Staff Parental Leave

Definitions

  • FMLA: Family Medical Leave Act definition
  • Parent: As used herein, “parent” means the mother, father or other person standing in loco parentis to the child (i.e., person who will be responsible for the child’s day-to-day care and financial support.)
  • Birthing parent: A parent who physically gives birth to the new child.
  • Non-Birthing parent: A parent who did not physically give birth to the new child. This includes adoptive or foster parents.
  • Incapacitated leave: The time when an individual is unable to work, attend school or perform other regular daily activities because of the serious health condition, due to treatment of it, or for recovery from the condition.
  • Bonding time: FMLA provides certain workers job-protected leave when they take time off work for the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child and to form a connection with the child.

Eligibility

Staff members who are eligible for FMLA as stated in the Family and Medical Leave Policy.

Compensation

Birthing parent: A staff member who meets the FMLA eligibility requirements may request parental leave through the HR department. The physician-mandated leave (usually 6-8 weeks) will begin the FMLA period and be paid using accrued sick or Short Term Disability (STD) time if the staff member has this time available. Then, the staff member can use up to six (6) weeks of paid parental leave, not to exceed twelve (12) total paid weeks (a combination of sick, STD, and parental leave). Additional time can be requested under the university's Leave of Absence (LOA) policy, and vacation, personal, or unpaid time would apply.

If the staff member’s physician requires that leave begin before the birth, FMLA time will begin on the first day of incapacity. Accrued sick leave and STD will be applied to FMLA leave taken before birth.

Non-birthing parent: A staff member who meets the FMLA eligibility requirements may request parental leave through the HR department. The staff member will be compensated for six weeks of leave through the parental leave policy. The balance of any additional FMLA leave must be covered with vacation, personal time, or be unpaid.

Timeframe of Leave

FMLA allows eligible staff members to take job-protected leave upon the birth or placement of a child with the employee for adoption or foster care and to bond with their child within the first 12 months beginning on the date of the birth or placement. Paid parental leave can be continuous or intermittent, as long as the time is not during incapacitated time. Parental leave will run concurrently with FMLA leave unless the paid parental leave starts before or after the incapacitated time.

If both of a child’s parents are employed by the University and eligible for parental leave, each may take the leave to care for and bond with the new child, but ordinarily not both at the same time, unless otherwise approved by the Supervisor(s) and Human Resources. Leave under this policy will run concurrently with leave provided under FMLA.

This policy was approved by the Board of Trustees on 4/19/2024, effective immediately.

Questions about the policy or its content should be directed to the Director of Human Resources at hr@moravian.edu.