OM 8.1.15 Caregiver Leave (Continuing Faculty)

Table of Contents:

Policy Statement

Policy Purpose:

The University is committed to employment practices that promote employee health, well-being and to support employee work life/family harmony.

Policy Summary:

The University is committed to employment practices that promote health and well-being of employees and supporting a healthy work life balance that benefits both the employee and the University. 

Definition of Terms:

Eligible Employees: Continuing faculty

Must be employed for at least two (2) successive regular semesters before the start of the leave, on a three fourths (3/4) time contract appointment and will be employed post the leave.

Employment Benefits: All benefits provided by the University to employees including but not limited to: group life and accidental death insurance, disability insurance, health insurance, dental insurance, vacation, sick leave, special personal days, educational benefits, employee assistance program and retirement contributions.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA): A job-protected unpaid leave (unless employee supplements with personal time) for up to twelve (12) workweeks (or up to 26 weeks for qualified Military leave) during a rolling twelve (12) month period for reasons specified in this policy and  in conformance with Federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993. OM 8.1.13

Primary Caregiver Paid Leave: A person who provides care for the newborn child, adopted child or the commencement of fostering a child(ren) for at least twenty (20) working hours each week

Secondary Caregiver Paid Leave: A person who provides care for less than half of the care for the newborn child, adopted child or the commencement of fostering a child(ren).

Policy Statement:

All eligible continuing faculty are entitled to one (1) semester off paid in full for primary or secondary caregiver leave.

Continuing faculty  are expected to return to work for a minimum of one (1) full semester after the completion of the leave or could be required to pay the University back for payments received while on leave.

Procedures:

To request leave, continuing faculty must submit a letter requesting caregiver leave to the appropriate department dean or chair and contact Human Resources 315-268-6497 or by emailing clarksonhr@clarkson.edu.

The department dean or chair will submit a letter to the provost indicating whether the leave will necessitate replacement of instructional time.

Continuing faculty will be provided with one (1) full semester off with pay at the time of birth, adoption or the commencement of fostering a child(ren) and must be taken within the first nine (9) months of birth, adoption or the commencement of fostering a child(ren).

In a case where the attending physician deems the maternity disability prior to the date of birth, continuing faculty will need to submit for a leave of absence until the birth of child; see OM 5.11.2.

Leave may be available on an intermittent basis with the approval of the dean or chair and the Chief Human Resources & Deputy Chief Inclusion Officer.

This policy runs in conjunction with Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) policy OM 8.1.13, which allows employees to take up to twelve (12) weeks off unpaid with job protection.

The University may not permit both parents time off at the same time following the birth, adoption or the commencement of fostering a child.

Example:  If both parents work for the University and in the same department, the leave for one parent may be denied if allowing both parents the same time off causes undue hardship to the department.

The University recognizes that multiple births, adoptions or the commencement of fostering a child(ren) may occur.

History

Approved by Faculty Senate, Administrative Council, and President, March 2008

Editorial Revision July 2011

Section Renumbered & Editorial Revision July 2012

Policy is now for continuing faculty; Non-continuing faculty leave OM 8.1.14; Staff are now provided leave under the NYS Paid Family Leave Policy OM 8.1.18; Approved by Faculty Senate, Administrative Council, and President, March 2023

back to top