Office of Human Resources - HR Advisor
Leaves and Absences
Parental Leave
QUESTIONS?TEMPE/POLYTECHNIC WEST |
| POLICIES SPP 708: Parental Leave with Pay |
Parental leave provides eligible employees continued compensation for up to 6 weeks following the birth or adoption of a child.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Who is eligible to take parental leave?
All regular employees who have been employed at ASU for at least 12 consecutive months in a benefits-eligible position and has worked at least 1,250 hours during the previous 12 months are eligible to take parental leave.
What happens if I am not eligible at the start of the six weeks but become eligible during the six weeks?
You would receive a portion of the benefit that would start when you became eligible and would end 6 weeks from the date of the birth or adoption of the child.
What if both parents/domestic partners work for ASU?
The parental leave benefit is a shared family benefit. If both parents/domestic partners work for ASU, then the combined parental leave taken between the two cannot exceed 6 weeks.
When does the 6 weeks start?
The six weeks starts on the date of birth or the date of adoption of the child.
Do I have to take the entire six weeks?
You do not have to take the entire 6 weeks of parental leave and it can be taken intermittently. However, leave taken as parental leave cannot extend beyond the six-week period following the birth or adoption of a child.
What if I want to take off more than six weeks?
If you would like to take more than six weeks off following the birth or adoption of a child, then you would need to continue leave under the family leave policy or sick leave policy. To be compensated beyond the 6 weeks, you would need to use your accrued leave.
Will taking parental leave effect my sick/vacation leave balances?
No. Parental leave is paid by the University and does not affect your accrual balances.
How does FMLA work with parental leave?
FMLA works in conjunction with parental leave. They would both start on the date of birth or adoption of the child.
How does the parental leave work if I have short-term disability (STD)?
The parental leave benefit will be paid in conjunction with the disability benefit not to exceed a total of 100% of the employee’s wages/salary.
Are my benefits paid during parental leave?
Yes. Your benefits will continue to be deducted from your bi-weekly pay while you are on parental leave. If you choose to extend your leave under the Family Leave Policy, the University would continue to pay for its portion of the benefit premiums for an additional six weeks and you would be responsible for paying your portion of the premium. If you remain on leave beyond 12 weeks under the Extended Leave Policy and are not using accrued leave to keep you in a paid status, then you would be responsible for both the employee and employer portions of the benefit premiums.
What happens in the case of stillbirth?
In the event of a stillbirth, the employee can take up to two weeks of parental leave. If the employee wishes to remain on leave past the two weeks provided by the parental leave policy, that leave would either fall under the Family Leave Policy or the Sick Leave Policy.
What if I choose not to return to work after taking parental leave?
Per the parental leave policy, an employee must return to work for at least 30 days after taking parental leave (or authorized family or extended leave in conjunction with parental leave). If they decide not to return to work or do not fulfill the 30-day requirement, then the employee will be responsible for reimbursing ASU for the wages/salary paid under the parental leave policy. Exceptions to this policy include failure to return due to the continuation, recurrence or onset of a serious health condition of the employee or the child which would otherwise entitle you to leave under the Family Leave policy; or other circumstances beyond your control.