Paid Parental Leave

Dunwoody College of Technology will provide up to six weeks of paid parental leave to employees following the birth of an employee’s child or the placement of a child with an employee in connection with adoption or foster care. The purpose of paid parental leave is to enable the employee to recover from the birth of a child and/or care for and bond with a newborn or a newly adopted or newly placed child before returning to work. This policy will run concurrently with Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave and Minnesota Parental Leave Act (MPLA) leave, as applicable. This policy will be in effect for births, adoptions or placements of foster children occurring on or after 1/1/19.

Eligibility

Eligible employees must meet the following criteria:

  • Have been employed with the College for at least 12 months (the 12 months do not need to be consecutive) as a a full- or part-time, regular, benefits eligible employee; and
  • Have worked at least 1,250 hours during the 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the date the leave would begin; and
  • Be a current full- or part-time, regular, benefits eligible employee

In addition, employees must meet one of the following criteria:

  • Have given birth to a child; or
  • Be a spouse or committed partner of a woman who has given birth to a child; or
  • Have adopted a child or been placed with a foster child (in either case, the child must be age 17 or younger).

Amount, Time Frame and Duration of Paid Parental Leave

  • Eligible employees will receive a maximum of six weeks of paid parental leave per birth, adoption or placement of a child/children.  The fact that a multiple birth, adoption or placement occurs (e.g., the birth of twins or adoption of siblings) does not increase the six-week total amount of paid parental leave granted for that event.  In addition, in no case will an employee receive more than six weeks of paid parental leave in a rolling 12-month period, regardless of whether more than one birth, adoption or foster care placement event occurs within that 12-month time frame.
  • Each week of paid parental leave is compensated at one hundred percent (100%) of the employee’s regular, straight-time weekly pay.  Paid parental leave will be paid on a semi-monthly basis on regularly scheduled pay dates.
  • Approved paid parental leave may be taken at any time during the six-month period immediately following the birth, adoption or placement of a child with the employee. Paid parental leave may not be used or extended beyond this six-month time frame.
  • In the event of an employee who has given birth, the six weeks of paid parental leave will commence at the conclusion of any short-term disability leave/benefit provided to the employee for the employee’s own medical recovery following childbirth. The employee is required to use their accrued sick and PTO hours in conjunction with the short-term disability benefit not to exceed their normal weekly earnings.
  • Employees must take paid parental leave in one continuous period of leave and must use all paid parental leave during the six-month time frame indicated above.  Any unused paid parental leave will be forfeited at the end of the six-month time frame.
  • Upon termination of the individual’s employment at the College, they will not be paid for any unused paid parental leave for which they were eligible.
  • If an employee voluntarily separates from employment within 60 days of the end of their parental leave period, the employee may be required to repay the College for all paid parental leave received under this policy, excluding sick, vacation, and personal time.

Coordination with Other Policies

  • Paid parental leave taken under this policy will run concurrently with any other legally mandated leaves, including under the FMLA and MPLA as applicable.  Please refer to the College’s Family and Medical Leave Policy and Minnesota Parental Leave Policy for further guidance on the FMLA and MPLA.
  • For the six weeks of paid parental leave provided under this policy, the College will maintain all health and welfare benefits that were in effect prior to leave and on the same basis as if the employee had continued in active employment, just as if they were taking any other College paid leave such as paid vacation leave or paid sick leave.  The employee’s share of benefit premiums will continue to be paid by the method normally used during paid leave (typically by payroll deduction).
  • Time off accruals, such as PTO will be suspended during the leave and will resume upon return to active employment. 
  • If a paid holiday occurs while the employee is on paid parental leave, such day will be charged to holiday pay; however, such holiday pay will not extend the total paid parental leave entitlement.
  • An employee who takes paid parental leave and does not qualify for FMLA leave will be afforded the same level of job protection for the period of time that the employee is on paid parental leave as if the employee was on FMLA-qualifying leave.
  • If an employee needs leave beyond the six weeks of paid parental leave provided pursuant to this policy, please refer to the College’s disability insurance policies, Family and Medical Leave Policy, and Minnesota Parental Leave Policy. 

Requests for Paid Parental Leave

  • The employee will provide their supervisor and the human resource department with notice of the request for leave at least 30 days prior to the proposed date of the leave (or if the leave was not foreseeable, as soon as possible). The employee must complete the necessary HR forms and provide all documentation as required by the HR department to substantiate the request.
  • As is the case with all College policies, the College has the exclusive right to interpret this policy.