Detroit council hears HR uptake on paid parental leave; member moves childcare program to executive session

Human Resources staff told Detroit City Council on March 21 that 331 employees have used the city's six-week paid parental leave program since it launched. Ursula Taylor, deputy HR director, gave the participation number when Council member Angela Whitfield Calloway asked how the policy has worked.

"We've had over 331 employees that took advantage of the program," Taylor said.

Why it matters: Council members framed the paid-leave program as a retention and family-support measure; Calloway pushed to explore a related state program that would reduce child-care costs for eligible workers.

Discussion and action: - My Tribe Share: Calloway described Michigan's My Tribe Share (state name as cited in the hearing), a voluntary cost-sharing childcare program in which the state pays roughly one-third of a participating employee's childcare cost, the employer pays one-third and the family pays one-third. She moved to place discussion of adopting the program for city employees into executive session so HR and council offices could calculate costs and participation forecasts. "So I'm going to make a motion to put the My Tribe Share...into executive session," Calloway said. Clerk recorded no objections; the motion passed. - HR response: Kimberly Hall Wagner and other HR staff said the department will data-mine employee demographics and use predictive analytics to estimate who would qualify and what the employer cost might be. HR told councilmembers it will partner with members' offices on next steps and aims to evaluate feasibility for the next fiscal year.

Other related items raised during Q&A: - Unionization guidance: When a council member asked whether HR could help employees interested in unionizing, HR staff said the Public Employment Relations Act governs public-sector unionization in Michigan. HR advised employees to contact the Michigan Employment Relations Commission for information about forming a bargaining unit; HR said employers do not lead that organizing process. - Discrimination complaints: Council member Gabriela Santiago Romero asked about how the city handles discrimination complaints by residents and tenants. HR staff said employee-related complaints are handled within HR and that complaints from tenants and members of the public are typically handled by CREO (the city's Civil Rights/Equity office as referenced in testimony); council members said they want clearer ordinance-level procedures.

Ending: Council members asked HR to provide follow-up analysis on My Tribe Share eligibility and estimated costs; the matter will be discussed in the executive session approved by council.