Specific Employee Benefits and Protections

Utah Code tit. 17, ch. 17-75, pt. 17-75-P3

in effect

Utah Code § 17-75-301 Counties authorized to make benefits generally available to employees, employee dependents, or an employee's adult designee -- Registry authorized -- Limitations.

17-75-301. Counties authorized to make benefits generally available to employees, employee dependents, or an employee's adult designee -- Registry authorized -- Limitations. (1) A county may, by ordinance enacted by the county legislative body, make benefits generally available to: (a) county employees; (b) the dependents of county employees; and (c) an unmarried employee's financially dependent or interdependent adult designee. (2) (a) Subject to Subsection (2)(b), a county may, by ordinance enacted by the county legislative body, create a registry for adult relationships of financial dependence or interdependence. (b) A county may not create or maintain a registry or other means that defines, identifies, or recognizes and gives legal status or effect to a domestic partnership, civil union, or domestic cohabitation relationship other than marriage. (3) The following county actions are not and may not be treated the same as or substantially equivalent to marriage: (a) the county's recognition of an adult designee; (b) the county's creation and maintenance of a registry under Subsection (2)(a); and (c) any certificate issued to or other designation of a person on the county's registry under Subsection (2)(a). (4) Neither an ordinance under Subsection (1) or (2)(a) nor a registry created under Subsection (2)(a) making an employee benefit available to an adult designee may create, modify, or affect a spousal, marital, or parental status, duty, or right. (5) An ordinance, executive order, rule, or regulation adopted or other action taken before, on, or after May 5, 2008, that is inconsistent with this section is void. Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 14, 2025 Special Session 1

Utah Code § 17-75-302 Bereavement leave following miscarriage or stillbirth.

17-75-302. Bereavement leave following miscarriage or stillbirth. Personnel rules shall provide for at least three work days of paid bereavement leave for a county employee: (1) following the end of the county employee's pregnancy by way of miscarriage or stillbirth; or (2) following the end of another individual's pregnancy by way of a miscarriage or stillbirth, if: (a) the county employee is the individual's spouse or partner; (b) (i) the county employee is the individual's former spouse or partner; and (ii) the county employee would have been a biological parent of a child born as a result of the pregnancy; (c) the county employee provides documentation to show that the individual intended for the employee to be an adoptive parent, as that term is defined in Section 81-13-101, of a child born as a result of the pregnancy; or (d) under a valid gestational agreement in accordance with Title 81, Chapter 5, Part 8, Gestational Agreement, the county employee would have been a parent of a child born as a result of the pregnancy. Enacted by Chapter 14, 2025 Special Session 1

Utah Code § 17-75-303 Political activities of employees.

17-75-303. Political activities of employees. Except as otherwise provided by law or by personnel rules made under this chapter for federally aided programs, county employees may voluntarily participate in political activity subject to the following provisions: (1) A county may not deny an individual the opportunity to become an applicant for a position under the merit system in any covered county department because of the individual's political opinions or affiliation. (2) A county may not dismiss a county employee that is employed under the merit system because of the county employee's political opinions or affiliation. (3) A county career service employee may: (a) voluntarily contribute funds to political groups; and (b) become a candidate for public office. (4) A county officer or employee, whether elected or appointed, may not directly or indirectly coerce, command, or advise any officer or employee covered under the merit system to pay, lend, or contribute part of his or her salary or compensation or anything else of value to any party, committee, organization, agency, or person for political purposes. (5) A county officer or employee, whether elected or appointed, may not attempt to make any county officer's or employee's personnel status dependent upon the county officer's or employee's support or lack of support for any political party, committee, organization, agency, or person engaged in a political activity. (6) A county officer or employee may not engage in political activity during the hours of employment. (7) A person may not solicit political contributions from county employees during hours of employment for political purposes. (8) Nothing in this section prohibits a county officer or employee from voluntary contribution to a political party or candidate. (9) Nothing contained in this chapter may be construed to permit partisan political activity of any county employee who is prevented or restricted from engaging in partisan political activity by the Hatch Act, 5 U.S.C. Sec. 1501 et seq. Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 14, 2025 Special Session 1

Utah Code § 17-75-304 County required to provide leave to a legislator on an authorized legislative day.

17-75-304. County required to provide leave to a legislator on an authorized legislative day. (1) Except as provided in Subsection (3), a county that employs an individual who is a legislator: (a) shall grant leave to the individual on an authorized legislative day for the number of hours the individual requests; (b) may not interfere with, or otherwise restrain the individual from, using the leave described in Subsection (1)(a); and (c) may not take retaliatory action against the individual for using the leave described in Subsection (1)(a). (2) The leave described in Subsection (1) is leave without pay unless the county and the individual described in Subsection (1) agree to terms that are more favorable to the individual. (3) A county is not required to comply with Subsection (1) if the legislative body of the county determines that complying with the requirement would cause the county significant difficulty or expense when considered in relation to the size, financial resources, nature, or structure of the county's operations. Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 14, 2025 Special Session 1

Utah Code § 17-75-305 Leave of absence for county employee seeking election to county office.

17-75-305. Leave of absence for county employee seeking election to county office. (1) A county employee who has filed a declaration of candidacy under Section 20A-9-202 for a county office may, at the county employee's discretion, take an unpaid leave of absence, subject to applicable employee policies on giving notice before taking leave, for some or all of the period from the filing of the declaration of candidacy until the earliest of: (a) the county employee's defeat at a primary election; (b) the county employee's withdrawal as a candidate for the county office; or (c) the day after the regular general election for which the county employee is a candidate. (2) Neither the filing of a declaration of candidacy under Section 20A-9-202 nor a leave of absence under Subsection (1) may be used as the basis for any adverse employment action against the employee, including discipline or termination. Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 14, 2025 Special Session 1

Source: Utah Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel (le.utah.gov)URL: https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title17/Chapter75/17-75-P3.html?v=C17-75-P3_2025110620251206Fetched: 10/26/2026