School of Medicine Paid Family and Medical Leave for Academic Appointees

Scope

All full-time Indiana University School of Medicine Academic Appointees.

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Policy Statement

General Statement

Indiana University School of Medicine supports an environment that offers solutions to the complex issues academic appointees face in balancing their work and family commitments. This policy provides eligible academic appointees with up to twelve weeks of fully paid leave, as needed for the following events:

• the birth or placement of adoption or foster care of a child by the academic appointee or academic appointee’s spouse or domestic partner

• the primary care of an eligible family member with a serious health condition

• for a serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the functions of the employee's position

• any other qualifying event under the Family and Medical Leave Act

The paid leave provided in this policy is not intended to be a supplemental pay plan. It is a policy which allows for an academic appointee to take necessary time off from work without undue financial hardship. People may need six weeks, or they may need twelve weeks, depending on their situation. It is expected that paid leave periods will vary by need and circumstances and may extend across semesters. An appointee should not be expected to perform duties while on leave, to make up time/work, or to be on call in the clinical settings. The leave is intended to relieve the appointee of responsibilities so he or she may attend to the family or medical need. Leave taken pursuant to this policy shall count as all or part of the federal Family and Medical Leave Act requirement.

Eligibility

Both 10- and 12- month academic appointees are eligible for the paid leave under this policy after two years continuous full-time Indiana University service. Visiting, adjunct, part-time, post-doctoral, and intermittent appointees are not eligible for family and medical leave.

This policy applies only to salaries paid by the University; it has no application to salaries or other compensation from other sources, including professional practice plans.

Eligible Family Members

Spouse, domestic partner, parent, dependent child, or dependent child or parent of the appointee’s spouse or domestic partner.

Leave Frequency

Academic appointees may take the paid leave provided for in this policy up to twice every five years, but the appointee must return to full-time service for at least one fall or spring semester between leaves. Appointees in non-teaching appointments must return for at least five months. Family leave for the birth or placement of adoption or foster care of a child must be concluded within twelve months of the birth of the child or the date on which the child is placed in the physical custody of the academic appointee. The first week of any family/medical leave begins the period for calculating both the twelve weeks and five-year eligibility period.

Short Term Absences

Short term absences of three weeks or less should continue to be arranged informally within a department.

Break Periods & Vacation Time

All semester breaks and recognized university holidays (e.g., Thanksgiving, Winter and Spring breaks) count in the leave period. The first eight weeks of leave taken under this policy will not be deducted from any accrued vacation time for which an appointee is eligible. The remaining four weeks of leave taken under this policy will be deducted from accrued vacation time using one of the following options: the remaining four weeks shall cause the accrued vacation time to be reduced by 2 weeks; or the remaining four weeks will be paid at 50% of salary, with no reduction in accrued vacation time.

Flexibility & Teaching Assignments

1. When a proposed leave under this policy would prevent an appointee from carrying out his or her regular teaching responsibilities in two consecutive semesters, he or she must reach an agreement with the relevant academic unit that meets the needs of both the appointee and the academic unit. Agreements may include, for example, a reduced teaching schedule in one or more semesters, partial-semester teaching schedules, additional non-teaching duties, a combination of paid and unpaid leave, etc. Appointees and academic units are encouraged to be creative and flexible in developing solutions that are fair to both the individual and the University.

2. All agreements must be committed in writing, signed by the appointee and the head of the relevant academic unit, and approved by the Dean of the Faculties or Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs. It shall be the responsibility of the Dean of the Faculties or Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs to ensure that all agreements entered into are voluntary and fair to both the appointee and the University.

Relationship to Sick Leave Policy

This policy will supersede the current sick leave and pregnancy leave policies. Thus, accrued sick leave or pregnancy leave must be used and will run concurrently with the paid leave provided for under this policy.

Tenure Clock

The tenure clock stops during a family/medical leave unless the academic appointee requests otherwise. Failure to perform duties during the leave period shall not be considered in the evaluation for reappointment, tenure, promotion, or merit pay.

Implementation

The Dean of the Faculties or Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs shall provide information, interpretation, documentation, and enforcement of this policy on each campus. The Dean of the Faculties or Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs shall annually provide a report on the utilization of this policy to the agenda committee of their respective campus faculty councils and shall be available to answer questions of the council concerning this policy.

(Board of Trustees, June 12, 2009)

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