DUBLIN, Ga. — Governor Brian Kemp signed a new bill Wednesday that will help some expectant moms and fathers in the Peach State. House Bill 146 provides three weeks of paid parental leave for state employees, including teachers.
Dublin City Schools employees Erica NeSmith and Alexis Brantley say this bill can help moms avoid the challenges they faced.
“I had to use down to my literal last days,” said NeSmith.
“I used all of my vacation time and I had to end up using the time I had with my insurance,” said Brantley.
Brantley's baby is 7 weeks old.
“I think that's wonderful because it could have benefited me, because I wouldn't have to use the time that I have, and I could have just use that for the next term if she gets sick,” she said.
NeSmith had a baby boy six months ago.
“If my son, from the time that I got off of maternity leave, were to get sick and I needed to pick him up from the sitter, I don't even have enough time to leave work to go take my child to the doctor, so I think that it is very, very helpful for new moms and I'm so excited that they did put this into place,” said NeSmith.
Previously, Georgia state employees were eligible for 12 weeks of unpaid leave.
House Bill 146 will affect about 250,000 state workers. It allows paid leave after a child's birth, adoption, or foster placement.
Nesmith says she plans to have another child within the next two years.
“Yeah, that was a big thing for me that if I were to get pregnant again that we were definitely going to track closer to the end of the school year so I would have the summer off and I wouldn't be in that same predicament that I was in,” said NeSmith.
The bill goes into effect July 1. It does not cover private employers.