Gov. Bill Lee announced yesterday that Tennessee will provide paid family leave for state employees. The Governor signed an Executive Order directing the Tennessee Department of Human Resources to issue the new policy effective March 1.
While 69% of full-time working Americans believe that receiving paid parental leave is important when looking for a job, only 17% of employees across the U.S. have access to it. One additional month of paid family leave is associated with a 13% drop in infant mortality.
This new policy confirms Tennessee state government’s position as a pro-family employer while also improving its ability to effectively serve taxpayers by reducing turnover rates for high performing employees and reducing long-term state health care costs.