FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 20, 2026

The Pittsburgh Regional Alliance issued the following statement on tonight’s vote by the Allegheny County Council approving the Paid Parental Leave regulation. The bill passed by an 11-4 vote of Council.

The Pittsburgh Regional Alliance strongly supports pro-family workplace policies and believes that supporting parents and growing families is essential to building a healthy, vibrant workforce across Southwestern Pennsylvania. Meaningful workplace benefits, however, must be structured thoughtfully, sustainably, and fairly.

We committed to county leadership that we would join them in collaborating on developing comprehensive, balanced statewide policy solutions that support working families without undermining the economic competitiveness and vitality of our communities. This parental leave policy falls short of that goal and will hurt our region’s competitiveness. Across the country, successful paid leave programs are established through state-managed frameworks that pool resources and share the funding responsibilities. This county regulation places the entire financial and administrative burden squarely on individual employers.

By imposing an unshared mandate solely on employers operating within Allegheny County, this measure creates an anti-competitive environment that places our employers at a distinct disadvantage compared to neighboring counties and regional peers. At a moment of critical economic opportunity for Southwestern Pennsylvania, placing additional operational strain and cost burdens on regional employers—particularly small and mid-sized businesses—weakens our region’s ability to attract investments, retain talent, and grow jobs.

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