A proposed policy that supplements existing family leave policies is now posted for comment through May 21, 2018.

The proposed Paid Parental Leave Policy provides paid time away for new parents. For the birth parent, the policy is in addition to paid time off under medical or sick leave policies (usually 6-8 weeks). For non-birth and adoptive parents, the policy provides paid time off to bond with their new child without having to use vacation accruals or elect modified duties.

These policies work together with the Family and Medical Leave Act Policy which provides employees with 12 weeks of job-protected leave upon the birth of a child.

Below are some examples to help illustrate how the new policy provides additional support to new parents and supplements existing time off options:

A staff member with 6 weeks accrued sick leave gives birth, without complications. She takes 6 weeks of paid sick leave for the period of medical recovery pursuant to the sick leave policy. The new proposed Paid Parental Leave policy, allows her to extend that paid time off by 2 additional weeks. She may elect to continue in paid status by using any accrued vacation time, or she may save vacation to use later in the year. The addition of the 2 weeks paid time off offers added paid leave, while also allowing more flexibility in the use of vacation and personal time.

A faculty member with a 9-month appointment, has notified HR that she will be delivering September 1, 2018.  Through the Faculty Short Term Disability policy, she will be compensated at 100% of her pay for the first six (6) weeks of the medical condition, during the terms of her regular teaching appointment. (Six weeks is the typical recovery timeframe for a non-cesarean birth.)  Following the birth, she has the option of selecting either two additional paid workweeks away from the university or Faculty Modified Duties, which is a one semester course release. The proposed New Paid Parental Leave Policy offers the option to receive additional paid time off, rather than elect modified duties. In either case, the faculty member may also elect to toll the tenure clock through the Tenure Clock Extension, found in the Academic Charter, page 4.

A 9-month faculty member is married to a staff member and they are planning to adopt a child. The faculty member may elect either the 2-week paid time off under the new Parental Leave Policy or a course release under the Faculty Modified Duties policy. The staff member can take the 2 weeks paid time off as well as any vacation time available to him/her. The fact that both parents work at Drake does not impact the amount of leave available – both are eligible for the paid parental leave benefits.

Please continue posting your comments to dupolicies@drake.edu. We appreciate your input.

— Debra Wiley, Human Resources