Effective Date: July 1, 2007 — Parental Leave Pay; January 1, 2011 — Caregiver Leave Pay
The College provides financial support to eligible employees during leaves of absence that are approved under the provisions of the Family and Medical Leaves of Absence (FMLA) policy. This policy outlines the types of pay available and eligibility requirements.
Eligibility:
With the exception of maternity-related leave, an employee must have been working for the College in an eligible position for at least 12 continuous months immediately preceding the leave: and, have worked at least half-time during the 12-month period immediately preceding the leave.
Procedure:
FMLA Pay
An eligible administrative employee taking a leave of absence under the provisions of the FMLA policy must take any vacation, holiday, and personal time accrued as of the effective date of the leave - i.e. the next scheduled work day following the last day the employee actually worked. If the leave is for an employee’s own serious health condition, (but only for this reason), accrued sick time must be applied prior to other accrued paid leave time. Accrued sick time may only be used during the period an employee is disabled by a health care provider. Once all accrued paid leave time has been exhausted, the remainder of the leave will be unpaid except as stipulated below and in policy 7.12 Short-Term Disability. Should an administrative employee not have any such time accrued at the start of the leave, the entire duration of the leave may be unpaid, depending upon the reason for the leave.
Eligible faculty on approved leaves of absence under FMLA policy will receive 100% of their pay during the period of their disability. In general, if a Faculty member will be unable to resume their duties for an extended period (i.e., one requiring a substitute for their classes) he or she will receive 100% pay for the remainder of the semester in which their illness or injury occurs or six months, whichever is less. Faculty pay for leaves other than for their own illness or injury is detailed below.
Parental Leave Pay
Administrative staff giving birth are eligible for six weeks of Parental Leave pay beginning at the time of disability related to the birth and/or the time period following the birth. This time is coded as PRS (non-exempt staff) or PRL (exempt staff) on the timesheet or leave report, as applicable. Employees then use accrued sick (during any remaining disability period), vacation and personal time; however, if they wish, they may retain time for later use, and take some of the leave time without pay.
Non-birth-giving administrative staff’s spouses or partners, adoptive parents and foster parents are eligible to use up to six weeks of Parental Leave following the birth, adoption or placement. In the event of an extended disability period, non-birth-giving administrative staff may use up to two weeks of Family Sick Leave to care for their spouse or partner during the disability period.
In the event that both parents are employed at Trinity, the total benefit for both will not exceed six weeks of Parental Leave pay.
Eligible Faculty defined as holding a) a tenured or tenure-track appointment, or b) a full-time appointment of at least two years and is designated in the appointment letter as renewable - requesting a leave due to the birth or adoption of a child, or foster placement of a child are entitled to paid Parental Leave. A faculty member who gives birth will be entitled to 100% of her regular pay for the period during which she is disabled by her health care provider. The remainder of the semester in which she gives birth will be paid at 70% of her regular pay. Other Faculty (adoptive parents, spouses, partners, foster parents) will receive 70% of regular pay for the semester in which the leave occurs. In the event that both parents are employed at Trinity, the total benefit for both will not exceed the Parental Leave pay available to one faculty member. For a full-time Faculty member, the leave semester will be considered a two-course semester. For less than full-time, Faculty members, the course-load for the leave semester will be pro-rated.
Maternity Leave
Employees who do not meet eligibility requirements under the College’s FMLA Policy may still be entitled to a reasonable, unpaid maternity leave of absence in accordance with current state and federal regulations. Reasonable is defined as the standard period of disability associated with pregnancy, childbirth, and recovery, normally not to exceed a total of eight weeks.
Administrative employees will be paid any unused accrued sick time while disabled by their physician, usually 6 to 8 weeks post-delivery. They may then use accrued vacation and personal time until those hours are exhausted at which time the leave will be unpaid.
Family Caregiver Leave Pay
In order to qualify for this benefit, the employee must provide Human Resources with a Certification of Healthcare Provider for Family Member’s Serious Health Condition as described in the FMLA Policy. Any time taken under this policy is counted towards FMLA leave time limits. Administrative staff are eligible for three weeks of Family Caregiver Leave pay. This time is coded as FCL on the timesheet or leave report, and is not charged to any leave accrual banks. Leave can be taken intermittently when medically necessary. If additional time is required, employees may use Family Sick Time (up to ten days per year) which is taken from the employee’s accrued sick time bank, vacation and personal time. In the event that more than one caregiver is employed by the College, the total Family Caregiver Leave benefit for both will not exceed three weeks.
Eligible Faculty members qualifying for Family Caregiver Leave are entitled to paid Family Caregiver Leave. Faculty will receive 70% of regular pay for the semester in which the leave occurs. In the event that both parents are employed at Trinity, the total benefit for both will not exceed the Family Caregiver Leave pay available to one faculty member. For a full-time Faculty member, the leave semester will be considered a two-course semester. For less than full-time Faculty members, the course-load for the leave semester will be pro-rated.
See the following policies for additional relevant information:
7.03 Sick Leave 191
7.10 Family and Medical Leaves of Absence 208
7.12 Short-term Disability 223
Updated: April 1, 2018 – Parental Leave Pay