HB309 Summary

• Establishes the Alabama State Employee Family First Paid Parental Leave Act, providing up to eight weeks of paid parental leave for eligible state employees following birth of a child or placement of a child age three or younger for adoption.

• Eligible state employees must be full-time employees who have worked for a covered state entity for at least 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the qualifying event.

• Parental leave is paid at 100 percent of the employee's base pay, does not require use of other leave, continues health care benefits at employer expense, and does not have cash value or count toward retirement benefits.

• For employees working at the same state agency, parents are limited to a combined eight weeks total per qualifying event, unless the child or mother has a serious health condition, in which case each parent receives eight weeks.

• State Personnel Department must adopt implementing rules and provide annual reports to the Legislature beginning October 1, 2025, regarding parental leave implementation and usage.