Parental Leave

This policy addresses paid Maternity, Adoption, and Parental leaves for eligible employees. These leaves are concurrent with the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and may include provisions under the DePauw University Medical Leave Policy. For the purposes of this policy, the leave year will be determined by a “rolling” 12-month period measured backward from the date the employee first takes time off for an FMLA qualified leave. Wage continuance under this policy is only available during the time when the employee is normally scheduled to work.

This policy incorporates provisions of the FMLA, under which eligible employees may, under certain conditions, be eligible to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per leave year (See Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 and DePauw University Medical Leave Policy).

Eligibility

“Eligible employees” are considered eligible if they have been employed by the University for at least one (1) year and at least 1250 hours over the prior 12 months. A year of service does not have to be continuous, but separation cannot exceed seven (7) years unless the break-in-service was due to National Guard or Reserve Military service obligations. Employees who are not eligible for leave under this policy may qualify for medical leave according to the DePauw University Medical Leave Policy, and/or leave as required by the FMLA.

Benefit Continuation

During a parental leave, benefits continue as though the employee is actively working. Benefits include but are not limited to:

• The hourly employee will continue to accrue sick and vacation time based upon pay period hours reported; the salaried employee will continue to receive vacation as scheduled.  (see Employee Guide/Vacation Policy)
• The employee will be paid for holidays occurring during his/her regular schedule.
• Health insurance contributions made by the employee will be deducted from pay issued.
• The employee will remain an active participant in the retirement program.

Leave Request Procedure

Employees taking leave under this policy must submit a written request at least thirty (30) days before the anticipated commencement of the leave. Faculty members should submit their request to the Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA) and to Human Resources.  Staff members should submit their request to their immediate supervisor and to Human Resources. In the case of an emergency or when 30-days notice cannot otherwise be provided, the employee or a member of the employees’ immediate family must notify the VPAA, if faculty, or their immediate supervisor, if staff, and Human Resources. In the event notice is provided verbally, a written leave request should follow the verbal request by no more than five (5) days. A physician’s certification will be needed for FMLA and DePauw University Medical Leave eligibility purposes. 

Leaves Defined:

Maternity Leave

An eligible faculty member who gives birth to a child may take a twelve (12) week paid leave, within the leave year. The leave will be effective in the semester during which the eligible faculty member will miss more than two (2) successive weeks of class due to the birth.  If the associated leave will not overlap more than two (2) successive weeks of class, the leave may be taken during the semester immediately following the birth. During an approved Maternity leave, the eligible faculty member is relieved of all teaching, service, and scholarly/artistic work obligations. The balance of the eligible faculty member’s work during the remaining weeks of the affected semester will be devoted to non-teaching duties (i.e., scholarly/artistic work, professional development or service) An eligible faculty member who takes a Maternity leave during his/her probationary period for tenure may, upon request to and approval of the VPAA, receive a one (1) semester extension of the probationary period.

An eligible staff member who gives birth to a child may take an eight (8) week paid leave.  In addition, eligible staff members may take up to an additional four (4) weeks of any accrued, but unused vacation time, up to a maximum of twelve (12) consecutive weeks, within the leave year.  During an approved Maternity leave, the eligible staff member is relieved of all work obligations.

The Maternity leave will run concurrently with a medical leave associated with the birth. The birth of more than one (1) child from the same pregnancy constitutes one (1) birth for the purposes of this policy.

Adoption Leave

An eligible faculty member may take a twelve (12) week paid leave for adoption of a child six (6) years of age or less, within the leave year. The leave may be taken within a period of up to one (1) year after placement.  The leave will be effective in the semester during which the eligible faculty member will miss more than two (2) successive weeks of class due to Adoption Leave.  During an approved Adoption leave, the eligible faculty member is relieved of all teaching, service, and scholarly/artistic work obligations. The balance of the eligible faculty member’s work during the remaining weeks of the affected semester will be devoted to non-teaching duties (i.e., scholarly/artistic work, professional development or service) An eligible faculty member who takes an Adoption leave during his/her probationary period for tenure may, upon request to and approval of the VPAA, receive a one (1) semester extension of the probationary period.

An eligible staff member may take an eight (8) week paid leave for adoption of a child six (6) years of age or less.  In addition, eligible staff members may take up to an additional four (4) weeks of any accrued, but unused, vacation time, up to a maximum of twelve (12) consecutive weeks, within the leave year. 

The adoption of more than one (1) child within the same leave year constitutes one (1) adoption for the purposes of this policy. The leave may be taken within a period of up to one (1) year after placement.   An eligible faculty member or eligible staff member may take only one (1) Adoption Leave per leave year.  If a subsequent adoption occurs within the leave year, the eligible faculty member or eligible staff member may take an Adoption Leave after the expiration of the current leave year.

Where the other adoptive parent is a DePauw University employee who is also either an eligible faculty member or an eligible staff member for a paid Adoption Leave, only one (1) parent may take a paid Adoption Leave; the other may take a Parental Leave.

Parental Leave

In the event of the birth of a child or the adoption or foster care placement of a child six (6) years of age or less, an eligible employee who is not eligible for either Maternity Leave or Adoption Leave is entitled to up to two (2) weeks of paid Parental Leave following the birth, adoption, or foster care placement. The leave may be taken within a period of up to one (1) year after the birth, adoption, or foster care placement. The birth, adoption, or foster care placement of more than one (1) child within the same leave year constitutes one (1) parental leave for the purposes of this policy.