Seattle now offers paid family leave so that employees may mourn their children

A new policy from the Seattle Mayor’s office would expand the city’s paid family care leave program to include the death of a child.

The change was brought about after the infant of city employee died shortly after birth.

Parents Rachel and Erin Alder tried to prepare themselves for their daughter Beatrice’s passing, but Rachel says, it was still so difficult.

“Once she did pass and we found out that I got paid parental leave for the two days she was alive because of how the policy was written and one paid bereavement day," Rachel Alder said. "It just added so much to our situation."

The amendment to the city’s paid family care leave policy would cover families with children or dependents under age 18 who pass away.

Adrienne Thompson is the Mayor Jenny Durkan's senior labor policy adviser. “There’s a lot of opportunity as an employer to do the right thing, even in the most tragic situations. And we believe it’s a way to help our employees,” Thompson said.

Erin Alder said she was grateful for the support of coworkers while the family grieved, but she knows not everyone is in the same situation.

“Not everybody has that,” Erin Alder said. “What really hits me is to think about all of the families this is going to help.”

This new policy Alder says, named in memory of their daughter Beatrice, will provide relief to other families.

City employees were notified of the change Wednesday.

The policy will go to the City Council this week for approval.