Paid Parental Leave is provided to eligible Classified Staff Employees, following birth, adoption, foster, or custodial care of a child under the age of 18, in recognition of the importance of the opportunity to bond with the child. (Note: An individual who adopts a spouse’s or partner’s child(ren) is eligible for this benefit.) Paid Parental Leave may be used for temporary arrangements made through local departments of social services with the intent of reuniting the child with their birth family, if possible.

1. Eligibility:
   A Classified Staff Employee must meet the following criteria:

   • A Classified Staff Employee within the Academic Division employed for 12 consecutive months and have worked 1250 hours during the 12 months immediately preceding the birth or placement of a child.
   • Employed in a full-time, quasi-full-time, or part-time salaried Classified position upon the birth or placement of a child.
   • Must be eligible under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). A Classified Staff Employee not eligible under FMLA may not use parental leave until they become eligible.
   • Birth or placement of a child on or after December 26, 2017. Paid Parental Leave is not available to Classified Staff Employees whose birth(s) or placement of a child occurred prior to December 26, 2017.
   • Eligibility determinations are made as of the date that the child is born or placed through adoption, foster, or custodial care.
   • If both parents are Classified Staff Employees, employed in the Academic Division, and meet the eligibility criteria listed above, they are each eligible for the Paid Parental Leave benefit.
   • A Classified Staff Employee who is not eligible for Paid Parental Leave on the date of birth or placement may become eligible during the following six months and access Paid Parental Leave once they meet the eligibility requirements.

2. Leave Amount/Usage:
   Eligible full-time Classified Staff Employees within the Academic Division are to receive up to eight weeks (320 hours) of paid parental leave at 100% pay, to be used within six months of the birth or placement of a child for any one or more of the following reasons:

   • Care and bonding with a newborn child during the period immediately following birth.
   • Care and bonding with a child placed with the Classified Staff Employee through adoption or foster care or a legal custodial arrangement.
   • Supplement reduced income replacement disability benefits following the birth.

   Eligible Classified Staff Employees within the Academic Division working less than full time may receive a pro-rated portion of leave in accordance with their full-time equivalence. For example:

   • 30 hours per week (75%), eligible for up to 240 hours of Paid Parental Leave.
   • 20 hours per week (50%), eligible for up to 160 hours of Paid Parental Leave.

   Eligible Classified Staff Employees within the Academic Division may charge Paid Parental Leave in one continuous period of time or request and receive approval for intermittent use of Paid Parental Leave.

   The 320 hours of Paid Parental Leave may be used only once per child and only once within a 12-month period. Examples for applying this leave include:

   • Should birth be given to twins, only eight weeks leave may be taken.
   • Should birth be given on January 1^st and then another birth on December 1^st, only eight weeks of leave may be taken.
   • Should birth be given to a child and then an adoption (or foster arrangement) made, only eight weeks of leave may be taken.

   Unused Paid Parental Leave is forfeited six months from the date of the birth/placement. In addition, unused Paid Parental Leave is not compensable if a Classified Staff Employee separates from employment or moves to a non-Classified Staff position. Paid Parental Leave terminates at the conclusion of the foster or custodial care placement or within six months of the placement, whichever comes first.

3. Relationship of Parental Leave to Other Available Leaves/Benefits:

   1. FMLA:
      Classified Staff Employees using Paid Parental Leave are afforded the remaining job protection under FMLA for an absence up to a total of 12 weeks (480 hours). They may charge personal leave or take leave without pay to cover the additional absence.

      Paid Parental Leave is available to eligible Classified Staff Employees on the date of the birth or placement of a child regardless of the start of the FMLA period.

      Paid Parental Leave is not available for reasons covered by FMLA other than birth, adoption, foster, or custodial care of a child under age 18.

      Paid Parental Leave shall run concurrently with leave provided under FMLA, if the Classified Staff Employee is eligible for FMLA.

   2. Virginia Sickness and Disability Program (VSDP):
      Paid Parental Leave may be used beginning on the date the baby is born to supplement income levels below 100% and use the remainder of Paid Parental Leave after disability benefits cease.

      Paid Parental Leave may not be used to cover the VSDP waiting period before the baby is born. If the birth occurs during the waiting period, Paid Parental Leave may be used to cover the waiting period beginning on the date of birth.

      Paid Parental Leave shall run concurrently or sequentially with VSDP, if the Classified Staff Employee is eligible for VSDP.

   3. Traditional Sick Leave Program Participants:
      Paid Parental Leave may be used for FMLA events related to bonding by Classified Staff Employees participating in the traditional sick leave program.

   4. Leave Accruals:
      After 90 consecutive calendar days with pay, annual and traditional sick leave accruals cease until the Classified Staff Employee returns for a full pay period.

      Paid parental leave shall not be counted against an eligible Classified Staff Employee’s annual leave accrual.

   5. Holidays:
      Classified Staff Employees on Paid Parental Leave the day prior and the day after a holiday, are afforded holiday pay for the holiday and Paid Parental Leave is not charged for that day.

      Legal holidays listed in Va. Code Ann. § 2.2-3300 shall not be counted against Paid Parental leave.

4. Classified Staff Employee Responsibility:
   Eligible Classified Staff Employees should submit a written request for Paid Parental Leave at no less than 30 calendar days prior to the anticipated leave begin date or as soon as practicable.

   Classified Staff Employees must comply with all leave request procedures, absent unusual circumstances. Failure to do so may be grounds for delaying or denying a Classified Staff Employee’s approval for Paid Parental Leave.

5. Certification of Eligibility for Paid Parental Leave:
   FMLA policy does not require that its certification forms be completed for job-protected absences due to bonding. However, documentation of the birth or placement is required prior to approval of Paid Parental Leave. Official documents that will be considered include but are not limited to:

   • Report of Birth
   • Birth Certificate
   • Order of Parentage
   • Adoption Order
   • Certified DNA test results
   • Custody Order
   • Foster Care Placement Agreement

   Documents provided should show date of birth or date of placement, if placement was other than the date of birth.

   Upon receiving a request for Paid Parental Leave and documentation of the birth or placement, the Classified Staff Employee must be notified of their eligibility status within five business days.

6. Compliance with Policy:
   Failure to comply with the requirements of this policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination or expulsion in accordance with relevant University policies.

   Questions about this policy should be directed to the Solutions Center (UVA HR).