The King County Council voted this month to give 12 weeks of parental leave to certain county employees starting next year, marking a bold new step for county operations.

The council approved legislation to create a program which will run concurrently with unpaid federal and state family and medical leave.Councilmember Rod Dembowski, who sponsored the legislation, said it was overdue.

“It is past time that the United States join the ranks of every single other developed nation in the world, and ensure that new moms and dads have an opportunity to bond with their child without sacrificing the very wages needed to support a family,” he said. “Paid parental leave is not only the right thing to do for parents and kids, but as the private sector has demonstrated, it’s also fiscally responsible as it aids in recruitment and retention of valuable employees. As one of the top ten employers in the State of Washington, King County has an obligation to lead and be a model employer.”

Council Vice Chair Jane Hague agreed, and said the move was a significant one.

“This is a landmark action for King County,” she said. “Parents should not have to choose between family and work.”

The legislation came out of a motion this past spring, when Demboski, Hague and Councilmember Larry Gossett said it was a county policy to move for paid parental leave.

The passed legislation is a one-year pilot program for employees not represented by unions and those whose unions have agreed to the terms of the program.

Eligible employees must welcome the birth of a child, the adoption of a child or the foster-to-adopt placement of a child to be eligible for the 12 paid weeks. During those weeks, the employee will receive regular pay.

The duration will be 12 weeks when combined with all but one week of accrued vacation time and all but one week of accrued sick leave.