HB 1118: Public officers and employees; 120 hours of maternal birth leave; provide

Currently, Georgia law does not guarantee a specific paid leave benefit tied to childbirth recovery for state and public school employees. This bill adds a new section to Georgia's personnel law (O.C.G.A. § 45-20-23) creating 120 hours of paid maternal birth leave for eligible full-time state government and local education agency employees, as well as hourly employees who have worked at least 700 hours in the prior six months. The leave must be used within three weeks after childbirth, before any paid parental leave, and does not carry cash value if unused when an employee leaves the job. Employing entities must write administration rules, and the State Accounting Office must update its payroll and benefits software by October 1, 2026 to add this leave category. The bill also bars retaliation against employees using the leave, while allowing discipline for fraudulent claims, and requires notice of the benefit at hiring and annually.

• Creates a new paid maternal birth leave benefit of 120 hours for eligible full-time state and public school employees after six continuous months of employment.
• Extends eligibility to hourly employees who worked at least 700 hours in the six months before requesting leave.
• Requires the leave to be taken within three weeks after childbirth and used before any paid parental leave under existing law (O.C.G.A. § 45-20-17).
• Prohibits employing entities from interfering with, denying, or retaliating against employees who use this leave, while allowing discipline for fraudulent leave claims.
• Requires the State Accounting Office to update payroll and benefits software to add this leave category by October 1, 2026.
• Requires employers to notify eligible employees of the benefit when hired and every year afterward.

Full-time employees of Georgia's executive, legislative, and judicial branches, and employees of local education agencies (public school districts), including certain hourly workers who meet a minimum hours requirement. The State Accounting Office and State Personnel Board also have new administrative duties under the bill.

Employees who give birth would gain a guaranteed 120 hours of paid time specifically for physical recovery, on top of any separate parental leave, which could ease financial pressure during recovery. State agencies and school systems would need to update payroll systems and leave policies to comply.

• Section 1 adds new Code Section 45-20-23 defining 'eligible employee,' 'employing entity,' 'maternal birth leave,' and 'qualifying life event' (giving birth).
• Subsection (b) grants 120 hours of paid maternal birth leave after six continuous months of employment, regardless of federal leave eligibility.
• Subsection (c) requires the leave to be used within three weeks of birth and to precede any paid parental leave under O.C.G.A. § 45-20-17.
• Subsection (d) states unused leave has no cash value upon separation from employment.
• Subsection (e) requires employing entities, or the State Personnel Board for state departments and agencies, to create administrative rules covering documentation and interaction with federal leave.
• Subsection (f) requires the State Accounting Office to update software systems to add this leave category by October 1, 2026.
• Subsection (g) extends eligibility to hourly employees who worked at least 700 hours in the prior six months.
• Subsection (h) bars retaliation against employees using the leave but permits discipline for fraudulent claims; subsection (j) requires annual notice of the benefit.

1. 2026-05-05Effective Date 2026-07-01
2. 2026-05-05Act 413
3. 2026-05-05House Date Signed by Governor (Cámara de Representantes)
4. 2026-04-06House Sent to Governor (Cámara de Representantes)
5. 2026-03-27Senate Passed/Adopted (Senado)
6. 2026-03-27Senate Third Read (Senado)
7. 2026-03-19Senate Read Second Time (Senado)
8. 2026-03-18Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senado)

• Sandy Donatucci (R, HD-105)Patrocinador principal
• Jan Jones (R, HD-047)
• Sharon Cooper (R, HD-045)
• Mike Cheokas (R, HD-151)
• Gerald Greene (R, HD-154)
• Matt Reeves (R, HD-099)
• Brian Strickland (R, SD-042)

1. AprobadaVotación: Cámara de Representantes4 de marzo de 2026

   170 a favor, 0 en contra (6 sin votar, 1 ausentes)

   Passage: House Vote #604

2. AprobadaVotación: Senado27 de marzo de 2026

   50 a favor, 0 en contra (1 sin votar, 3 ausentes)

   Passage: Senate Vote #833

• maternal leave
• state employees
• public school employees
• paid leave
• personnel law