Tyler city employees are bringing their newborns to work

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TYLER — More than a dozen infants have “retired” from Tyler city government since 2021.

The infants’ contributions to the city are celebrated with a retirement party and special recognition from the mayor and city council when they leave. Many return in the months or years that follow to visit their favorite coworkers.

The city established the program “Infants at Work” in 2021 at a time when the leaders were implementing new strategies to support local families.

City employees who become new parents are allowed to bring their newborns to work for six to nine months. The goal is to help new parents, but especially new mothers, navigate those first few months of a child’s life without sacrificing their careers, said Regina Moss, the director of organizational development.

It also provides an alternative to a formalized maternity leave program, which Moss said the city cannot afford. Most expecting mothers save up their paid time off to use as maternity leave, or they may rely upon the Family and Medical Leave Act, which is unpaid leave.

“We’re trying to give them the tools so that they don’t feel like they have to sacrifice their career or their family,” Moss said. “We want to see how we can integrate them and support them through the process of starting a family or adding to their family.”