Professional Policies & Faculty Responsibilities — Parental, Family, & Medical Leave Policies

The DEO contacts the Executive Associate Dean to discuss parental, family, and medical leaves for faculty. The Executive Associate Dean also works with the DEO to arrange family-centered schedules for faculty under these policies while ensuring that departments can fulfill their teaching missions.

Sick Leave Policy

Under University policy, faculty members accrue 12 hours of sick leave per month (see the Operations Manual, III-22.3).

Faculty ordinarily arrange for coverage of teaching and office hours during brief illnesses. When an illness makes it necessary to hire a replacement instructor, the faculty member must complete a sick leave form reporting the absence. The department is responsible for giving the faculty member written notification when leave counts toward the entitlement under the Family and Medical Leave Act (Operations Manual III-22.7 and summarized below).

Family and Medical Leave Policy

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allows eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave during any 12-month period for the birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child; for the care of a spouse, child, or parent with a serious health condition; or on account of the employee's own serious health condition. For the University's procedures for implementing the Act, see the Operations Manual, III-22.7.

The department is responsible for giving the faculty or staff member written notification that any qualifying period of leave counts toward the 12-week entitlement under the FMLA. A model letter for this purpose is available from the Executive Associate Dean.

Parental Leave Policy

The University's Parental Leave Policy (Operations Manual, III-22.8) allows new parents who are caregivers time off to spend with a child added to the family through birth or adoption and, to the extent permitted by state law, to be paid during the leave. The policy also allows parents to adapt their work schedule and duties to help reduce conflict with parental obligations.

Not-yet-tenured faculty who are principal or co-equal caregivers for a new child may also be entitled to an extension of the probationary period.