Labor & Employment (Paid Leave)

SB 188 creates a new law requiring New Mexico public school districts and charter schools to provide up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave to full-time school employees who have worked for 52 consecutive weeks. The leave covers birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child, is paid at the employee’s regular rate, and must be used within a 52-week period. School districts will be reimbursed by the state for costs like substitute staff, and schools must report on employee demographics and leave usage annually. This law directly affects school employees and ensures job protection during leave without impacting retirement benefits or requiring leave exhaustion.

HB 98 increases the minimum hourly wage for New Mexico state employees to $15 starting July 1, 2027, with future annual adjustments tied to the consumer price index. It also establishes new annual leave accrual rates based on years of service (ranging from 4.62 to 7.39 hours per pay period) and mandates 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave for eligible employees beginning July 2027. The bill requires state agencies to create remote work programs to improve recruitment and retention, particularly for rural New Mexico residents, while maintaining performance standards. These changes apply to all state employees except student workers and may be superseded by existing collective bargaining agreements.