The comptroller in Erie County, New York is examining family leave policies for county employees who have children or adopt.
The importance of having time to bond with a new child (whether through birth or adoption) is well understood. However, financial realities/responsibilities can prevent many new parents from taking any time off to be home with their child (or feel forced to lessen the amount of time they can spend with their child). This issue of taking (or not taking) leave often turns into a real conundrum from many new parents – and one that causes them to feel both sad and stressed.
Having that said, there are some “bright spots” as it relates to businesses and/or organizations that are taking a hard look at family leave policies and gauging how truly “family friendly” they are (or are not). One recent example came last week, when Erie County Comptroller Stefan Mychajliw indicated his office was creating a commission to examine the county’s current family leave policies to determine their effectiveness and fairness.
For more in-depth information about what the county is proposing to do, here’s a link to a press release put out by the Comptroller’s office:
Comptroller Mychajliw Announces Audit of Erie County Family Leave Policies