Johnson extends 12 weeks of parental leave to Chicago Public Schools

Mayor Brandon Johnson on Thursday gave Chicago Public School employees the same 12 weeks of paid parental leave already extended to city employees — without demanding that the $10 million policy be negotiated at the bargaining table.

“This policy makes sense. And it should never be at a negotiating table,” Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates told a City Hall news conference.

“In fact, this should be the norm for every woman who works in any industry — any parent that works in any industry — to nurture their child. But also to have an opportunity to heal their bodies.”

Johnson bristled when asked whether his decision to give away a paid parental leave policy that Mayor Lori Lightfoot demanded be negotiated at the bargaining table means that the CTU for which he served as a paid organizer will get what it wants when negotiations begin on a new teachers contract that expires next year.

“This is not a gift to the CTU. This is a policy for the people of Chicago. If people are looking at this as a gift, then they’re missing the incredible moment that’s happening here,” the mayor said.

“Do you understand how disruptive and problematic it would be if we are negotiating the context of whether someone lives or dies or if they have services? That’s not for negotiation. … We’re not negotiating today,” he said. “We’re talking about a policy that’s gonna make sure that we protect women primarily — and women of color. You’re comparing a negotiation with a policy that is ultimately designed to save peoples’ lives.”

Five months ago, the CTU accused Lightfoot of stepping in to rescind a promise by CPS leaders to give CPS employees the parental leave benefit.

It was a new chapter in the long, bitter battle between Lightfoot and the CTU that included an 11-day strike in 2019 and two job actions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hours after the CTU delivered 3,000 signatures to City Hall demanding parental leave, Lightfoot branded the allegation that she reversed her promise “fundamentally not true.”

“I want this to be a policy of not only the city of Chicago but of sister agencies. But it has to be done through the collective bargaining process,” Lightfoot said that day.

Johnson disagreed, and has ordered the school district’s CEO Pedro Martinez to find a way to implement the policy for all 41,798 CPS employees for the 2023-24 school year.

To match the city policy, the CPS expansion to 12 weeks of paid leave will apply to those “growing their family by birth, adoption or foster care.” In addition, “gestational surrogates” will be eligible for up to eight weeks of paid leave for “recovery purposes.”

To qualify for full pay for 12 weeks of leave, CPS employees must work for the school system at least one year before the parental leave begins and have worked at least 1,250 hours during those 12 months. The federal Family Medical Leave Act has similar eligibility requirements.

Currently, CPS offers employees six weeks of paid leave after the birth, adoption or arrival of a foster child. Martinez said less than 3% of birthing parents take leave, with the “vast majority” taking the full 12 weeks by using accumulated sick days. Also, 1% of nonbirthing parents also take leave ranging from four to 10 weeks, he said.

Finding substitute teachers already has been a challenge for CPS since the pandemic, even though funding for substitutes has been increased substantially, Martinez said. Finding enough substitutes to cover teachers on leave is likely to pose the biggest challenge, he said.

“We think this could add maybe, another potentially $10 million to the budget. I will tell you I think it’s a worthwhile investment because the reality is we lose teachers when they start having children. And that creates other challenges for us,” Martinez said.

“In the short-term, we’ll have some challenges. But it’s things we’re already planning for. … In the long run, we’re gonna be in a better position to recruit teachers by having this benefit that’s a leader — not only here in the state, but in the country. It’s gonna send a message to teachers,” he said.

Davis Gates was a featured speaker at Thursday’s City Hall news conference. In fact, the mayor’s office took pains to put out a revised public schedule that included her name.

That favored-nation status was a marked contrast from the cold shoulder Davis Gates got over the last four years, including when she was stopped at a City Hall elevator by the mayor’s security team and barred from participating in the final round of negotiations that ended the 11-day teachers strike.

“To say that I’m almost speechless by this moment is an understatement,” Davis Gates said.

Davis Gates recalled the “hardship” she went through “to be a mom.” The mother of three said she had to beg her parents for help just to pay her bills.

“This means a lot to me personally and to our union,” she said.