Parental Leave for Academic Employees

About This Policy

Adopted: June 10, 1983

Amended: May 10, 1985; August 12, 1988; November 9, 1990

Moved to Administrative Policy: February 8, 2007 with edits

Subd. 1. Eligibility.

The leaves provided by this policy are available to academic employees who have been employed by the University for at least nine months and who are either full-time employees or part-time employees who provide an average of 20 or more hours of service per week. The leaves provided by this policy are not available to individuals with certain student/professional training appointments as specified herein, academic employees who are represented by an employee organization for purposes of collective bargaining, or academic employees who do not satisfy the eligibility requirements described in the preceding sentence. Parental leaves for civil service employees and employees who are represented by an employee organization for purposes of collective bargaining are contained in applicable personnel rules and collective bargaining agreements.

Employment in academic, civil service, and student/professional training positions will be counted toward the nine-month eligibility period. Teaching appointments (instructors of record and teaching assistants) in summer session and CEE must be recognized in determining eligibility for parental leave. Summer session, appointments will be counted at the percentage time for the dates shown on the employee's Notice of Appointment or, if pay is hourly, on the actual hours paid. Appointments in extension classes paid on a credit hour basis will be counted as 30 hours per term for each credit taught. Noncredit courses will be computed on the basis of ten contact hours in the classroom as being equal to one credit. If the appointment is on a clock hour basis, the actual hours paid will be used to determine eligibility. Short-term conferences, seminars, and workshops, and independent study activities are not counted.

Subd. 2. Parental Leaves.

A female academic employee may, upon request, take up to six weeks leave with pay related to the birth of her child. The paid leave must fall within the term of appointment. The paid leave time must be taken consecutively and without interruption. The employee need not prove actual disability during this six-week period. This leave is for the purposes of child rearing and recovery from physical disability associated with the birth. To the extent this leave exceeds six weeks for disability, it shall be covered under the administrative policy: Sick and Disability Leaves.

Parental leave during summer session and extension class teaching appointments shall be without pay.

A male academic employee may, upon request, take up to two weeks leave with pay and four weeks leave without pay related to the birth or adoption of a child. All leave time must fall within the term of appointment. All leave time must be taken consecutively and without interruption.

A female academic employee may, upon request, take up to two weeks leave with pay and four weeks leave without pay related to the adoption of a child. All leave time must fall within the term of appointment. All leave time must be taken consecutively and without interruption.

Subd. 3. Timing of Leave.

The leaves described in this policy begin at a time requested by the employee, but no later than six weeks after the birth or adoption and no sooner than two weeks before the birth or adoption. In the case where the child must remain in the hospital longer than the mother, the leave must begin no later than six weeks after the child leaves the hospital. A request to use parental leave must be submitted to the responsible administrator/supervisor at least four weeks in advance, except in unusual circumstances. The responsible administrator/supervisor must ensure the parental leave is documented in the Human Resources Management System.

Subd. 4. Employee Benefits.

No employee will be subject to retaliation for requesting or obtaining a leave of absence as provided under this policy. During the parental leave, coverage will continue to be available for the employee and any dependents under any group insurance policy, group subscriber contract, or health care plan in existence at the time of the leave. While on paid leave, the continued coverage will be provided on the same basis as available to the employee during the course of employment; while on unpaid leave, the continued coverage will be available at the employee's expense.

Subd. 5. Professional Training Appointments.

Individuals holding appointments in class numbers 9550-9599 are not eligible for parental leave under the terms of this policy as previously described. Trainees (included in the 956x and 958x classifications) who receive stipends may be prohibited from receiving these benefits under the terms of their awards. If available, parental leave for individuals in this class series is as follows.

(a) A female may, upon request, take up to two weeks leave with pay and four weeks leave without pay related to the birth of her child. Disabilities associated with childbirth and pregnancy will be treated like any other disability.

(b) A male may, upon request, take up to six weeks leave without pay related to the birth or adoption of a child.

All parental leave time must fall within the term of appointment and must be taken consecutively and without interruption.

Departments may, at their option, adopt a policy that provides up to six weeks paid leave to female trainees related to the birth of a child and up to two weeks paid leave related to adoption of a child; and up to two weeks paid leave to male trainees related to the birth or adoption of a child.