EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) -- El Paso County Commissioners Court voted unanimously on Monday, Oct. 21 to approve paid parental leave for County employees. The new parental leave policy will be for County employees after the birth, adoption or foster placement of a child. The policy has been a long-time priority for County Commissioner David Stout. The new policy will provide up to 160 hours of paid leave for eligible regular full-time County employees. It also provides paid leave to eligible part-time employees on a pro-rated basis. El Paso County joins the Counties of Travis, Harris and Fort Bend in offering paid parental leave as well as the City of El Paso, according to Stout's office. The State of Texas also offers paid parental leave. “I am so proud of our County administrators who found a way to get us there, and happy for members of our County family,” Stout said. “I started this conversation because it’s important to have an environment in which our employees can thrive and make a career of public service. This allows us to be competitive in recruiting and retaining talent, and ultimately, doing a better job of serving the public.”