System Administration offers 240 hours or six weeks paid leave to university and classified staff following the birth, adoption, foster placement or guardianship of a child.
Leave amounts will be prorated based on percent of time and within the first year of the qualifying event. Eligible employees are only entitled to one paid parental leave period per year from the date the first paid parental leave begins.
Parental Leave and FAMLI
Time off to care for a new child within the first year of birth, foster placement or adoption is covered under CU’s Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program.
Paid parental leave runs concurrently with FAMLI leave, meaning employees will receive a combination of FAMLI and paid parental leave for the six covered weeks, not to execced 100% of pay. An employee may receive up to an additional four weeks of pay if complications pertaining to the birthing parent's health occurs.
Employees living outside of Colorado will not receive FAMLI leave in concurrence with parental leave.
Using unpaid leave and alternative options
In addition to the 240 hours provided under the paid parental leave benefit, staff must use their sick and vacation time to be compensated for their absence prior to using unpaid leave, per Regent Policy 11E.
University staff and classified staff are entitled to 26 consecutive weeks of unpaid parental leave.
Any faculty or staff member who does not wish to take the standard leave may negotiate an alternative leave arrangement consistent with FMLA and FAMLI with their supervisor. For example: using the six-month unpaid parental leave intermittently, alternative work schedules, differentiated workloads, etc.
Eligibility
A regular university staff or classified staff employee is eligible for paid parental leave if the employee holds a 50% or greater appointment at the university.
Employees can use parental leave starting on the first day of CU employment as long as their first day of employment precedes the date of the qualifying event.
To request parental leave:
- Complete the Employee Leave Request Form within the employee portal.
- Login to the employee portal.
- Select Forms from the CU Resources Home dropdown menu.
- Select the Collaborative HR Services tile.
- Select the Apply for Leave Benefits tile.
- Complete the secure unity form.
- The Employee Services Leave Team will review your request and reach out to discuss eligibility and and next steps.