Alabama to Offer Paid Parental Leave to State Employees

For teachers and state workers who give so much of their lives to caring for others, the ability to care for their own families is long overdue. In an exciting new move, Alabama has passed legislation offering paid parental leave to all public educators and state employees.

The new law grants women who give birth, experience a stillbirth or have a miscarriage after 12 weeks of pregnancy up to eight weeks of paid leave. Fathers are also entitled to two weeks of paid leave under the same circumstances. Adoptive parents welcoming a child under 3 years old will also be eligible for up to eight weeks of paid leave.

“Alabama teachers and state workers will be able to have paid parental leave beginning July 1,” Governor Kay Ivey shared on X (formerly Twitter), signaling her support for the measure. The law will apply to nearly 29,000 state employees, 57,000 public school staff, and more than 50,000 public university employees.

Previously, many educators relied on just two weeks of “catastrophic” sick leave—originally intended for serious, unexpected illness—when welcoming a child. “Having a baby is a normal function. The catastrophic leave is for that, catastrophic and unusual circumstances,” said Rep. Ginny Shaver, co-sponsor of the bill, in an interview with The Alabama Reflector.

Outside of catastrophic leave, educators had few options. Teachers typically accrue one sick day per month of employment. Some opponents of the bill, including Rep. Jim Carns, argued that workers could save up to 30 days over three years if they didn’t take any sick leave. But supporters noted that those days are often needed for actual illness—especially during the early months of parenting. And as Shaver pointed out, “It takes more than 10 days to recover from having a baby.”

The new legislation will not affect employees in the private sector. Alabama joins eight other states that allow private-sector employers to purchase paid leave plans through private insurers but do not require them by law. Currently, only 13 states offer paid family and medical leave for all employees public and private through state-funded programs supported by payroll taxes.

Beyond the politics, studies show paid family and medical leave has a real impact on babies and their families. Research from Tulane University found that three months of federally mandated paid leave could save the lives of nearly 1,000 babies each year, not to mention the positive effects it has on breastfeeding and balancing family roles.

Want to learn more? Explore your state’s family leave policies and how to prepare for maternity leave.