If you own a business in Allegheny County, now is a good time to pull out your employee handbook and take a closer look at your leave policies.

On October 22, 2026, County Executive Sara Innamorato signed legislation establishing paid parental leave requirements and expanding the County’s paid sick leave rules. These changes deserve attention well before implementation begins in 2027.

For business owners, our recommendation is straightforward: use this time to understand your obligations, budget for the benefit, and build a workable process for handling leave requests.

What Does the Law Require?

Employers with at least 15 employees generally must provide eligible employees with up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave. Employees receive their base rate of pay, subject to a maximum benefit of $4,200 per week.

The leave covers qualifying events involving the birth, adoption, or legal permanent placement of a child. It also provides leave following a stillbirth. Leave for birth, adoption, or qualifying placement generally must be used within 12 months of the event.

The employer is responsible for funding the benefit. A qualifying private insurance plan may help meet that obligation, but employers remain responsible for ensuring employees receive the benefits the law requires.

That makes this a budgeting and staffing issue as well as a policy update. We recommend looking at the cost of paid leave alongside the practical question of who will handle an employee’s responsibilities while that person is away.

Who Qualifies?

Employees generally must have been employed for at least 180 days and performed at least 80 hours of work within Allegheny County during a year. Employees working part-time must also have worked at least 625 hours during the applicable employment period.

Businesses with remote employees, multiple locations, or employees who work across county lines should review coverage carefully. Where your business is headquartered does not, by itself, determine whether the requirements apply.

Will Your Existing Leave Policy Be Enough?

Start by comparing your current policy with the new requirements.

County parental leave runs concurrently with qualifying leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act where applicable. The law also includes protections concerning an employee’s return to work and continuation of benefits. An existing FMLA policy or general paid time off policy should therefore be reviewed rather than assumed sufficient.

We recommend reviewing the entire process: how employees request leave, who reviews eligibility, how payroll calculates benefits, and how managers prepare for an employee’s absence and return.

When Do Employers Need to Be Ready?

Implementation is expected in 2027. Published legal analyses describe an initial 180 day period before the amendments take effect, followed by another 180 days for implementation, but differ on the precise dates. We cannot confirm a definitive County implementation deadline from the official materials available for this article.

For planning purposes, we recommend beginning your review now and confirming the deadline as the County provides further guidance.

Smaller Businesses Should Pay Attention, Too

Having fewer than 15 employees does not mean you can disregard the legislation.

The amendments also expand paid sick leave requirements. Eligible employees accrue one hour for every 30 hours worked, with annual accrual amounts of up to 72 hours at employers with at least 15 employees and 48 hours at smaller employers.

Even if the parental leave requirement does not apply to your business, the sick leave changes warrant a review of your policies and payroll settings.

Where Should You Start?

First, determine whether your business and employees are covered. Then compare your current benefits with the new requirements and identify what needs to change.

Bring your payroll provider, benefits adviser, and legal counsel into that review. Assign someone to monitor County guidance, and give managers clear instructions for directing leave requests to the right person.

The goal is to have a process your business can administer consistently and your employees can understand.

Cozza Law Group can help you assess your obligations, review your leave policies, and prepare for implementation. Contact our firm to schedule a consultation.

This article provides general information based on materials reviewed as of November 2, 2026. It is not legal advice. Implementation guidance and legal requirements may change.