South Carolina's parental-leave changes took effect October 1 and apply to qualifying events on or after that date. Signed Act 249 changes eligibility and specified amounts for state employees. It does not create universal paid leave for private-sector workers.
The statute defines eligibility through positions earning annual leave and includes specified full-time-equivalent, temporary-grant and time-limited higher-education positions. Covered employees who give birth or stillbirth receive six weeks; other eligible parents receive four. The adoption section gives six weeks for the primary caregiver and four for a qualifying non-primary caregiver.
The leave is paid at the statutory rate, with part-time leave prorated. It runs concurrently with applicable Family and Medical Leave Act leave, rather than necessarily adding extra weeks afterward. It does not deduct from accrued annual or sick leave balances.
Unused leave expires under the twelve-month rules and does not become an unlimited bank. Check position eligibility, event dates and scheduling with the state employer. The October start matters for household income around a new child, but the number is not identical for every parent or employment category.