Birth or Adoption use of Leave

Issue/Question

What is USD's Maternity and Paternity Leave 

Environment

• Paid Family Leave (PFL​)
• Maternity Leave 
• Paternity Leave 

Cause

This benefit provides eligible state employees with paid leave following the birth or placement of a child for adoption. PFL is intended to help provide parents with the means to spend critical bonding time with the child. This bonding time has been proven to have long-lasting, positive impacts on both the child and the parents. PFL does not deplete an employee’s accrued sick or vacation leave

Resolution

Family Medical Leave (FMLA)

•  For qualifying employees, mothers and fathers are allowed 12 weeks leave in a 12-month period to bond with the healthy child. Employees who have worked 12 months, and 1250 hours, are eligible for FMLA

Maternity/Paternity Leave

• Make arrangements with supervisor/department as soon as feasible – preferably 6 weeks prior to birth/placements

Leave usage:

1. Any permanent employee who has been employed by the state for a continuous period of six months is entitled to
   • 40 hours of paid family leave per week for up to 12 weeks (480 hours) following the birth of a child of the employee or placement of a child for adoption see Paid Family Leave
   • This paid leave does NOT come out of the employee’s sick or annual leave
2. If family leave, sick leave, annual leave, and/or compensatory time balances won’t cover the planned leave, the parent must submit a request for leave without pay form and may take leave without pay
3. Leave will be used in accordance with #1 and #2 above
4. The employee’s position will be protected during these 12 weeks
5. If both parents are state employees, each is entitled to use up to 12 weeks of FMLA leave which may be utilized concurrently or consecutively, or with the permission of their supervisors, may be used intermittently
6. It is possible the mother or father will qualify for FMLA protection, but may not be paid for the time away because accrued leave has been depleted