Gov. Landry reauthorizes paid parental leave for state employees under his administration • Louisiana Illuminator

Behind the scenes, Gov. Jeff Landry signed a new executive order Monday that continues paid parental leave for thousands of government workers. after expressing scepticism about the policy last year.

Landry’s predecessor, Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards, was the first to authorize paid parental leave for nearly 69,000 state workers when he left office last November. The benefit went into effect Jan. 1, about a week before Landry took office, and the current Republican governor had previously questioned whether the state could afford the policy.

“As governors, we can have aspirations, but it’s up to the Legislature to find the money to fund them,” Landry said at a news conference last November.

The governor did not, however, move to rescind or modify Edwards’ parental benefit approvals.

Landry had to issue an executive order by the end of this week to maintain paid parental leave for 30,000 unclassified state employees working for the executive branch. Otherwise, they would lose the benefit when Edwards’ order expired Saturday.

The governor’s office has not commented on why he maintained the policy. But Landry may not have felt comfortable taking away benefits from unclassified workers when 39,000 executive branch employees in the classified civil service system would still have access to them.

At Edwards’ request, the Louisiana State Civil Service Commission voted last year to extend the same paid parental leave policy it ultimately granted to unclassified workers to the classified cohort. Only the commission, which Landry does not yet oversee, can overturn it.

Six of the seven civil service commissioners are chosen by the governor from slates submitted by six presidents of Louisiana’s private colleges, but none of the commissioners appointed by Edwards have served their terms. Landry’s appointees will not make up a majority of the board until the end of 2028, and that’s only if he is reelected to a second term as governor.

Classified employees typically have lower-paying government jobs but enjoy greater protections from disciplinary action, termination and political influence.Unclassified employees work in higher education or are often appointed by the governor and other elected officials. They include heads of state agencies, members of Landry’s Cabinet and members of the governor’s executive staff.

At least 246 state employees took paid parental leave from its introduction in January through June 26, according to the state Civil Service Commission. That number does not include employees of state colleges and universities, who also have access to the benefit.

Under the policy, which Landry continued, employees are entitled to six weeks of paid parental leave following the birth, adoption or foster placement of a child.

They must have worked for the state government for at least a year to qualify for the benefit, and the leave must be taken within three months of becoming a new parent. This applies to all genders.

Currently, public sector workers must use sick or vacation time if they want to take paid parental leave, but the federal government requires states to provide at least 12 weeks of unpaid leave to most working parents.

In addition to paid parental leave, Landry’s executive order expanded the scope of events covered by the state employee confidential sick leave policy.

As of Monday, unclassified employees can use sick days to care for close family members who are sick or injured. Previously, a person could only use sick days if they were injured or sick themselves.

But the new rules on paid parental and sick leave don’t apply to all areas of state government. Employees of state courts and the Louisiana Legislature aren’t eligible under Landry’s executive order or the state’s civil service law. State legislature employees also aren’t guaranteed the 12 weeks of unpaid parental leave under federal law that other employees are.