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Cincinnati Exploring Paid Parental Leave

Just a week after Dayton announced it will offer paid parental leave to city employees, Cincinnati may be doing the same.

Mayor John Cranley is introducing a proposal that would allow employees to take up to six weeks of paid sick time following a birth or adoption.

"We came up with the idea that you can borrow against your future sick time that you would accrue and use it now, because you need it now and you may not need it in year 20," says Cranley. "Then you have to pay it back by not accruing as fast as you would otherwise. The way we've set this up is that you can borrow against your future sick time, and then if you leave before you would have earned it all back, you have to pay the city back, which seems fair."

A council committee will review the proposal Sept. 14.

Vice Mayor David Mann says "This is a way for the city to say 'we understand.' And it's important from the beginning and as an employer we're very proud to make parental leave available to mother and to father."

Council member Amy Murray is also backing the proposal.

The program has the same roots as the one announced last week in Dayton. Both cities are working with Innovation Ohio, a liberal think tank.

At least two city council members, Chris Seelbach and Yvette Simpson, both back some kind of paid parental leave program. The two submitted a motion to Council asking the administration to prepare a feasibility report on the issue.

Jay Hanselman brings more than 10 years experience as a news anchor and reporter to 91.7 WVXU. He came to WVXU from WNKU, where he hosted the local broadcast of All Things Considered. Hanselman has been recognized for his reporting by the Kentucky AP Broadcasters Association, the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists, and the Ohio AP Broadcasters.
Senior Editor and reporter at WVXU with more than 20 years experience in public radio; formerly news and public affairs producer with WMUB. Would really like to meet your dog.