OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — As school districts grapple with retention and recruitment during a teacher shortage, one local union is proposing a benefit which could go against the norm in the teaching field.

The Osceola County Education Association (OCEA) is proposing eight weeks of paid maternity leave, which is not a typically a benefit for teachers, who say they often have to stockpile days off to be able to support their children.

What You Need To Know

  • The Osceola County Educators Association has proposed offering teachers eight weeks of paid maternity leave

  • Typically, members say teachers use PTO, short-term disability, FMLA, or a combination of all three when they have a child

  • The OCEA says that Osceola County teachers only see 67% of their typical income on short-term disability, which can amount to thousands of dollars in lost income during their leave

Speaking with teachers across Central Florida, regardless of district, many sing a similar tune when it comes to their maternity leave process. For many, their leave is supported by the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which is typically unpaid, short-term disability, paid time off, or a mix of the three.

Jackie Fowler, a former Orange County teacher, says she saved up PTO for six years in anticipation of having her first child.

“Even then, I worked up until the night before I was induced so that I would have as much PTO and sick days as possible,” she said.

A study by the National Council on Teacher Quality found that out of their nationwide sample, only about 18% of school districts provided paid parental leave beyond typical sick days.

OCEA officials say they believe if the proposal is approved, Osceola County would be the only school district in the state of Florida to provide eight weeks of paid maternity leave. In an effort to confirm, Spectrum News reached out to districts in the Central Florida coverage area.

Of the responses received, only Brevard County had something similar: 15 paid days after the birth or adoption of a child. Once those benefits are exhausted, Brevard County teachers may use PTO or FMLA similarly to their counterparts in other districts.

In the United States, there is no federal law that provides the right to paid family or medical leave. The country is the only industrialized nation with zero paid maternity leave required by federal law. 

Osceola County teachers union officials say they hope that by offering the benefit, it will help retain and recruit employees. Fowler, who left teaching following the pandemic, said she thinks it could help.

“I can tell you, there’s a lot of teachers that leave even after having their first kid. I saw it with many of my friends,” she said. “So having that support in the family aspect and teacher aspect would definitely be beneficial.”

The proposal is still in the middle of the bargaining process between the OCEA and Osceola County School District, and discussions are set to continue into the next few weeks.

Celeste Springer is an education beat reporter for Spectrum News 13. If you have a story idea or concern, you can email her at Celeste.springer@charter.com