Eligibility
Parental leave may be taken in the following events:
- Birth
- Adoption, foster placement with the goal of adoption, or guardianship placement of a child up to the age of 18.
- Stillbirth
- Surrogacy
- Miscarriage
To be eligible for parental leave, parents must meet both of the following criteria:
Full Benefits-Eligible
Must be scheduled to work 20 hours per week (.50 FTE) or greater in a position that is expected to continue for six months or more.
Employed 12 Continuous Months
Must have been employed by the university for at least 12 continuous months immediately prior to the start of your requested leave.
* Employment as a student worker or ancillary employee does not apply toward the 12-month requirement. Employees on academic-year schedules may count summer months as long as they are working during consecutive academic years. Information about graduate assistants/associates and other specific employment categories can be found in the FAQ section below.
How Parental Leave Works
Parental leave is designed to help parents balance their work responsibilities with their family, medical, and emotional needs.
Eligible employees may request up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave and 12 weeks of unpaid parental leave during the 12-month period following the eligible event listed in the Eligibility section. You may be approved for parental leave and begin taking it up to two weeks before the anticipated eligible event.
If you are eligible for FML, parental leave will run concurrently with Family and Medical Leave (FML), and does not extend the FML leave period.
Employees who wish to extend their leave beyond the allotted 12 weeks of FML may take up to 12 weeks of unpaid parental leave time and apply earned vacation, sick, or compensatory time in accordance with university policies.
Limit Once Per 12-Month Period
You are eligible for no more than 12 weeks of paid parental leave and 12 weeks of unpaid parental leave within a consecutive 12-month period, even if you have multiple children.
Limit Once Per Child
You may take paid and unpaid parental leave no more than once for events involving the same child.
Must Return to Work for at least 30 Days
The 30-day requirement is based on calendar days, not FTE. If you do not return to work, you must reimburse the university for the salary and benefits paid on your behalf during the paid parental leave period.
Effect on Pay and Benefits
Paid Parental Leave (and other accrued paid leave)
- You continue receiving full pay.
- The university continues to pay the employer portion of your benefits, and you continue to pay employee portion.
- You continue to earn service credit and university retirement contributions.
- You continue to accrue vacation and sick time.
Unpaid Parental Leave
During the period of unpaid parental leave, you must use any sick, vacation, or compensatory time that you have accrued. You may use your accrued time in any order.
If you choose to continue unpaid parental leave after exhausting your accrued leave balances, you will be responsible for the employee portion of your elected benefits and will be billed for those premiums. You will not accrue vacation or sick time. You will also not receive university retirement contributions nor be required to make retirement contributions.
How to Use Parental Leave
To take parental leave, you must obtain approval and document the request. Please follow this process.
Step 1: Complete the Leave of Absence Request Form
Complete the form, including whether you wish to take continuous or intermittent leave. If utilizing parental leave on an intermittent or reduced work schedule, please work with your supervisor to determine those details.
Step 2: Submit completed and signed Parental Leave form
Your leave specialist will provide you with a Parental Leave Form. Complete and sign this form and email your leave specialist. Use the link below to locate your leave specialist, if you don't already know.
Alternate Work Arrangements
Flexible Work Schedule
Any intermittent leave or reduced work schedule must be approved by your supervisor in advance and documented on the Parental Leave form.
Temporary Alternative Duty Assignment (TADA)
Benefits-eligible employees may request a temporary assignment of alternative duties that will make it more feasible for them to remain on active employment following the birth or adoption of a child. The 16 weeks of TADA may be utilized during or after the parental leave period. Learn more about alternative duty.
Time Codes
When using paid parental leave
| Type of Paid Parental Leave | Exception (Salary) | Positive (Hourly) |
| Parental Leave | PLE | PLP |
| FML Paid Parental Leave* | FPLE | FPLP |
*Any portion of parental leave that runs concurrently with Family and Medical Leave should be coded using the "FML" extension to ensure that FML balances are accurately tracked.
When using sick, vacation, or compensatory time during unpaid parental leave
| Type of Parental Leave | Exception (Salary) | Positive (Hourly) |
| Parental Leave-Vacation | PVE | PVP |
| Parental Leave-Sick | PSE | PSP |
| Parental Leave-Unpaid | PUE | PUP |
| Parental Leave-Comp | n/a | PCT |
Policies
Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
No, you are only required to return for 30 calendar days at your new FTE or work schedule.
No, parental leave cannot be donated to other employees.
Yes. Disability insurance coverage does not affect paid parental leave. Short-term disability insurance and paid parental leave can be used at the same time.
Employees on parental leave still get to take holidays and winter closure.
If a holiday: That day is recorded as a paid holiday, either FML holiday (FMHE/FMHP) if the employee is taking simultaneous Family and Medical Leave, or regular holiday (HLE/HLP) if the employee is on parental leave only.
If winter closure: The three holidays during winter closure are always coded as regular holiday days (HLE/HLP). These holidays do not extend the parental leave period.
Yes. Employees who have a miscarriage qualify for up to 2 weeks of paid parental leave. The leave may be taken any time during the 12 months following the miscarriage.
This applies to the parent who has the miscarriage and/or to their spouse/partner. Miscarriage is defined as the spontaneous loss of a pregnancy before the 20th week.
To request parental leave following a miscarriage, complete the request for recovery form (PDF).
If you or your spouse/partner experience a stillbirth, and you had not yet completed a parental leave request form (PDF), you may complete the request for recovery form (PDF).
FMLA allows leave for a serious health condition, which is defined as an illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition that requires inpatient care or continuing treatment by a healthcare provider. If you are unable to work for a time after your pregnancy loss and will be receiving treatment from a healthcare or mental health provider, your absence may be eligible for leave under the FMLA. Contact an HR leave adviser about whether a new healthcare provider certification will be required.
Yes, if you are eligible for Family and Medical Leave, you must request FML to run concurrently with your parental leave. Both request forms can be completed 60 days prior to the expected start of your leave.
Specific Employment Category Questions
Academic-year appointees are eligible to receive parental leave. The summer months do not count toward the parental leave allotment.
Postdoctoral scholars are expected to work at .50 FTE or greater for six months or longer are considered eligible for full benefits, and therefore are eligible for parental leave.
Graduate teaching assistants and research assistants/associates have their parental leave policy through the Graduate College. Visit the Graduate Assistants/Associates Leave Policy page.
If you are a current university employee but were a graduate assistant/associate with the university during the past 12 months, that time may count toward your eligibility for parental leave. Please email Leaves Administration for assistance.
In addition to parental leave, tenure-eligible or continuing-eligible faculty may request a promotion clock delay.
If you are a current university employee but were a DCC working at the University of Arizona Foundation or Banner Health during the past 12 months, email Leaves Administration for assistance.
Adoption, Foster Care, and Guardianship Questions
Yes. The parental leave benefit is available in this circumstance.
You may commence parental leave at any point after you assume physical custody, provided that an adoption is in process.