Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson today rescinded two workplace policies hastily established by the previous administration of temporary Mayor Austin Quinn-Davidson: Paid Parental Leave and the Infant at Work Program.
The Paid Parental Leave Policy was announced by former Acting Mayor Austin Quinn-Davidson on June 30, 2021. The policy would award up to 160 hours of non-cashable leave for eligible employees upon either the birth of an employee’s child or a placement of a child with the employee for adoption or foster care.
The policy would significantly expand the existing Municipality leave policy under the Family Medical Leave Act and Alaska Family Leave Act. Since its enactment, no Municipal employee has requested use of the Paid Parental Leave Policy.
“This Paid Parental Leave Policy was announced hastily only hours before the previous administration left office. It came with virtually no data, information, or even a basic understanding for how it would impact the Municipality’s budget or financial outlook,” said Mayor Bronson. “Unfortunately, this change in policy which favored MOA executives and non-represented employees would have led to a massive financial liability that the Municipality could simply not afford.”
The Infants at Work Program was implemented on June 15, 2020 by former Mayor Ethan Berkowitz. The program, which has faced significant criticism since its implementation, would allow municipal employees to bring their infants (up to six-months of age) to municipal premises while at work. A small number of people utilized the program.
“Perhaps well intended, the application of this policy led to all sorts of unforeseen circumstances. After numerous complaints across the Municipality from employees, labor unions, and even janitorial staff, the policy was thoroughly reviewed and ultimately rescinded. As applied, this policy created massive issues while favoring only a few executive level employees,” said Mayor Bronson. “We recognize the need for adequate childcare, but this policy, which was implemented at the height of the previous administration’s stay at home orders, is not the right approach.”
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Will it stand or can Felix override this, too?
Good for you, its irresistible to inact polices without knowing how it’s going to impact the city as a whole. Only the working and home owners would pay for this. Plus we all know when your kids are around you dont grouch done.
Well that’s good start to keeping costs from escalating. Good decision!
If you are caring for an infant, you are not doing your job. Your infant is more important than being an afterthought while you charge the government for work you are unable to do. This policy was ridiculous from the start. If you want to raise your kids full time, then do so. It’s a choice you make based on your own values, not something forced upon taxpayers because you don’t want to choose.
That “Infants at Work” policy explains a lot about our municipal assembly.
? +++
Good Job Mayor Bronson. Let’s work on replacing these socialists with some intelligent Alaskans who can get this city moving forward.Our small businesses need you. We all need you.
We just love Mayor Bronson.???
I do think that “child at work” idea is a good idea for some exceptional parents and child who can tail their parent around. There are occupations a parent could do while their child could remain safe and kept out of trouble if the two had a good relationship.
You know some managers are lucky they work somewhere where their word carry a little weight to allow their 9-13 year old comes to work and hangs out, knowing to respect the environment, even jumping in a helping. I remember a former workplace I had a supervisor and her 9 year old daughter used to visit. She even worked drive-thru, front counter, and running the food. She liked being there.
Since the public schools are nuts and more parents turning to homeschool, employers may need to make some accommodations.
So much for being family oriented.
You have short memory. This current Assembly passed non-family oriented items that wouldn’t have supported healthy families.
Bronson is the common sense leader as he espoused. Thank you Sir for you service, past and present
“That “Infants at Work” policy explains a lot about our municipal assembly.”
Now that right there is FUNNY! True and indeed, sad, but funny nonetheless!
Not sure how a policy implemented in July, 2020 is the 11th Hour, but it makes for a good headline
Right on! Time to get the muni employees back in line with real life employment in the private sector. Bronson is going to help the taxpayers in the long run. The assembly just heaped ever growing bureaucracy, with it’s associated expenses, and the municipal property owner, with no regard for the financially crippling affect it has on that group of citizens.
Lose-Lose for Bronson on this one. Employees will just not come back & stay home with the kids while collecting money on unemployment & benefits from the gubment. Hire new employees? Sure, but who the hell wants to? Pay is crap (who is going to be able to afford daycare?), benefits are dwindling. No self respecting professional is going to seek out a Muni job.
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Win Win for Mayor Bronson.
Extension of monetary benefits to employees by Executive FIAT always has ? Associated with it.
My daughter allows her employees infants at her OB clinic. Babies kinda fit in that environment, sets a positive tone for expecting Mothers.
That said, when on the public payroll, with the exception of kids go to work with parents day, kids should not be in the public work place especially infants. There is no way an employee can give 100% with your kid in the crib next to your desk. Not to mention the many public jobs that there is no way you can have your kid with you while you work. So really kids at work is limited to a select few public employees that are sheltered from direct public interaction.
Last I heard working for the Muni was a good job. Pay,Leave time, Health and Medical, job security, all good stuff if you are in it for the long term.
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