Parental Leave for Three-quarter Faculty Appointments

For Full-Time Faculty Members on Regular Three-Quarter Appointments

Parental leave is considered leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), a federal law permitting up to 12 weeks total of unpaid leave per year, after at least 12 months of employment at the University.

University policy additionally provides that a faculty member who gives birth or her spouse or University-registered domestic partner, if he/she is the child's primary care giver, may take a one-quarter leave without loss of salary or benefits within one year of the arrival of the child. Similarly, an adoptive parent who is the primary care giver may take a one-quarter leave without loss of salary or benefits within one year of the arrival of the child. The primary care giver is the parent responsible for the majority of the child care. A faculty member whose normal annual teaching expectation is three or more courses will be relieved of teaching duties for one course. The faculty member should discuss his or her leave plans with the department chair and dean a minimum of 3 months before the proposed leave.

Where both parents are members of the faculty, only one may seek parental leave at a time. The parental leave may be split, but may not exceed one quarter total for the two. See also "Rearrangement of Teaching Duties" for faculty parents not taking parental leave or for foster parents.

Rearrangement of Teaching Duties

For Full-Time Faculty Members on Regular Three-Quarter Appointments

In lieu of parental leave, a faculty member may request rearrangement of his or her course teaching schedule within 12 months of birth or adoption, in order to have a quarter free from classroom teaching. Likewise, a faculty member who receives a foster child placement may request rearrangement of his or her course teaching schedule within 12 months of the placement. Rearrangement of teaching duties is available only to spouses and University-registered, same-sex domestic partners. Such a request is subject to the approval of the department chair and dean. Over the course of the academic year, the faculty member is expected to teach the full complement of courses. During the non-teaching quarter, the faculty member is expected to continue other departmental and university responsibilities, including research, committee membership, and advising. Because this is a rearrangement rather than a suspension of duties, it does not constitute leave.