Legislature approves paid parental leave for Georgia teachers, state workers
ATLANTA - Georgia teachers and state employees will soon be able to take up to three weeks of paid parental leave.
Monday, the Georgia House of Representatives gave final passage to a bill creating the new state policy.
State employees will be eligible to take up to 120 hours of paid time after the birth of a child, adoption of a child, or placement of a foster child.
Employees must have worked for the state or their school district for at least six months to be eligible.
Currently, nearly 250,000 Georgia state employees are eligible for 12 weeks of unpaid leave as required by federal law.
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Republican House Speaker David Ralston has made the measure one of his priorities. A similar bill nearly passed last year but failed on the last day of the session in the Senate.
The bill now heads to Gov. Brian Kemp's desk for his signature.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.