*The university’s leave policy guarantees six calendar months of parental leave for eligible employees upon the birth or adoption of a child. The first 12 weeks are considered FMLA-qualifying.
OPS employees, including Post-Doctoral Associates, are eligible for up to 12 work weeks of parental leave, once they have worked at least 12 months (need not be consecutive), and also have worked at least 1,250 hours during the 12 months prior to the start of the FMLA leave. Breaks in employment do not affect this total. It is a cumulative total of the number of months the employee has been employed by the University.
The official parental leave entitlement period of up-to 6 calendar months may begin as early as two weeks before the expected date of the parental event (e.g., birth, adoption, placement for fostering) or as late as the day prior to the child’s first birthday. The 6-month period is measured as one, uninterrupted period of time; an employee may not return to work full time and then go back out to continue their parental leave. The employee may choose to use any additional paid benefits offered, personal accrued leave, unpaid leave, or a combination of paid and unpaid leave. With departmental approval, the employee may work a reduced work schedule for all or part of their leave.
PARENTAL LEAVE PAID BENEFITS
Faculty and TEAMS
Employees in leave-accruing Faculty and TEAMS positions are eligible for the Paid Family Leave Benefit, which provides up to 8 weeks of additional hours for use during their period of Parental Leave. More information about that program can be found at the Paid Family Leave page.
USPS and Law Enforcement
Employees in leave accruing USPS and Law Enforcement positions may request up to 6 weeks of advanced leave for use during their period of Parental Leave. These employees may also use their personal accrued leave, unpaid leave, or a combination of paid and unpaid leave during their leave of absence. These employees will be required to repay the leave hours advanced within a three (3) year period from the first date the leave is used.
Upon separation of employment with the university, the hours used for advanced leave, excluding any hours that were taken as accrued personal leave, will be deducted from the total balance of accrued sick and/or vacation leave or other payment owed by the University, prior to any payment being made. If the paid parental leave taken exceeds the available balance of unused leave at the time of separation, the employee will be required to repay the cost of the difference of the hours that have not been repaid.