Paid Parental Leave (PPL) provides up to six (6) weeks of paid leave for eligible Southwestern University staff members following the birth, adoption, foster care, or kinship placement of a child. This leave allows employees to balance family life with their professional responsibilities.

FMLA stands for the Family and Medical Leave Act, a federal law that provides eligible employees with up to 16 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for certain medical and family reasons. FMLA leave can be used for the birth of a child, the adoption or foster placement of a child, or for other family medical needs. During FMLA leave, employees are entitled to continue their health benefits and return to the same or an equivalent position after their leave.

Paid Parental Leave (PPL) runs concurrently with any eligible FMLA leave. This means that the time you take for Paid Parental Leave will count toward the total 16 weeks of FMLA leave you are entitled to in 12 months. For example, if you take six weeks of Paid Parental Leave, those six weeks will count as part of your 16-week FMLA entitlement.

You may also need to use accrued sick or vacation leave for any time off beyond the six weeks of Paid Parental Leave, but you are not required to take unpaid leave unless you have exhausted your paid leave balances.

To qualify for Paid Parental Leave, employees must meet the following criteria:

• Be a regular, benefit-eligible staff member working at least 30 hours per week.
• Have been employed at Southwestern University for at least 12 months.
• Have worked at least 1,250 hours during the 12 months preceding the qualifying event (birth, adoption, foster care, or kinship placement).

Additionally, the employee must meet one of the following criteria:

• Be a new parent via childbirth.
• Be the adoptive parent of a child under the age of 18.
• Be a parent of a child born via surrogacy.
• Be an approved foster or kinship care provider actively parenting the child.

Eligible employees may take up to six (6) weeks of Paid Parental Leave, which must be used within 16 weeks following the qualifying event (birth, adoption, or foster care/kinship placement).

Paid Parental Leave will be paid at 100% of your base salary at the time of leave. You will also continue to receive full benefits (health, dental, vision, etc.) and accrue sick and vacation time during your leave.

To request Paid Parental Leave, you must:

• Provide at least 30 days’ notice when feasible.
• Submit the necessary FMLA forms and your request for PPL.
• Provide legal documentation (e.g., birth certificate, adoption decree, foster care placement document) within 30 days of the qualifying event or as soon as available.

Yes, Paid Parental Leave can be taken on a reduced work schedule (e.g., part-time), as long as the leave is used within 16 weeks following the qualifying event.

Yes, if both parents are eligible employees at Southwestern University, each will be entitled to six weeks of Paid Parental Leave.

If additional leave is needed beyond the six weeks of Paid Parental Leave, employees may be eligible to use accrued sick or vacation leave or may take unpaid leave in accordance with FMLA guidelines.

Employee A is expecting a child and plans to take Paid Parental Leave. They are eligible because they meet all the criteria: they have been employed for over 12 months, work at least 30 hours per week, and have worked over 1,250 hours in the last year. Employee A submits the necessary forms and documentation to Human Resources 30 days before their expected leave date. They take six weeks of Paid Parental Leave and return to work full-time after 16 weeks. Their six weeks of Paid Parental Leave will also count as part of their 16 weeks of FMLA leave.

Employee B adopts a child under the age of 18. They meet the eligibility requirements and notify Human Resources 30 days prior to the adoption date. Employee B uses the full six weeks of Paid Parental Leave within the 16-week period following the adoption. They return to work after 16 weeks, having received their full salary and benefits during their leave with a combination of Parental Leave, vacation, and sick leave. The six weeks of Paid Parental Leave count as part of their total 16 weeks of FMLA leave.

Employee C and Employee D are both staff members at Southwestern University and are expecting a child. Since both are eligible, each of them is entitled to six weeks of Paid Parental Leave. They each follow the process to request their leave and take the full six weeks within the 16-week window following the birth. Both employees are paid 100% of their base salary during the six-week Parental leave period along with all their vacation and sick leave and return to work as scheduled. Each employee will receive 6 weeks of Paid Parental Leave.

Employee E wishes to take Paid Parental Leave but prefers to return to work part-time. They request a reduced work schedule, and the leave is granted as long as it is completed within the 16-week window following the qualifying event (birth, adoption, or foster care/kinship placement).

Employee F is approved to provide foster care and receive a child younger than three years of age. They are eligible for Paid Parental Leave and request six weeks off to care for the child. They submit all necessary documentation and take their leave. The leave is coordinated with FMLA and used within the 16 weeks following the foster care placement.

Employee G takes six weeks of Paid Parental Leave but needs additional time off to care for the child. Since Paid Parental Leave is only available for six weeks, Employee G uses accrued sick and vacation leave for the additional time off. They exhaust these leave balances and take unpaid leave to extend leave to a full 16 weeks under FMLA guidelines.