Paid Parenting Leave
The university offers paid parenting leave to eligible employees following the birth, adoption or foster placement of a child. Paid parenting leave is a type of Family and Medical Leave (FML). Please see FSH 3710 for complete leave policies.
Eligibility
Employees are eligible for paid parenting leave if they:
- Hold a board-appointed position and work half-time or more.
- Have been employed by the university for at least 12 months.
- Have worked at least 1250 hours during the 12-month period immediately before they take paid parenting leave.
Terms of Leave
Eligible employees will receive a maximum of 432 hours (for full-time employees) of paid parenting leave.
- Eligible employees working less than full-time will receive a pro-rated portion of paid parenting leave corresponding to the percentage of hours they normally work. For example, a half-time employee can take up to 216 hours of paid parenting leave (one half of the maximum).
- Paid parenting leave must be used within the first 12 weeks immediately following the birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child. It can be used either continuously or as part of a predefined reduced work schedule. Employees may not use paid parenting leave intermittently.
- If both parents are university employees and eligible for FML, paid parenting leave must be shared between the parents and may not exceed 480 hours (12 weeks) of total leave.
Things to Note
- An employee may not receive more than 12 weeks of parenting leave in a rolling 12-month period. Multiple births, adoptions or foster placements within that time do not increase the length of parenting leave.
- Parenting leave counts towards the allowance of FML in a rolling 12-month period.
- Parenting leave will be paid on regularly scheduled pay dates. If a holiday occurs during parenting leave, that day will be considered holiday pay and will not count towards the employee’s parenting leave allowance or FML hours.
How to Apply
To apply for parenting leave, please fill out the application for Family Medical Leave or contact benefits@uidaho.edu at least 30 days before the start of leave.