Adoption or Foster Care
FMLA Leave for Adoption
The Federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitles eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave in a 12-month period following the adoption of a child.
You are eligible for FMLA leave if you have been employed either part-time or full-time with the University for at least 12 months (which do not need to be consecutive or continuous) and have worked at least 1250 hours in the 12 months prior to your absence. An FMLA medical certification form is not required for leaves related to the birth or adoption of a child.
Because University policies typically exceed the FMLA 12 week provision, you should refer to the applicable University policy or union agreement to answer any questions about your absence (length, pay, etc.). FMLA time and absences provided by University policies run concurrently.
FMLA requires that all covered absences are recorded as FMLA. Because the overarching philosophy of the FMLA regulations is that you cannot be disadvantaged due to an absence for an FMLA qualifying event, these absences must be recorded correctly so that errors are avoided when making decisions about promotions, merit pay, tenure, etc.
Child Care Leave
You are eligible for a child care leave of absence for any length of time up until one year from the date the child begins to reside with you.
Staff
Applicable Paid Time off
During this absence, you can choose to use some or all vacation, personal holiday, or accrued compensatory time, and then take a leave without pay.
Faculty
Applicable Paid Time off
You are eligible for a leave with full salary for a minimum of six weeks immediately following the placement of the child with your family. If you and your partner are both members of the faculty, you are eligible for a combined leave of eight weeks. Some colleges and campuses provide additional paid time off, consult with your Human Resources Representative for more information. If you accrue vacation time, personal holidays, or compensatory time off, such accrued paid time off is to be used as applicable rather than the guaranteed paid parental leave.
Continuation of Health Care Coverage
As long as you are in pay status, all health care insurances in which you are enrolled will continue at the normal employee contribution rates. Once you go into unpaid status, and you elect to continue your group insurances, the amount you pay for the coverage will depend on the reason for your leave, and/or if your absence is covered by FMLA. During any unpaid FMLA leave you will pay the normal employee rates for insurance. Once you go into unpaid status that is not covered by FMLA, you will be charged the full cost for health care coverage.
For example, if you have been absent for 8 weeks in pay status and then go on a child care leave without pay, for the first four weeks of the leave without pay you would pay the normal employee contribution rate for health care coverage. Starting with the 13th week of absence, you would be charged the full cost for health care coverage.
If you elect not to continue your benefits while on leave without pay, contact the Employee Benefits Division to discuss any qualification requirements imposed by the plan (e.g., waiting period).
Benefit Changes
You may want to add your new dependent(s) to the University's health care plan, you may want to revise your life insurance and/or pension beneficiary, and you may want to change your participation in flexible spending accounts. Some benefits require that you add your child within 31 days of the birth or the date of Intent to Adopt to avoid waiting periods for coverage.
Flexible Work Arrangements
Staff
Alternate work arrangements are encouraged when, in the opinion of the supervisor, the University's work needs can be efficiently and effectively met. The purpose of flexible work schedules is to provide a greater capability for each employee to establish her/his own program of working hours within the workweek without changing the number of hours to be worked.
Telecommuting is a work arrangement in which employees, for a portion of their scheduled work hours, perform their regular job responsibilities away from their primary business location utilizing telecommunication and information technology as appropriate. These arrangements can be either temporary or ongoing.
University and departmental demands are a priority throughout any alternative work arrangement - the arrangement must be transparent to customers in terms of service and quality. Alternative work arrangements are flexible and subject to change as business needs change.
Faculty
Release from Teaching Responsibilities
If you are a tenured or tenure-eligible faculty member, you will receive a semester free from teaching within a year of the adoption. If you and your partner are both members of the faculty, you are eligible for a combined period of one semester free from teaching immediately following the placement of the child with your family.
Staying of the Tenure Provisional Period
The promotion and tenure policy provides for the staying of the provisional period if you are a tenure-track faculty member. Upon the written request, the Executive Vice President and Provost may grant a temporary staying of the tenure provisional period; if in his/her judgment, your academic performance would be adversely affected by the responsibility as primary care giver after the birth or adoption of a child.
