PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald has signed an order granting six weeks of parental leave for nearly 1,000 county workers. Tuesday's order is effective immediately. Some union employees already have leave and the leave will be a part of negotiations when most union contracts expire and are negotiated next year. Employees do not have to exhaust their vacation time before receiving paid parental leave. The gender, sexual orientation and marital status of employees will not be considered. Rather, county employees who become parents through birth or adoption will become eligible for the paid leave. The county seat of Pittsburgh began offering parental leave for hundreds of eligible employees earlier this month.