If Pennsylvania is going to adopt paid parental leave, it should happen through the legislative process and apply statewide—not through an unelected county agency imposing a mandate on employers.
“This proposal raises serious questions about whether the Allegheny County Health Department even has the authority to create this kind of sweeping employment mandate.
“This mandate impacts not only small businesses, taxpayers will also bear the costs, as would nonprofits and organizations like EMS and volunteer emergency services that rely on donations and fundraising.
“County officials simply don’t want to wait for Harrisburg to debate this issue, so they’re trying to force it through at the county level. That is irresponsible at the very least
“A statewide legislative solution would ensure every Pennsylvanian is treated fairly while allowing elected representatives—not a county bureaucracy—to weigh the costs, funding mechanisms, and long-term impacts,” West said. “Rushing through a poorly planned mandate without those answers is the wrong approach.”
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