REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Approval of Councilmember Alysa Cisneros' Request for 15-Weeks of Parental Leave
Report
BACKGROUND & DISCUSSION
Councilmember Alysa Cisneros requests that Council approve 15 weeks of parental leave pursuant to Section 606(a) of the Sunnyvale City Charter, which provides that "... the office of ... Councilmember shall become vacant when that official ... (2) Is absent from all regular meetings of the Council for a period of sixty days consecutively from and after the last regular Council meeting attended by such member, unless by permission of the Council expressed in its official minutes".
Councilmember Cisneros will notify the Mayor and City Manager of her requested start date, and the period of leave will commence on that day and run consecutively through 15 weeks' time. The 15-week period will begin and end during the remainder of calendar year 2024. During the approved period of leave, Councilmember Cisneros' absences will be considered "excused absences" and her stipend and benefits will continue under Section 605 of the City Charter.
During the leave of absence, Councilmember Cisneros will not be participating in City business in her capacity as a Councilmember. Councilmember Cisneros has expressed her desire to participate in the city manager selection process if able, even if she has begun her leave of absence. Her intergovernmental relations and Board & Commission assignments would be covered by alternates.
As elected officials, Councilmembers are not covered by state and federal laws that require employers to provide family and pregnancy leave. Therefore, the provisions of the Sunnyvale City Charter apply to Councilmembers' leave requests. Historically, the Council granted former Councilmember Melinda Hamilton's requests for parental leave in 2004 and 2006 (three months each time). In addition, when former Councilmember Otto Lee was deployed to Iraq for 13 months in 2009-2010, the City Council followed California M...
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