Tompkins County’s Workforce Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee discussed an updated county diversity, equity and inclusion policy and preliminary research into parental leave options at its meeting Wednesday.

The committee heard that the Tompkins County Legislature voted in July to approve an updated Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policy, and the committee’s chief equity and diversity officer recommended reviewing county policies for consistency with applicable federal executive orders and to ensure equity across county documents. Committee members were also briefed on two parental-leave models under consideration: a county-funded, employer-paid parental leave that would provide full pay and New York State’s Paid Family Leave (PFL) program, which is state-administered, employee-funded and provides up to 12 weeks at about two-thirds pay for qualifying reasons.

Why it matters: the committee advises on workplace equity and its members said aligning county policies and clarifying leave options could affect county employees’ benefits and the county’s role as a local employer.

Details from the meeting: Rachel Graham, Tompkins County’s chief equity and diversity officer (on vacation but summarized for the committee), provided the update that the legislature approved the DEI policy after extensive discussion. Graham (via the committee chair’s summary) recommended that, where federal executive orders affect county policies, the county should review those internal policies for consistency and equity.

On parental leave, committee members reported the research is ongoing. The committee’s summary noted two different approaches under review: a county-funded program modeled after Ulster County’s recent move to offer 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave for county employees, and New York State Paid Family Leave, which is available statewide to covered employees but is funded via employee payroll contributions and is optional for public employers unless they opt in. The committee did not take action to adopt either approach at the meeting; members said the research and survey results from county employees are being compiled for future discussion.

Committee context and next steps: members said the JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion) committee has been researching parental leave and compiling survey responses from county employees; the materials will be circulated to WDIC members and discussed at a future meeting. No formal motion or vote on adopting parental-leave policy occurred at the Aug. 27 meeting.

The discussion also included questions about whether a public employer can opt into state-paid family leave without adopting separate county disability insurance; staff said that question is part of the ongoing research and cannot be answered definitively from the meeting record.

Ending: Members asked staff to continue research and to share the JEDI committee’s written materials and survey findings with WDIC before a substantive vote or recommendation is made.