According to the Lansing State Journal, there are three highlights for state workers in Governor Gretchen Whitmer's 2021 budget proposal.

The $61.9 billion budget plan included increased staffing at certain state facilities, new police recruitment schools and up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave.

Whitmer proposed increasing the budget for Michigan's four psychiatric hospitals by $5 million from the general fund to hire 63 new workers and giving hospitals a one time influx of $30 million to address backlog of facility needs like roof replacements and more.

About 325 of the roughly 2,000 Michigan State Police workforce will be eligible for retirement within the next three years.

A proposed one time outlay of $2.5 million would pay for two trooper recruit schools that would graduate 120 troopers in 2021. That puts the department on pace to fill gaps left by retirees.

And what about paid parental leave for state workers? Whitmer's budget calls for providing state workers with up to 12 weeks of paid leave for the birth of a child or adoption.

The state has approximately 47,300 employees. Those employees have approximately 1,200 to 1,300 newborns per year, plus about 20 adoptions.

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