Birth/Adoption/Placement of a Child - PostDoctoral 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, 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.

PostDoctoral 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) and/or the Massachusetts Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML). Leave entitlements under federal law, state law, the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) 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.
     
  • Article 33 of the CBA provides up to eight (8) weeks of paid parental leave to a PostDoctoral employee who has been employed by the University for at least three (3) consecutive months.

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, the CBA or University policy. Where the information on this site differs from the law, CBA or University policy the latter shall prevail.

Article 33 of the PostDoctoral Collective Bargaining Agreement provides up to eight (8) weeks of paid parental leave to a PostDoctoral employee who has been employed by the University for at least three (3) consecutive months.

If you have given birth, you may use accrued sick time if the medical need is documented by a physician. You might also consider applying 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 are on an approved leave paid by the University your normal payroll deductions will continue while you are on paid leave.

You may wish to change your beneficiary(ies) for your Massachusetts OBRA Retirement Plan directly online in Empower Retirement's system.

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.