Post
The parental leave policy at WSU does not meet the needs of many 9-month faculty who teach. Specifically, leaves tend to be granted for 12 weeks (per federal FML policies), often starting the day a person has or adopts a child. Because leave is 12 weeks , so it’s been a challenge to work with 9-mont faculty who teach a 15 week semester. The challenge has been hard to navigate with HR and, largely, the “solution” to make it work falls on departments themselves. Having each department create a parental leave policy (or even different ones for faculty with different baby birth/adoption dates) is likely to lead to inequities across units. It’s a bad way to implement policy. I’d be interested in having the university investigate how to make leaves: (a) easier to navigate, (b) flexible, and (b) more transparent to all units.
–Anonymous Faculty Member
Response
Update 3/7/2023: AFW will be redoing the pamphlet that WSU used to have on family friendly policies and benefits. This should provide more clarity on parental leave policies and processes. Thank you to Laura Hill and AFW for making this happen.
HRS provided the information below regarding the details of parental leave. We are in conversation with the provost’s office about how to best support faculty through the parental leave process.
For WSU employees, there are Federal, State, and University leave resources possibly available to them, which can result in up to six months of eligible leave, following the birth or placement of a child. Under Federal law, if an individual qualifies for leave under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) the first twelve weeks, or 480 hours, for a 100% FTE employee, is approved under FMLA.
In accordance with University policy, eligible employees may also request up to twelve weeks of Parental Leave. This leave may be in addition to any leave for illness or temporary disability due to pregnancy and/or childbirth. BPPM 60.56. In utilizing these resources, an employee could potentially take up to six months of time off/leave due to the birth or placement of a child. For Parental Leave, as there is not a medical need for time off, the period of Parental Leave, and the frequency and duration approved, is based on the request the employee makes.
For employees who are not eligible for FMLA, the University provides for up to four months of Disability Leave Due to Pregnancy or Childbirth. BPPM 60.56 For wage replacement purposes. Individuals may also apply for up to 90 days (full time)/522 hours(part-time intermittent for pregnancy-related medical condition sixteen weeks of Shared Leave for Parental Leave in accordance with RCW 41.04.665.
In addition to the above, the state’s Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program, administered through the State of Washington Employment Security Department, provides a partial wage replacement up to twelve weeks for family leave, or up to eighteen weeks for family and medical leave, during a twelve-month rolling year. The Parents Guide provides additional information on PFML benefits for new parents. Additionally, what we often see is nine month faculty having more time off than is noted above.
Faculty members on nine-month appointments do not have FMLA entitlement or other time off/leave hours reduced during their cyclic break. They only need to “take time off” and their 480 hours of FMLA leave entitlement is only reduced when taking time off during their regular work period (August 16- May 15).
Example: If the event begins anytime during their cyclic break, the FMLA entitlement of 12 weeks (480 hours) does not begin until the first scheduled day back at work. Allowing for more than six months of time off/leave.
This information, and information regarding other Leave of Absence events, is available on the HRS Disability Services Pregnancy/Parental Related Leave website. We do understand it can be overwhelming to navigate the different resources available, and HRS Disability Services is available to answer any specific questions employees or departments have. HRS Disability Services hrs.disabilityservices@wsu.edu
Christine Horne
Faculty Senate Chair
Comments
Futher, eligible spouses who are both WSU employees and eligible for FMLA are limited to a combined total of 12 workweeks of family leave which complicates it even more.