Arizona's paid parental leave policy a boost for families

The state of Arizona has set a standard for family-friendly workplace policies that is already improving the health and opportunities of nearly 1,500 families. 

In September 2023, Gov. Katie Hobbs announced a pilot paid parental leave program that provides up to 12 weeks of paid leave to eligible employees following the birth of a child or the new placement of a foster or adopted child. Eligible employees no longer need to use their own leave balances or take leave without pay when they add to their families; new parents are eligible for the benefit for a year after birth or placement.  

Nationally, only 27% of private industry workers have access to paid family leave, and only 28% of government workers do. Often, this leave is only available in the first few weeks after a child arrives. More than 1,494 employees have used the pilot paid parental leave benefit in the 13 months it has been available for state of Arizona employees. The average use is nine weeks of paid parental leave, and 97.4% of employees return to work following their leave.

Human Resources Manager Nicole Baker wasn’t able to use paid parental leave when her oldest child was born 13 years ago. She went through the stress of figuring out how much paid and unpaid leave she could use again when her younger son was born in April 2023. But when the pilot program was announced, it retroactively applied to children born on Jan. 1, 2023, or after, so Baker was able to work with her supervisor to take intermittent parental leave and reduce her schedule while she was eligible. 

“I am extremely grateful for this new benefit, and right away I felt very supported to take it,” Baker said. “It was a huge relief for me to be able to have this time off to focus on my son, and the relief brought a positive impact to my entire family.”

Leading a multi-disciplinary HR team that serves dozens of agencies, boards and commissions, Baker recognizes how a lack of family-friendly policies can affect people’s career trajectories. 

“I feel immense gratitude towards the state and Gov. Hobbs for implementing this benefit. As a woman who is focused on growing her career and family, I felt empowered that I could do both when paid parental leave came into effect,” she said. “From an HR perspective I also see this as a huge step in the right direction of supporting women in the workplace to not get left behind when choosing to work versus having a child.”

State Procurement Administrator David Steuber was also able to use the new parental leave benefit since it was announced. Steuber was able to use some accrued time when all three of his children were born, including when he and his wife welcomed their first daughter in January 2023. Steuber subsequently had to use family sick days when she was hospitalized in 2023 at just 1 month old.

“The time was fast, and surely, I missed some moments in those first few months, but we made it work,” he said. 

When Gov. Hobbs announced the pilot, it was exciting and welcome news for the Steuber family. After discussing it with his manager and making the necessary arrangements at work, Steuber began a parental leave schedule, taking Fridays off from September to December 2023.  

“I was thrilled to have the opportunity to bond with my daughter and support my wife in our ever-changing daily schedule. For the first time in a while, taking a break from work felt right and the family grew closer,” Steuber said. “I am super appreciative of the state’s support of paid parental leave, which allowed me to create lasting memories with my young family.”

When it was time to return to a full-time schedule, Steuber said he felt more refreshed and motivated than ever. And when an expectant parent on his team notified him of their upcoming family growth, he was happy to share the opportunities afforded him through parental leave and what a difference it made.