Short-term sick-time pay now is available for faculty and staff members who need time off because of a new parental role, whether they are caring for their own or their partner’s newborn child, a newly adopted child, or a foster child newly placed in their home.
“We know that the first few weeks of bonding between parents and their children, whether by birth or adoption, are so crucial to the well being of both parent and child,” says Jennie McAlpine, director of Work/Life Programs. “I am glad that the university is able to extend the use of short-term sick time to all new parents. When used in combination with vacation time and leave time guaranteed by the Family and Medical Leave Act, the use of sick time to be with a child new to the home can provide mothers and fathers the necessary opportunity to focus on their family’s needs.”
The university provides eligible faculty and staff 15 days of short-term sick-time pay each year. The days do not accrue but are renewed on the first of the month of the anniversary of employment, and are to assist employees who are unable to work because of personal illness or injury, pregnancy, childbirth, or absence for preventive medical and dental care, or to provide care for an incapacitated, ill or injured family member.
The revised policy now extends access to sick time for partners of birth mothers as well as for adoptive parents and foster parents. Sick time may be used for this purpose only during the year following the child’s birth or the arrival of the adopted or foster child in the home.
The policy applies to faculty and staff who are eligible for paid short-term sick time or sick leave. The complete sick leave plan for faculty is defined in SPG 201.11-1 and the sick time policy for staff members is available in SPG 201.11-0.
The policy does not apply to staff on a paid time off program, or those covered by the terms of a collective bargaining agreement.
