Birth/Adoption/Placement of a Child - AFSCME Unit A Employees

Many congratulations on the new addition to your family!

There are many things to consider with this change in family status including entitlement to leave from your job with UMass Amherst, how to expand your insurance coverage(s), modification of beneficiary and/or tax designations and more.

How to Apply for Leave
The Employee's Family / Medical Leave Request website provides instructions on how to apply for leave.

AFSCME employees who become biological, adoptive or foster parents may be eligible for job-and-benefits-protected leave under the federal Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Massachusetts Parental Leave law (PPL), the Massachusetts Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) and/or the collective bargaining agreement. Leave entitlements under federal law, state law, the collective bargaining agreement and University policy run concurrent.

You are entitled to the greatest benefit available under all that apply to your situation. The:

  • FMLA provides up to 12 weeks of leave per calendar year (combined for all covered purposes). To be eligible for leave under  FMLA eligibility requires that you have worked:
    • for the University for 12 or more months, and
    • no fewer than 1,250 hours in the 12 months  immediately preceding your leave.
  • Your departmental human resources representative you will provide you written confirmation of your employment and insurance protections under the FMLA in response to your request for leave.
     
  • MA Parental Leave: up to 8 weeks of leave per child (if employed full-time by the University for at least 3 months or fulfilled your probationary period, whichever is less). Leave beyond 8 weeks applies if more than one child is born, adopted or placed in foster care.
     
  • PFML: up to 12 weeks of leave is available to qualified PFML-eligible individuals for bonding purposes; additional leave may be available if absent due to a serious health condition related to pregnancy or giving birth. Individuals can also apply to the MA Department of Family Medical Leave (DFML) for partial income replacement while on an approved leave.

    The PFML cannot provide income replacement during the first seven (7) calendar days of leave and the university cannot provide income for periods you are paid directly by the DFML. If you will be on a leave not paid by the University please carefully review the Impact of PFML Leave on Benefits.

You may request to use this leave in preparation for the birth/adoption of your child or for care of your child following birth/adoption.

Please note this website is not intended to fully describe leave entitlements under federal law, state law or the CBA. Where the information on this site differs from the law or CBA the latter shall prevail.

Employees who have fulfilled the probationary period are eligible to receive their full salary during the two  (2) weeks of approved parental leave immediately following their child's birth/adoption or placement (and are paid without use of accrued time). These two (2) weeks are shared by both parents if both parents work for the University and are pro-rated based on part-time or alternate work schedules.

Thereafter employees may used accrued vacation or personal time (or choose to request unpaid leave, possibly applying for partial income under the PFML).

If you have given birth, you may use accrued sick time if the medical need is documented by a physician.

If you are on an approved:

  • Unpaid leave (including if you are drawing income from the Massachusetts Department of Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) please carefully review the Impact of Paid Family Medical Leave on Benefits.
     
  • Leave paid by the University:
    • Your normal payroll deductions will continue while you are on paid leave. This includes  contributions toward insurance and retirement.
    • Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP): IRS regulations state that you must be at work in order to incur DCAP-eligible expenses.

There are a number of benefits changes you may wish to consider when a new family member arrives. Representatives at the Human Resources Employee Service Center are able to assist in answering questions.

  • GIC Health Insurance: you can add your child to your GIC health insurance plan by completing the enrollment process within 60 days of your child's birth/adoption or placement with you. Premiums are provided in the GIC’s Benefits Decision Guide.
     
  • Dental Insurance: contact MA Public Employees' Fund within 30 days of birth/adoption/placement in order to add your child to your dental and vision insurance plans.
     
  • GIC Optional Life Insurance: within sixty (60) days  of your child's birth/adoption you may apply for, or increase, your GIC Optional Life Insurance coverage to up-to-four times (4x) your annual salary without the need to pass a medical evidence of insurability exam . Premiums are provided in the GIC’s Benefits Decision Guide.

    You may apply for the coverage:

You may wish to enroll, or modify your enrollment, in a Group Insurance Commission (GIC) Health Care Spending Account (HCSA) or Dependent Care Assistance Plan (DCAP):

  • Enroll in (or increase your contributions to) either of these tax savings programs by submitting your request with proof of qualifying event online with the GIC's Flexible Spending Account (FSA) vendor within 30 days of your child's birth or adoption.
  • Add your child as a dependent in the GIC's FSA vendor's online system.

You may wish to change your beneficiary(ies) for the:

There are a number of benefits changes you may wish to consider when a new family member arrives. Representatives at the Human Resources Employee Service Center are able to assist in answering questions.