Facing a Jan. 1 deadline to opt out or be absorbed into the state’s new Paid Leave for All Workers initiative, Oak Park’s village board chose last week to stick with its own paid leave policy.
It was the right decision as its plan is already more generous in time allowed for paid leave than the new state effort. Additionally, Oak Park village government’s overall paid leave policy includes reasonable safeguards to assure that all necessary government functions, especially public safety, are covered adequately at all times.
It was an interesting tutorial for trustees, as Kira Tchang, the veteran HR director, walked through the combination of compensation and leave policies already in place. Yes, it is enough to make those of us working outside government to question our career choices for a moment. Generous pensions and leave policies are an offset to the not always large salaries in government.
Good for village leaders to continue the more generous leave policy. And good for state legislators and the governor to finally institute a statewide paid leave policy.