MISSION VIEJO : City Extends Worker Maternity Benefits

Expectant mothers working for the city will have their health benefits extended for up to four months while on maternity leave, the City Council decided on Monday.

Before the vote, the city did not pay for any health care expenses while a woman took time off to give birth.

“I think it’s a sign of the times,” Mayor Christian W. Keena said after the council voted 5 to 0 to approve the measure. “It’s especially needed in Mission Viejo, which has so many young people. (The city) has to set an example for local businesses.”