Staff Personnel Manual (SPP)

Effective: 10/16/2006

Revised: 7/1/2013

SPP 708: Parental Leave Benefits

Purpose

To provide paid leave benefits for a period of absence from work, not to exceed six weeks, for the purpose of bonding with the child following the birth or placement of a child for adoption

Source

University policy

Eligibility

All non-faculty administrators, university staff, and classified staff who have been employed at ASU for at least 12 months in a benefits-eligible position and have worked at least 1,250 hours during the 12 months immediately prior to the leave date

Policy

Six weeks of paid parental leave is available to an eligible employee who:

1. is unable to perform assigned duties because of childbirth
   
   

   or

2. is absent from work due to the birth of a child or the placement of a child for adoption.

Parental leave benefits are paid at 100 percent of the employee’s regular rate of pay, based on FTE, less the amount of any disability benefits received from a university group disability insurance plan.

The leave benefit is limited to a total of six weeks and must be used:

1. immediately upon the birth of a child
   
   

   or

2. immediately upon the placement of a child in the home for adoption.

Leave must be used in a single six-week block of time, either continuously or intermittently; use of intermittent leave will not extend the six-week benefit period. If the employee becomes eligible for the leave benefits after the date of the event, but within the six week period, only the remaining portion of the six-week benefit will be allowed.

Parental leave benefits may be paid to the birth mother, father, adoptive parent, or domestic partner. If both parents or both domestic partners are ASU employees and request leave for the same qualifying event, only a combined benefit of six weeks is available.

The university reserves the right to require substantiation of the birth or placement for adoption that would allow the employee to receive parental leave benefits.

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Requesting Leave

Parental leave benefits are paid in conjunction with the employee requesting either Family Medical Leave or Extended Leave of Absence. The request should be made by the employee submitting a Leave of Absence Request Form to his/her immediate supervisor at least 60 days before the leave is to begin, if the leave is foreseeable. If the leave is not foreseeable (e.g., for adoption), the employee must provide a written request as far in advance as is possible. All requests should specify an approximate start date and an end date.

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Coordination

Leave of Absence Policies

Parental leave benefits will be paid and run concurrently with an FMLA leave (SPP 705–02, “Family Leave of Absence”), if applicable, or an extended leave of absence (SPP 705–01, “Extended Leave of Absence”).

Disability Benefits

Parental leave benefits will be coordinated with benefits from any group disability income replacement benefit policy (e.g., short-term disability insurance), so the total of the recipient’s salary continuation (including disability insurance and leave benefits) does not exceed 100 percent of base salary.

Other ASU Leave Benefits Plans

The use of parental leave benefits will not reduce an employee’s balance of available accrued time under any other university paid leave benefits plan (e.g., sick or vacation). However, while receiving parental leave benefits, the accrual of sick (SPP 701–01, “Sick Leave Benefits”), or vacation hours (SPP 702–01, “Vacation Leave Benefits”) will be calculated solely on the number of parental leave hours paid.

After the six weeks of paid parental leave benefits, the employee’s use of accrued compensatory, sick, or vacation hours is governed by either SPP 705–02, “Family Leave of Absence,” or SPP 705–01, “Extended Leave of Absence.”

Insurance Premiums

Because the employee remains in pay status during parental leave, the university will continue to pay the employer’s portion of health insurance premiums for benefits coverage and the employee will remain responsible for the employee’s portion.

Retirement Contributions

The employee will continue to earn retirement service credit while receiving parental leave benefits. If receiving short-term disability insurance, retirement service credit will be earned on a pro-rata basis. Retirement contributions will be deducted from the employee’s pay as usual and the employee’s contribution will be paid by the university.

Stillbirth

Parental leave benefits may be paid in cases of stillbirth. In such an event, a maximum of two weeks of paid parental leave benefits will be paid. This form of paid parental leave is used in place of the university’s bereavement policy (SPP 704–05, “Bereavement Leave Benefits”). Additional time may be used under SPP 705–02, “Family Leave of Absence,” SPP 705–01, “Extended Leave of Absence,” and SPP 701–01, “Sick Leave Benefits” when supported by medical documentation.

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Failure to Return to Work

The employee must reimburse ASU the salary paid under this policy if the employee:

1. fails to return to work after the expiration of this leave and/or any other authorized leave period (e.g., family leave or extended leave of absence)
   
   

   or

2. returns, but fails to remain actively at work for at least 30 calendar days.

ASU will excuse reimbursement when the failure to return is due to the continuation, recurrence, or onset of a serious health condition of the employee or the child that would otherwise qualify the employee to leave under the family leave policy, or other circumstances beyond the employee’s control

Additional Information

For additional information, see the ASU Parental Leave Policy—Frequently Asked Questions page of the Office of the Provost of the University Web site.

Cross-References

For information on leaves of absence from the university, see:

1. SPP 705–02, “Family Leave of Absence”
   
   

   and

2. SPP 705–01, “Extended Leave of Absence.”

For information on salary continuance policies while an employee is absent from work, see:

1. SPP 701–01, “Sick Leave Benefits”
   
   

   and

2. SPP 702–01, “Vacation Leave Benefits.”

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