The University of Colorado Board of Regents has approved a new administrative policy statement (5019) that grants paid parental leave to eligible faculty and staff at the university, effective July 1.
As the policy allows each campus to provide additional leave beyond what is outlined, the CU Boulder campus is extending the amount of paid leave and building in greater time flexibility to access the benefit.
Currently, the enhancement excludes classified employees, tenure/tenure-track faculty and tenure/tenure track library faculty. Classified staff benefits are under the purview of the state of Colorado and CU Boulder is working with the state to extend the benefit to classified employees. The tenure/tenure-track faculty who are excluded from the enhancement already receive eighteen weeks of paid leave, and the tenure/tenure track library faculty excluded already receive six months of paid parental leave.
CU Boulder’s policy on paid parental leave grants eligible regular employees―including university staff, research faculty and some non-tenure track nine-month faculty―240 hours (six weeks) of paid parental leave, to be utilized within one year of a birth, adoption or foster placement. The new paid leave benefit exists as an extension to the current benefit of unpaid leave under the Family Medical Leave Act, running concurrently.
“This policy enhancement is the result of many people wanting to support the well-being of our employees and their families,” said CU Boulder Senior Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer Kelly Fox. “It also supports our efforts to recruit and retain faculty and staff on the Boulder campus, and to foster an inclusive and supportive workplace for parents and families.”
Employees who became eligible for parental leave benefits beginning Jan. 1, 2018, and after, and who have not exceeded six months of leave already, can use the benefit enhancement up until Dec. 31, 2018.
CU Boulder and university-wide staff and faculty councils advocated for this change over the course of the past year. A white paper researched, drafted and submitted to the CU Boulder administration by a Staff Council committee supported a paid leave policy and included information about similar policies at peer institutions and other entities.
To learn more, visit the CU Boulder Paid Parental Leave Guidance page. If you have questions about CU Boulder paid parental leave or FMLA, contact Juli Carey at juli.carey@colorado.edu or 303-492-4111, or email FMLA@colorado.edu.
