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July 5, 2022By Carissa Krautscheid
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson is expanding its New Child Leave policy from one week to four weeks of paid time off. This new policy applies to any Diocesan employee who works 20 hours or more a week at parishes, diocesan schools, and Catholic entities including Catholic Tuition Support Organization, Catholic Foundation, and Catholic Cemeteries.
“Old policies from the 1980s revolved around the employee,” said Alicia Corti, Director of Human Resources for the Diocese of Tucson. “However, even back then, it included parental leave for both mothers and fathers.”
This policy change, effective July 1, 2022, encourages families to take time to bond with a new child, whether he or she is a newborn, adopted, or foster child.
Bishop Edward J. Weisenburger echoes the Catholic Church’s emphasis on the family. “A commitment to stable family life includes doing all that we can to help family members when they experience special needs,” he said. “In order for our Diocese to witness to the value that our faith attributes to family life, we are expanding our diocesan employee coverage for newborn parental leave (for both new mothers and new fathers) from one week to four weeks. Likewise, we are extending sick leave for employees in multiple ways. Helping parents to bond well with their new baby or making it possible for an employee to care for extended family members without the fear of job loss are ways that we can witness to the critical importance of family life.”
The Diocese of Tucson hopes to revise more policies in order to support families. In addition to the New Child Leave policy, “we changed our DOT Sick Policy to allow employees to take paid time off to care for immediate family including spouse and dependent minor children,” said Alicia. “We also negotiate flexible work schedules to work with our employees and their families. Our goal is to become an employer of choice so that people, including young adults, want to come work at the Diocese.”
These policies are reviewed by the Bishop and Presbyteral Council, which includes the Moderator of the Curia, the Vocations Director, the Chancellor, and elected representatives from every regional Vicariate across the Diocese. “All of our pastors are represented in the changes we are making to support families,” said Alicia. “Our priests are supporting these changes.”
Catholic Social Teaching includes the Call to Family, Community, and Participation. As Catholics, we believe that “marriage and the family are the central social institutions that must be supported and strengthened, not undermined.” (USCCB)
“This is my third pregnancy as a diocesan employee,” said Stephanie Gaona, theology teacher at St. Augustine Catholic High School. “While my vocation in serving the Church is a gift, it is ordered behind my vocation as wife and mother. It is crucial to have a job and a diocese that supports my vocation to my family first, and second to my job. My family and I are grateful for the change in the new child leave policy. It relieves a great amount of financial stress which will allow us to focus on welcoming a new member to our family. I have a lot of pride in serving the diocese of Tucson and knowing that they support their employees and their families.”
“Economic and social policies as well as organization of the work world should be continually evaluated in light of their impact on the strength and stability of family life. The long-range future of this nation is intimately linked with the well-being of families, for the family is the most basic form of human community. Efficiency and competition in the marketplace must be moderated by greater concern for the way work schedules and compensation support or threaten the bonds between spouses and between parents and children.” (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Economic Justice for All, no. 93)