By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw
WARSAW — Indiana Governor Mike Braun signed an executive order on Monday that expands paid parental leave for state employees.
The order provides six weeks of paid childbirth recovery leave for women who give birth and up to eight weeks for those who deliver via C-section.
It also includes paid leave for those who lose a baby in utero at 20 weeks or beyond.
State employees can receive up to 150 hours of paid parental leave following the birth or adoption of a child, regardless of their length of employment.
Braun says the goal is to support strong families and improve the health and development of newborns by providing more time for parents to care for them.
“If you’re practicing what you’re preaching about making it a good place to move back to, raise a family, start a business, this is the way you get started on that and maybe it happens more broadly,” Braun said.
The new order takes effect immediately.
“Previously, many new mothers had to cobble together time off to recover from the physical toll of childbirth by combining maternity leave with six sick days, (paid time off) and reduced salary while on medical leave,” Braun said.
Democrat State Rep. Maureen Bauer applauded the move, calling it a “significant step forward.”
“I wasn’t expecting this news today so I was pleased to hear about it,” Bauer told News Now Warsaw Monday.
Bauer had previously authored legislation establishing paid time off for state employees after childbirth.
She thinks more can still be done.
“Well, of course, it should apply to all employees, not just state employees,” Bauer said. “If this is important for state employees, it’s important for all Hoosier and working families.”
That, she said, would require action by the legislature.
Editor’s note: Network Indiana and Indiana Capital Chronicle contributed to this report.
