4.14 Parental Leave

Last Revised: March 21, 2022

Refer Questions to: Human Resources

Scope

This policy applies to regular and extended temporary staff and faculty in all offices and divisions of Gallaudet University and to regular and extended temporary Clerc Center teachers, unless specifically covered by collective bargaining agreements made between Gallaudet University and certified bargaining agents.

Policy

Gallaudet University recognizes the importance of allowing employees time off to care for and bond with a new child. Accordingly, this Policy provides employees with up to a total of eight (8) weeks paid parental leave following the birth of the employee’s child or the child of the employee’s spouse or registered domestic partner, or placement of a child with the employee by adoption or through legal guardianship.

Leave time should be requested and scheduled with the immediate supervisor at least thirty (30) days in advance when the leave is foreseeable, and when the leave is not foreseeable, as soon as is practicable (at least within seven (7) business days of learning of your need for leave), except in extraordinary circumstances. You will be required to provide sufficient documentation to Gallaudet to establish that you are eligible for Parental Leave.

Leave must be taken consecutively (i.e., in a single block of time) unless otherwise approved by your supervisor, in consultation with Human Resources. Approval of intermittent parental leave is at the University’s sole discretion. Leave must be taken within 12 months following the birth, adoption or legal guardianship. Employees are paid their normal wages during the leave period. Leave is not increased for multiple births/adoptions/guardianships.

Leave continues to accrue while the employee is on paid parental leave. Your health care benefits will continue as if you were actively at work, and Gallaudet will continue to deduct your portion of the health care premiums from your pay as normal.

Parental leave is intended to give parents and legal guardians bonding time with a new child. Leave for personal disability associated with pregnancy, recovery from pregnancy, and child bearing is available under Gallaudet’s Sick Leave (4.12) and Leave Without Pay (4.19) policies. Annual leave (staff), or personal leave (Clerc Center teachers), or leave without pay may be approved for additional time off.

The length of leave time is not extended for holidays or breaks. Leave is not approved beyond the term of their appointment, or length of their employment. For example, an extended temporary employee who has a one-year appointment would not be able to extend the appointment beyond one year by using parental leave.

Parental Leave taken under this policy will run concurrently with otherwise unpaid family leave for which the employee is eligible and will be coordinated with any other paid leave benefits to which an employee is entitled to avoid duplication of benefits.

You are expected to return to work at the conclusion of your Parental Leave period unless you are approved for additional leave under another policy (e.g., annual leave, sick leave, or leave without pay). This policy does not confer additional rights on the employee other than the paid time off for a new child. To ensure job protection, you must be eligible for leave under another law or policy providing for job protection, e.g., the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or the District of Columbia Family Medical Leave Act (DCFMLA).

NOTE: Paid parental leave is available to covered employees only in connection with the birth or placement of a child that occurs on or after October 1, 2021. Since paid parental leave may not be used prior to the birth or placement involved, paid parental leave may not be used for any period of time prior to October 1, 2021.

Approved by: Gallaudet University Board of Trustees