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New staff parental leave rule

Beginning Jan. 1, the University of Utah will begin offering full-time benefitted employees paid parental leave for the birth or adoption of a child.

Beginning Jan. 1, the University of Utah will begin offering full-time benefitted employees paid parental leave for the birth or adoption of a child. The new rule provides 50 percent of the staff member’s salary for a cumulative six-week period that can be used intermittently during the first year after the birth/adoption.

All eligible employees may receive up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave covered by the federal Family and Medical Leave Act. Sick time accruals will be used first and then vacation accruals will be applied to the time away. Now, parents will receive six weeks of compensation before using their sick and vacation accruals.

Highlights

  • Benefit will be 50 percent paid leave for up to six weeks for eligible staff.
  • Child must be born or adopted on or after Jan. 1, 2019.
  • Employee must hold a full-time benefited staff position and be employed for the prior 12 months.
  • Leave must be used within 12 months of birth or adoption.
  • Runs concurrently with FMLA – doesn’t extend or defer FMLA leave.
  • If both parents work for the university, the time can be split between each parent.
  • Does not apply for staff at the university’s hospitals and clinics.

Spearheaded by a sub-committee of the University Staff Council, these dedicated volunteers spent years working to better the lives of their fellow employees. A lot of time was devoted to reading current research, drafting and re-drafting the proposal and working with administrators on finalizing the rule.