AFSCME Local 543 Members Mobilize for Paid Parental Leave Victory

Members of AFSCME Local 543 at Lehigh County Prison secured a major victory for themselves and their families with the implementation of paid parental leave for county employees — a change that will help improve recruitment, retention, and workplace morale in a correctional system facing ongoing staffing shortages.

Across correctional facilities in Pennsylvania and nationwide, prisons and jails have struggled in recent years to fill vacancies and retain experienced staff. At Lehigh County Prison, members say those shortages have led to increased workloads, exhaustion, and mandatory overtime for correctional officers and support staff.

For years, members of Local 543 have pushed county leaders to address those concerns, regularly attending county commissioner meetings and advocating for policies that would make Lehigh County a more attractive place to work and build a career.

Pictured above left to right: AFSCME Local 543 President Jennifer Newell, Lehigh County Executive Josh Siegel, and AFSCME Local 543 Executive Board Member Mark Jordan.

Local 543 President Jennifer Newell said union members have remained engaged throughout the process and closely followed how county leaders responded to concerns raised by workers.

“The members of our local have been attending commissioner meetings for quite some time now, and we have been paying close attention to the commissioners’ and the county executive's responses to the shortages that our prison has faced since the pandemic in 2020,” said Newell.

“In a job that can be stressful and difficult to balance a healthy work/family life, we are most appreciative of Executive Siegel's decision to offer the Paid Parental Leave to those new parents amongst our ranks who might otherwise have to make the difficult choice between expanding their families or maintaining their employment with the County of Lehigh.”

Newell said the new benefit will help the county recruit workers who are looking for long-term careers while also improving conditions for current employees.

“We look forward to attracting employees who choose to stay with the county thanks to benefits such as this, which will effectively improve morale and ultimately decrease mandatory overtime hours,” she said.

For Local 543 members, the victory represents more than a new benefit; it is proof that workers speaking up together can win meaningful improvements that strengthen both their workplaces and the public services they provide every day.