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Belton council asks staff to study paid family leave after staff survey of regional programs
Summary
Staff presented regional examples of paid maternity/paternity and family leave; council directed staff to return with researched options, cost estimates and policy choices for Belton employees.
Staff asked whether council wanted the city to consider a paid maternity/paternity or family leave benefit and presented examples from nearby jurisdictions: Riverside, Lawrence and Kansas City, Missouri (12 weeks paid in staff examples), Olathe (8 weeks), Lenexa/Overland Park/Mission/Emporia (6 weeks), El Dorado (4 weeks). Staff noted the city currently allows employees to use accrued vacation and sick leave and has a shared sick leave pool; fire has a similar internal arrangement.
Councilmembers framed the potential benefit as a modest recruitment and retention tool and argued a family‑leave benefit could be broader than childbirth (caregiver leaves). Several members supported staff returning with a formal recommendation, policy options (e.g., 6, 8 or 12 weeks), and cost estimates; staff took the direction and said it would bring comparative numbers and draft policy language to a future meeting.
Ending: Staff was directed to compile comparative data, present likely fiscal impacts and draft policy options for council review; no change to personnel policy was adopted at the workshop.
