Union negotiators presented extensive revisions to the contract’s leave articles aimed at supporting caregivers through prenatal care, the postpartum ‘‘fourth trimester’’ and the child’s first year of life.

The proposal would add six non‑accumulating prenatal care days for employees who notify the district they are pregnant or receiving fertility care; expand post‑birth paid time using accumulated sick days (association sought up to 60 accumulated sick days for birth‑giving employees within the first 12 weeks); increase non‑birth partner paid days from 15 to 30 days per year; and give returned employees up to 365 days of automatic access to sick‑bank days for child‑related medical needs without routine medical documentation.

Why it matters: negotiators framed the changes as retention and equity measures. The association cited national studies showing reduced turnover where employers provide at least 12 weeks of parental leave and argued that current leave practices force members to exhaust sick days for prenatal care and newborn appointments. District representatives said the proposal could create substantial additional budgetary liability and asked the union to provide actuarial estimates and usage data before the district could agree.

Supporting detail: presenters described practical barriers — limited clinic hours in Ithaca, frequent travel for fertility or specialty care (e.g., Syracuse, Rochester), and members who depleted sick time during fertility treatments and surgery recovery. The union proposed increasing sick‑bank donations at retirement and adjusting language to clarify short‑term versus extended leave procedures.

Next steps: the district asked for numerical estimates of cost and reserve impacts and said it would consult its budget and human resources staff. The parties agreed to continue the discussion at the next session.