(WTTW News)

The Chicago Park District has ambitious plans for the coming year — from the expansion of popular programs such as gymnastics to the establishment of pocket parks on vacant land — but they all hinge on the strength of the district’s workforce, said General Superintendent and CEO Rosa Escareño.

To that end, at the December meeting of the Chicago Park District Board of Commissioners, Escareño put forward, and commissioners approved, a number of new benefits designed to help with recruitment and retention.

Chief among the perks: The district will now offer eligible employees eight weeks of paid parental leave, its first-ever policy.

To further sweeten the pot, probationary staff will now be able to use earned sick time within the first six months of employment, and Juneteenth has been added to the calendar of paid holidays.

A hybrid remote work policy and flexible schedule are also in the works.

In announcing the new benefits, Escareño acknowledged that 2022 had been a challenging year staffing-wise, from the district’s well-publicized shortages in its lifeguard ranks to a spate of retirements.

Modernizing benefits will allow the district to be more competitive in wooing prospective employees, she said.

According to the district’s 2023 budget, the Park District has 1,697 full-time employees, 846 hourly employees and 539 summer seasonal positions.

The city of Chicago will implement 12 weeks of paid leave for its eligible employees on Jan. 1. Park District staff are not city of Chicago employees.

Contact Patty Wetli: @pattywetli | (773) 509-5623 |  [email protected]