Who is eligible?
All professional research staff with appointments of one year or more, or who have more than one year of consecutive service, will be eligible for paid parental leave. If an individual’s appointment ends during a period of approved leave, the leave and any benefits associated with the leave will not continue beyond the individual’s last date of employment.
How can I use UVA paid parental leave?
Currently, eligible Professional Research Staff members qualify for up to three (3) weeks of paid parental leave. Paid parental leave will be expanded to eight (8) weeks for each qualifying event and PRS will have up to six (6) months from the date of the event to use the paid parental leave.
Can I apply for UVA Paid Parental Leave, even if I had a birth, adoption or placement before Jan 1, 2019?
The University considered multiple options to enable the retroactive application of paid parental leave. Unfortunately, we could not find a workable and equitable solution. The new paid parental leave policy will only cover births, adoptions or placements that occur on or after January 1, 2019. For those who have a birth, adoption, or placement before Jan. 1, 2019, the policy and procedure currently in place applies.
How will Professional Research Staff, who have standard hours of less than 40 within a work-week, be able to use paid parental leave?
UVA Paid Parental Leave will be for eight (8) weeks. This benefit will be applied proportionate to the 40 standard hours actually worked. Accordingly, the eight (8) weeks would be provided for the duration of the benefit, and will be proportionate with the FTE % within the employee record. For example, an employee whose budgeted hours are 20 hours per week, would have his / her benefit at 20 hours per week for eight (8) weeks.
How will UVA Paid Parental Leave work with Short-Term Disability?
UVA Paid Parental Leave and Short-Term Disability are separate benefits and employees will not be able to receive both of these benefits at the same time. Professional Research Staff members who are eligible for Short-Term Disability and Paid Parental Leave are encouraged to consult with a benefits counselor and carefully consider how they might structure these benefits to best fit their needs.
How will the Professional Research Staff Paid Parental Leave work, and how do I apply?
Professional Research Staff must make arrangements with their direct supervisor and and HR Business Partner in conjunction with their department to apply for Paid Parental Leave.
Can UVA Paid Parental Leave be charged to sponsored programs?
For federal grants subject to the Office of Management and Budget’s Uniform Guidance, parental leave is an allowable cost provided that the institution has a policy that is consistently applied across all fund sources; the University’s policies addressing Parental Leave will meet this requirement. If the sponsor’s terms and conditions do not allow for Parental Leave costs, the employee’s unit must cover the proportionate compensation cost from non-sponsored sources.
Do I have to pay UVA Paid Parental Leave from my sponsored program funds?
If you have another source of funds available to you, those funds may be used in lieu of sponsored program funds. Otherwise, if it is an allowable cost it must be charged to the sponsored program in proportion to the employee’s normal pay schedule. If the sponsor’s terms and conditions do not allow for Parental Leave costs, the employee’s unit must cover the compensation cost for parental leave from non-sponsored sources.
Can a supervisor deny Parental Leave due to a lack of identifiable funds, sponsored or non-sponsored?
No, supervisors are not permitted to deny an eligible employee’s request for Parental Leave due to lack of funds. A supervisor unable to identify adequate funding should consult first with the Department Chair, then the Dean’s Office. Human Resources may be available for consultative support.
Will compensation paid for Parental Leave be included on effort reports delivered through Effort@UVA?
Yes, it will be included in effort reports. However, anticipated long absences, including parental leave must be considered before committing effort on sponsored projects.
I am a key person on a sponsored program and will be eligible for parental leave during the period of performance. My use of parental leave may delay completion of the research or scholarly work. What should I do?
Discuss your parental leave plans with the PI on the grant. If the PI agrees that your parental leave is likely to delay progress on the sponsored program, the PI will contact the departmental research administrator and OSP to determine whether or not to request an extension from the sponsor.
Will graduate research assistants (GRAs) paid from sponsored programs be eligible for Parental Leave?
Pursuant to PROV-028, Financial Childbirth Accommodations for Graduate Students on Assistantship, eligible GRAs who give birth, including those supported on grant funds, receive full wages associated with their support for six weeks. In addition, GRAs have certain rights and protections under Title IX; the University’s Office for Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights can provide information on Title IX protections.
How is the new UVA Paid Parental Leave program being administered in the context of the Employment of Professional Research Staff?
See UVA Policy HRM-033.