Indiana lawmakers move to mandate paid parental leave for teachers

By Kirsten Adair, IPB News | Published on in Business, Education, Family Issues, Government
A tiny baby hand picks up a small green plastic bear from a pile of green, yellow, red and blue bears. A larger hand in the background points to a mat with appropriately-sized circles labeled small and medium.
Full-time teachers could have at least 20 days of paid parental leave under a bill that advanced to the full House Wednesday. (Barnaby Wasson/Flickr)

Indiana teachers could receive paid parental leave in a measure advanced by House lawmakers Wednesday. Schools are not currently required to provide parental leave, but an amendment to SB 146 would change that.

Under the measure, full-time teachers who have worked for a school corporation for more than six months would be entitled to at least 20 days of paid leave after they or their spouse give birth, adopt or experience a stillbirth. Part-time teachers would receive at least 10 days.

Teachers would have six months from the date of the birth, adoption or stillbirth to take their leave.

READ MORE: Lawmakers talk raising teacher pay against backdrop of property tax debate, charter sharing

The bill says school corporations must pay teachers their regular rate during parental leave. That leave would be separate from sick days, personal days and vacation days, but could run concurrently with Family Medical Leave time.

The provision was added to a bill that would raise base teacher pay to $45,000 across the state.

The bill passed committee unanimously and will advance to the full House.

Kirsten is our education reporter. Contact her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter at @kirsten_adair.

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