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Effective: September 5, 2012
Policy Review Date: YEAR
Policy Executive: Senior Vice President – Finance and Administration
Responsible Office/Unit: Human Resources
Policy Statement:
Applicability:
Content:
Policy
Appendix A – Parental Leave Procedure
(1) Parental leave as provided in this code means leave from employment to care for and bond with a newborn, a newly adopted child, or a newly placed foster child. Parental leave is in addition to any leave for temporary disability because of pregnancy or childbirth. In addition to FMLA eligible employees, parental leave may also be granted to employees who do not qualify for leave under section (F) Family and Medical Leave. Parental leave is leave without pay unless an employee uses some or all of their accrued annual leave in accordance with the provision below.
(2) Parental leave of up to four months (which includes the 12 weeks FMLA leave, if applicable) shall be granted to employees upon their request for the purpose of providing care to and bonding with the employee’s newborn, newly adopted child, or newly placed foster child under the age of six. Requests for leave for adoption of an older child may be granted by the appointing authority.
(3) Parental leave may be a combination of accrued annual leave and leave of absence without pay and must immediately follow any temporary disability leave, if taken. Parental leave shall not extend beyond four months (which includes the 12 weeks FMLA leave, if applicable) after the child’s birth or placement, unless additional time is granted by the appointing authority.
(4) Any accrued annual leave taken shall precede leave of absence without pay except that:
A. Employees will reserve and use enough annual leave each pay period during leave without pay to cover the employee paid premiums for continuing insurance coverage;
B. Employees not covered by FMLA, and FMLA eligible employees in their fourth month of parental leave, must use a minimum of 8 hours annual leave in a month of leave of absence without pay to qualify for continuation of employer-paid insurance benefits.
(5) An eligible couple (husband and wife or same or opposite sex domestic partners), who are both employed by CWU, are each entitled to parental leave. However, their combined leave per incident of birth, adoption, and foster child placement may not exceed a total of four months during a 12-month period including the 12 weeks of FMLA leave, if applicable.
History:
EEAGB: 4/7/08; BOT: 6/6/08; BOT: 2/09; BOT: 6/09: Responsibility: CFO/BFA; Authority: President’s Office; Reviewed/Endorsed Cabinet/PAC; Review/Effective Date: 9-5-12; Approved by: James L. Gaudino, President
Reformatted and Assigned new Policy Number - Previous Policy CWUP 6-60-100, June 2025
Attached Procedure CWUR 6-60-100 as Appendix A, June 2025
Appendix A - Parental Leave Procedure
(1) This intermittent paid leave use will be calculated and applied by Human Resources in accordance with established benefit and payroll procedures. Employees without sufficient paid leave to cover their premiums, and/or maintain employer provided coverage, will need to contact the benefits office prior to their leave to arrange premium payment to avoid cancellation of insurance.