The Lexington City School Board is reviewing a proposal to offer paid parental leave to qualifying employees, a move superintendent Rebecca Walters says would promote staff well-being, aid recruitment efforts and bring the division in line with evolving workplace standards.
The policy, which is expected to be up for formal consideration during the Board’s June meeting, would provide 100 percent salary coverage during a designated leave period for new parents. Employees would be eligible for the benefit if they have worked for the division for at least 12 months and have not already used up their FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) time in that period.
“This is part of our commitment to supporting the health and stability of our employees,” Walters told the board. “We want Lexington to be a place where people want to work – and where they feel cared for when major life events happen.”
The proposed benefit includes up to 12 weeks of paid leave for birth parents (six weeks for recovery, six weeks for bonding and newborn care); and up to six weeks of bonding leave for non-birth parents. There will also be leave options for adoptive and foster parents, and additional provisions for employees experiencing premature births.
The leave must be taken as a continuous block, not intermittently, due to the challenge of staffing consistency in schools. Walters said this distinction reflects the reality of school operations, where long-term substitutes are often needed to ensure educational continuity.
Employees would be allowed to use the benefit only once within a 12-month period, regardless of the number of children involved. The policy also encourages staff to submit leave notices at least 60 days in advance, whenever possible, to allow time for planning and coverage.
If approved in June, Lexington would join a small but growing number of Virginia school divisions offering a formal paid parental leave policy. While many public employers still rely solely on unpaid FMLA protections, advocates of the proposal say paid leave helps retain talented staff and reflects changing expectations in education workplaces.
“This is about more than just benefits,” Walters said. “It’s about being the kind of employer we want to be.”
