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Wasatch County Schools outlines changes under new state parental‑leave law
Summary
District staff told the board the state law taking effect July 1 provides paid postpartum and childcare weeks for birthing and nonbirthing employees and will be folded into local FMLA practice; staff recommended adopting the statute-aligned policy promptly so employees know the rules before summer.
Sean Kelly, the presenter on the personnel item, told the Wasatch County School Board the state legislature has enacted a new parental‑leave law that takes effect July 1 and that the district is preparing a policy to match it.
"So a female can get 6 weeks of paid, a male can get 3," Kelly said, summarizing the district's reading of the statute: a birthing employee receives three weeks of paid postpartum leave during the school year plus three weeks of paid childcare leave that must be taken consecutively; nonbirthing partners are eligible for three weeks of childcare leave to be used within six months of birth. Kelly said the district will combine the new provisions with its FMLA framework.
Board members asked for clarifications about how the new law interacts with the district's existing FMLA and sick‑leave accrual. Kelly said the old FMLA framework (previously described at 12 weeks of unpaid leave) is affected under the change, and that employees could use accrued sick leave to convert unpaid time to paid time when eligible. A board member noted teachers accrue 10 sick days per year and that the district caps accrual at 130 days.
Board member Speaker 1 praised the change as a boost to teachers who previously returned to work early because of financial pressure. Kelly recommended the board adopt the statute‑aligned policy as soon as practicable — noting the district has limited local discretion because the language largely mirrors the state law — so employees have guidance before summer.
No formal vote was recorded in the provided transcript excerpt; the presenter characterized the item as suitable for the consent agenda or for immediate adoption because it implements a state statute.
