The Alabama State Employee Family First Paid Parental Leave Act amends Section 36-26-35.2 of the Code of Alabama 1975 and introduces Chapter 26B, which establishes provisions for paid parental leave for state employees following the birth or adoption of a child. The bill allows eligible state employees to take up to eight weeks of paid parental leave, which can be used intermittently or on a reduced schedule within 365 days of the qualifying event. It also specifies that if both parents work for the same state agency, they are limited to a combined total of eight weeks of leave unless certain health conditions are met. The act mandates that the State of Alabama Personnel Department create rules for implementation and requires annual reporting on the use of parental leave.

In addition to the new provisions, the bill deletes references to "family leave" from existing law and clarifies the definition of "parental leave" to include leave for the birth of a child or the adoption of a child under three years of age. The act ensures that employees on parental leave will maintain their health care benefits and will be restored to their original or equivalent positions upon returning to work. The paid parental leave will be compensated at 100% of the employee's base pay and will not require the use of other leave types. The act is set to take effect immediately upon passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 36-26B-1, 36-26B-1
Engrossed: 36-26B-1, 36-26-35