Public officers and employees; 120 hours of maternal birth leave; provide

Paid birth leave for Georgia public workers

The law gives covered full-time Georgia state and local education employees 120 paid hours to recover after giving birth. Employees must have six continuous months with their employer. Hourly employees must also have worked at least 700 hours in the six months before the requested leave date. Leave must fall within the three weeks immediately after birth and come before paid parental leave. The benefit applies regardless of federal paid or unpaid leave. Unused hours have no cash value when employment ends; paid state holidays receive only holiday pay, not extra leave pay. Employers cannot block lawful leave use or attempts to use it, or fire, discriminate against, or retaliate against workers. These protections do not prevent action against workers who provide false or fraudulent documents or information to obtain leave. Employers must set rules covering birth documentation and whether this leave runs at the same time as federal leave. The State Personnel Board sets rules for state departments and agencies. Employers must explain the benefit to eligible workers at hiring and annually afterward. The State Accounting Office must add the leave category to participating employers’ personnel software, websites, and platforms by October 1, 2026.