Benefits - Faculty Parental Leave

Benefits

Faculty Parental Leave

Philosophy

The family leave policy assists Syracuse University faculty members who become parents to uphold both their professional and parental obligations. A faculty member who anticipates becoming a parent is encouraged to consult the Office of Human Resources and the department chair or dean of the school or college well in advance of the expected arrival date, especially if the arrival is anticipated during the academic year. The purpose of the consultation is to address the needs of both the individual and the University to ensure awareness of the available options and benefits under the University policy.

Entitlements for Faculty who become Parents

Extension of Tenure Probationary Period

Who is eligible:

A full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty member who becomes a parent (through childbirth or adoption of a child under the age of 7) during the first five years credited towards tenure.

Benefit:

Extension of the pre-tenure probationary period by one year. This includes any time on salary continuation, parental, maternity, or family and medical leave due to childbirth or adoption.

Limits:

A faculty member may exercise this privilege no more than twice for becoming a parent (multiple births or adoptions are considered a single occasion of becoming a parent). According to the terms of the Faculty Manual, faculty members exercising their right to Family and Medical Leave may exceed this limitation. The faculty member must request the extension within the first 6 months of birth or adoption. Once the sixth credited year towards tenure has begun, extension of the tenure probation period is not permitted.

Application Procedure:

The faculty member writes a request to the attention of the department chair or dean for extension of his/her tenure probationary period for one year.
If the chair concurs, s/he will forward the request to the dean.
If the dean concurs, s/he will sign the request and forward it to the Vice Chancellor.
The Vice Chancellor will send an approval letter to the faculty member with copies to the dean, department chair, and Human Resources.

Parental Leave

Who is eligible:

A full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty member who becomes a parent (through childbirth or adoption of a child younger than 7 years of age) and who, during the period of the requested leave, will be the person most responsible for the child's care or will spend the most time caring for the child. If both the parents are tenured or tenure-track faculty members, they may each receive parental leave during different semesters.

Benefit:

A parental leave without reduction of salary. Parental leave shall consist of either:
- a reduction of work load in a semester by 50%, including up to one course relief, or
- up to one half of a semester without formal duties.

Limits:

The individual requesting leave and the department chair or dean must agree upon the semester.
A parental leave must begin within 12 months of the birth or adoption.
A parental leave is not a necessary condition for an extension of the tenure probationary period.

Application Procedure:

The faculty member completes and signs a Faculty Parental Leave form and submits it to the department chair or the dean. The request should be made five months in advance of the expected birth or adoption date. (If this is not possible, the faculty member should notify the chair or dean as soon as s/he becomes aware of the arrival date.)
The faculty member and the chair or dean meet to review the completed document and decide upon a mutually agreeable timeframe for the leave. The dean and chair sign the Faculty Parental Leave form, certifying the faculty member's primary caregiver status and agreeing to the terms of the leave.
The dean forwards the completed form to the Vice Chancellor's Office for processing.

Maternity Leave

Who is eligible:

A woman who, due to childbirth, receives a declaration of medical disability from her doctor or midwife.

Benefit:

It is anticipated that the period of medical disability normally will extend between six and eight weeks. As defined in the University's salary continuation plan, during the first 16 weeks of disability, the faculty member will receive full pay. For the next 10 weeks of disability, the faculty member will receive 60% of base regular pay.

Limits:

Requires a declaration of medical disability from the doctor or midwife, which includes the dates of disability.

Application Procedure:

The faculty member notifies her department chair or dean and Human Resources in writing five months in advance of the expected birth date, (or as soon as she becomes aware of the expected birth date.)
The faculty member must submit a doctor or midwife's note indicating the approximate dates of disability to Human Resources.

Combination of Maternity and Parental Leaves

Who is eligible:

A woman who, due to childbirth, receives a declaration of medical disability from her doctor or midwife which extends at least 4 weeks into the semester.

Benefit:

The combination of maternity and parental leave results in a full semester's release from teaching duties at full pay.

Limits:

Requires a declaration of medical disability from the doctor or midwife, which includes dates of disability and a completed Faculty Parental Leave form with signed approval by department chair and dean.

Application Procedure:

The faculty member notifies her department chair or dean and Human Resources in writing five months in advance of the expected birth date (or within five weeks of the date the faculty member is made aware of the expected birth date).
The faculty member must include a doctor or midwife's note indicating the approximate dates of disability, and complete the Faculty Parental Leave form, obtaining the dean and department chair's signature certifying her primary caregiver status and agreeing to the terms of the leave. The dean then forwards the completed form to the Vice Chancellor's Office for processing.

Helpful Lists

Questions? Contact the HR Service Center at 443-4042 or email hrservic@syr.edu.