Many employees in Allegheny County will soon be eligible to receive up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after council this evening passed the first policy of its kind in the country.

The policy will go into effect one year after County Executive Sara Innamorato signs the bill. The bill advanced Tuesday follows six months of disagreement largely between business groups on one side and healthcare workers and parents on the other. The vast majority of the dozens of additional speakers who showed up Tuesday to comment spoke in favor of the measure, oftentimes describing the challenges of parenting in wrenching detail.

Businesses with 15 or more employees will be required to offer the leave.…