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South Bend mayor seeks paid parental leave for city workers

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) – South Bend’s mayor wants the northern Indiana city to begin offering paid parental leave to city workers after they have a baby or adopt a child.

Mayor Pete Buttigieg said Thursday that paid parental leave is “the right thing to do” and is “pro-family” by supporting parents.

He says that if South Bend’s Common Council approves the paid leave option that’s part of his proposed city budget it should motivate local businesses to do the same.

The mayor noted both now-President Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton supported paid parental leave during the 2016 presidential election. He says the U.S. is the only wealthy, industrialized nation that doesn’t mandate paid parental leave.

The South Bend Tribune reports Buttigieg’s proposed $300 million city budget would earmark $156,000 for paid parental leave.