Paid Parental Leave for City of Pearland Municipal Workers

City of Pearland Municipal Government

Why Pearland Should Act

Pearland is one of the fastest-growing cities in Texas, with a dedicated municipal workforce of 700+ employees making Pearland one of the best places to live. Yet, without a formal paid parental leave policy, city employees must rely on accrued PTO or unpaid FMLA—leaving many families vulnerable during life’s most critical transitions.

Implementing paid parental leave would:

  • Support birthing and adoptive caregivers
  • Support maternal and infant health (Source)
  • Promote gender equity and inclusive family structures
  • Reduce turnover costs and improve employee engagement (Source)
  • Align Pearland with regional best practices
  • On balance, is low cost or potentially a cost saving measure – turn over costs/inefficiencies and healthcare cost reductions

The state of Texas extended paid parental benefits to state government workers in 2023. Cities across Texas—Lake Jackson, Sugarland, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, and more—have embraced similar policies with positive results including improved retention, better morale, and a stronger municipal workforce.

This is just good policy and one that has had bi-partisan support across the state. Pearland should adopt the same policy, confident in both heart and data to back it up.

This petition serves as a clear and unified expression of community support for establishing Paid Parental Leave for municipal employees in the City of Pearland. Our goal is to encourage city leadership to take meaningful action that reflects Pearland’s values and invests in the well-being of its workforce.

Should this petition campaign demonstrate strong public backing and the City has not responded substantively, this petition serves as the foundation for a future ballot initiative, ensuring Pearland residents have a clear and direct opportunity to support paid parental leave in the upcoming municipal election.

To: City of Pearland Municipal Government
From: [Your Name]

It takes a village to raise a child—and to build a community where every family thrives.
Strong families are the foundation of a resilient, inclusive Pearland. Supporting those who nurture the next generation—whether through birth, adoption, or foster care—is not just a personal matter, but a shared civic responsibility. One meaningful way to reflect our city’s values is by adopting a municipal paid parental leave policy that affirms caregiving as both a labor of love and a public service.

Pearland is one of the fastest-growing cities in Texas, with a municipal workforce of over 700 employees who help make our city one of the best places to live. Yet, without a formal paid parental leave policy, city employees must rely on accrued PTO or unpaid FMLA—leaving many families vulnerable during life’s most critical transitions.

Implementing paid parental leave would:

- Support birthing, adoptive, and foster caregivers
- Improve maternal and infant health outcomes
- Promote gender equity and inclusive family structures
- Reduce turnover costs and improve employee engagement
- Align Pearland with regional best practices
- Potentially reduce healthcare costs and inefficiencies

In 2023, the State of Texas extended paid parental benefits to state government workers. Cities across our region—Lake Jackson, Sugar Land, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, and others—have embraced similar policies with positive results: improved retention, better morale, and a stronger municipal workforce.

This is good policy. It’s fiscally responsible, socially impactful, and enjoys bipartisan support across the state. Pearland should adopt a paid parental leave policy with confidence—grounded in both heart and data.

On behalf of families, caregivers, and the dedicated public servants who make Pearland thrive, I respectfully urge you to support paid parental leave for our city employees.