Faculty and Staff Family Support

Leave Management

301-405-0001

umdleave@umd.edu
 

What is Parental Leave?

Parental Leave is intended to support faculty and staff in balancing professional and family demands before, during, and after the addition of children to the family by birth, adoption, foster care placement, and/or legal guardianship through a combination of measures to promote a family-friendly environment.

What does Parental Leave provide and how does it help me?

For Staff:

• Leave for bonding with a new child will now be provided through the PFML program
• Supports for nursing mothers to include locations on campus where they may breastfeed or express milk.
• Protections against discrimination or experiencing reprisals.

For Faculty:

• Leave for bonding with a new child will now be provided through the PFML program
• Modified Duty Family Support Plan for instructional and non-instruction faculty
• Extension of time for tenure/permanent status review
• Supports for nursing mothers to include locations on campus where they may breastfeed or express milk
• Protections against discrimination and experiencing reprisals

How are my benefits impacted while I am on Paid Family Medical Leave?

Eligible employees shall remain eligible for all health care benefits they enjoyed immediately prior to the start of their Parental Leave under Paid Family Medical Leave.

Will I continue to accrue my annual leave and sick leave while I am on Paid Family Medical Leave?

No. You will not continue to accrue annual and sick leave while you are on Paid Family Medical Leave.

Is it possible to space out my Paid Family Medical Leave instead of taking all 12 weeks at once?

Yes,  Paid Family Medical Leave  must be taken in the 12- month period following birth.

How does the Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA) interact with the Paid Family Medical Leave policy?

Paid Family Medical Leave runs concurrently with Family & Medical Leave (FML). That means when you take Paid Family Medical Leave, you are also using your available FML entitlement at the same time. FML is an unpaid benefit that provides job and benefit protections while Paid Family Medical Leave ensures you remain in a paid status for the duration of the approved parental period.  

Am I required to take Family & Medical Leave concurrently with Paid Family Medical Leave?

Yes, if you are eligible for FML, both Paid Family Medical Leave and FML shall run concurrently.  Employees should submit an FML request along with their Paid Family Medical Leave Request to the UHR Leave Management team via the umdleave@umd.edu email address.

If I am eligible for FML, can I stack FML and Paid Family Medical Leave so I can take more than 12 weeks of leave?

No, you may not stack your FML and Paid Family Medical Leave benefit to take more than 12 weeks of leave.

Can I use my accrued leave while taking Paid Family Medical Leave to care for/bond with my newborn or adopted/foster-placed child?

You may not use your accrued leave while using Paid Family Medical Leave

Can my manager deny my request for Parental Leave Reasons or ask me to delay my leave?

No. Your manager may not deny your request for parental leave reasons or ask you to delay your Paid Family Medical Leave.

What are my options if I am not eligible for Paid Family Medical Leave, but need to take time off work for the addition of children to my family by birth, adoption, foster parenting, and/or legal guardianship?

In some instances you may be eligible for Family Medical Leave. In addition, under the University’s Faculty and Staff Sick and Safe Leave policies, sick and safe leave may be used to care for a child within six months from the birth or placement of a child for adoption.

My spouse and I are both employed by UMD. Are we both eligible forPaid Family Medical Leave?

Yes, both parents are eligible for up to 12 weeks of Paid Family Medical Leave. 

Can a person donate their Paid Family Medical Leave to another individual? Spouse? Partner?

No.  

What is a Modified Duty Family Support Plan?

A Modified Duty Family Support Plan allows faculty members to reduce or modify their institutional work duties without a reduction in salary and is intended to assure that continuity in student instruction and other critical faculty duties is not disrupted.  Modified duties are neither required nor expected during the 12-week period you are on Parental Leave.

Am I eligible for the benefits of a Modified Duty Family Support Plan?

All faculty who are eligible for Parental Leave are eligible for the benefits of a Modified Duty Family Support Plan, subject to terms and conditions outlined in Section III.C.1-3 of the Faculty Parental Leave Policy.

How do I request a Modified Duty Family Support Plan.

A written memorandum of understanding documenting the Modified Duty Family Support Plan should be developed jointly by the faculty member and department chair or designee.  In non-departmentalized Colleges, the plan should be developed jointly by the faculty member and the dean or designee. 

Can I request an extension of time for Tenure/Permanent Status review if I eligible for Parental Leave?

Yes. Eligible tenure-track faculty or faculty members eligible for permanent status will automatically be granted a 1-year extension of the deadline for review by the Provost, upon mandatory written notification by the faculty member’s department in accordance with UMD’s Policy on Extension of Time for Tenure Review Due to Personal and Professional Circumstances . Important:   You must apply and receive approval for the extension via the Office of Faculty Affairs. 

How many extensions of time for Tenure/Permanent Status review can a faculty member request? A second automatic extension will be granted as long as the total number of extensions does not exceed two.

What type of documentation is needed to apply for Parental Leave?

Documentation confirming the date of birth or placement should be submitted within one week of the event to the UHR Leave Management team via the umdleave@umd.edu email address.

When should I be requesting Paid Family Medical due to Parental Leave?

It is recommended that you submit your Parental Leave Request once you have decided on a leave plan e.g. you are able to identify an anticipated start and end date for your leave.  Please ensure you obtain all applicable signatures on the request form prior to submitting it to the UHR Leave Management team via the umdleave@umd.edu email address.

Where do I submit documentation related to my request for Parental Leave?

All documentation related to your Parental Leave Request must be submitted directly to the UHR Leave Management team using the umdleave@umd.edu email address. Documentation should not be submitted to your manager and/or department.  

How do I add my newborn or child placed for adoption to my benefits?

If you need to add your new dependent to your benefit plans, you will need to log into the Online Benefits System portal to initiate the benefits election change and upland required documentation. Qualifying life event changes must be made within 60 days of the qualifying event.