Fairfax Co. schools staff eligible for maternity, paternity leave benefits starting this summer

Fairfax County Public Schools teachers and staff will be eligible to get maternity or paternity leave starting July 1.

School Board Member Melanie Meren said Virginia’s largest school district is expected to learn more details about the county’s program this summer. Information on human resources-related matters is usually shared in July, she said.

As part of fiscal 2025 budget conversations, school district leaders highlighted that starting teachers’ salaries in the county rank in the bottom half of the region when compared with surrounding jurisdictions.

The maternity and paternity leave, Meren said, gives the district an added recruitment advantage.

“We look a lot at the salary number,” Meren said. “But we also have a lot of robust benefits that really make up that whole compensation package, and now this will be one of them.”

Currently, teachers and staff can use some combination of accumulated leave, short-term disability and family medical leave during or after a pregnancy, according to school district documents.

Short-term disability covers injuries lasting more than 20 “continuous” work days, and staff can take a leave of absence that covers extended, unpaid leave.

Family medical leave, according to the documents, offers 12 weeks of “unpaid leave for incapacity due to pregnancy, prenatal medical care or for childbirth; or caring for newborn or newly adopted or foster child(ren).”

Maternity and paternity leave is a benefit “that other industrialized nations know is essential because people have families, and we should support that,” Meren said.

“I’m just thrilled it’s not only maternity leave, but paternity leave, because we know that time matters so much for parents with their children,” she said.

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