Fairfax County Public Schools teachers and staff will be eligible to get maternity or paternity leave starting July 1.
School Board Member Melanie Meren said Virginia鈥檚 largest school district is expected to learn more details about the county鈥檚 program this summer. Information on human resources-related matters is usually shared in July, she said.
As part of fiscal 2025 budget conversations, school district leaders highlighted that starting teachers鈥� salaries in the county rank in the bottom half of the region when compared with surrounding jurisdictions.
The maternity and paternity leave, Meren said, gives the district an added recruitment advantage.
鈥淲e look a lot at the salary number,鈥� Meren said. 鈥淏ut we also have a lot of robust benefits that really make up that whole compensation package, and now this will be one of them.鈥�
Currently, teachers and staff can use some combination of accumulated leave, short-term disability and family medical leave during or after a pregnancy, .
Short-term disability covers injuries lasting more than 20 鈥渃ontinuous鈥� work days, and staff can take a leave of absence that covers extended, unpaid leave.
Family medical leave, according to the documents, offers 12 weeks of 鈥渦npaid leave for incapacity due to pregnancy, prenatal medical care or for childbirth; or caring for newborn or newly adopted or foster child(ren).鈥�
Maternity and paternity leave is a benefit 鈥渢hat other industrialized nations know is essential because people have families, and we should support that,鈥� Meren said.
鈥淚’m just thrilled it’s not only maternity leave, but paternity leave, because we know that time matters so much for parents with their children,鈥� she said.
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