III-22.8 Parental Leave Policy

(Amended 5/99; 8/00; 1/06; 5/07; 10/14; 7/1/17)

Effective July 1, 2017, this policy has been revised. For the most current version without redlining, return to III-22.

  1. Purpose. To permit parents who have care giving responsibilities to have time off to spend with a child newly added to the family and, to the extent permitted by state law, to be paid during such leave. To adapt an employee's work schedule and/or duties to help reduce conflict with parental obligations.
  2. Entitlement to Leave.
    1. Twelve-month faculty, professional and scientific staff, and non-organized merit system staff.
      1. Birth mothers are entitled to leave for any period of pregnancy-related temporary disability, to be charged against accrued sick leave. Based on current medical practice, a leave of 6 weeks or less would not require the employee to provide disability documentation. If an employee's accumulated sick leave is insufficient to cover the 6-week period of disability, the leave balance will be charged, at the employee's request, to vacation time, compensatory time, or a leave of absence without pay. Any request for non-medically necessary absence beyond the 6-week period of disability is considered as a leave of absence without pay or as vacation.
      2. A newly adoptive parent, including a domestic partner, is entitled to 1 week (5 days) of paid adoption leave to be charged against accrued sick leave. Departments are encouraged to arrange for additional leave as necessary. Departments should work with prospective adoptive parents seeking to adopt through an adoption agency with specific requirements for parental leave, to the extent the adoption leave is not sufficient to undertake an adoption. Time not charged to accrued sick leave may be charged to accrued vacation or taken as leave without pay.
    2. Nine-month faculty.
      1. Birth mothers are entitled to leave for any period of pregnancy-related temporary disability, to be charged against accrued sick leave. Based on current medical practice, a leave of 6 weeks or less would not require the employee to provide disability documentation. If an employee's accumulated sick leave is insufficient to cover the 6-week period of disability, the leave balance will be charged, at the employee's request, to vacation time, compensatory time, or a leave of absence without pay. Any request for non-medically necessary absence beyond the 6-week period of disability is considered as a leave of absence without pay or as vacation.
      2. A newly adoptive parent is entitled to 1 week (5 days) of paid adoption leave, to be charged against accrued sick leave. Departments should work with prospective adoptive parents seeking to adopt through an adoption agency with specific requirements for parental leave, to the extent the adoption leave is not sufficient to undertake an adoption.
  3. Adaptation to employment duties and/or schedule — 12-month faculty, 9-month faculty, professional and scientific staff, and non-organized merit system staff.
    1. For each minor child newly added to the family of a probationary faculty member (e.g., biological, adopted, stepchild, or by guardianship) during the probationary period or within 2 years prior to the initial appointment, the faculty member shall be eligible for extension of the probationary period as provided in III-10.1a(4)(e)(1).
    2. Departments shall work with faculty and staff to modify schedules and duties, such as travel, to assist new parents.
  4. Family Caregiving Leave. See III-22.3 above.

(See also III-24 Flexible Scheduling.)