HR-52 PARENTAL LEAVE 

Two weeks of paid parental leave will be available to eligible academic and Civil Service staff members immediately following the birth or adoption of their child.

On July 1, 1997, the University implemented parental leave for Civil Service staff, entitling them to up to two weeks of paid parental leave immediately following the birth of their child, or upon either the initial placement or the legal adoption of a child under 18 years of age. On October 9, 1997, the Board of Trustees approved parental leave for academic staff members, which is effective immediately.

A staff member must have completed six continuous months of employment in order to be eligible for parental leave, which is limited to one leave per academic appointment year (i.e., August 21-August 20). Employees who hold only an hourly appointment (i.e., Academic Hourly or Extra Help) are not eligible for this benefit. An employee who resigns employment before or at the expiration of the parental leave normally shall be required to reimburse the University for the cost of salary paid during the leave.

Parental leave for academic and Civil Service employees will be counted as part of the twelve-week leave entitlement accorded by the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) for FMLA-eligible staff members and may be used in conjunction with other paid or unpaid leaves for which the individual is eligible. Consult the Campus Administrative Manual Family and Medical Leave, for more information about the FMLA leave policy. There is no application form for parental leave other than that used for FMLA leave. As with any leave, employees should communicate as soon as practicable with their units regarding the timing of the proposed leave, and arrangements for the leave are to be coordinated within the unit. Consistent with the FMLA policy, units may request documentation of the birth or adoption. Parental leave should be taken in full at the time of birth or adoption and not on an intermittent or reduced leave schedule for a period lasting longer than two weeks.

Questions regarding this policy for academic employees should be directed to Academic Human Resources, (217) 333-6747. Questions regarding this policy for Civil Service employees should be directed to Staff Human Resources, (217) 333-2143.