Effective Jan. 1, 2024, the provisions of the university’s parental leave policy run concurrently with the State of Colorado Family and Medical Leave Insurance Act (FAMLI) and the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). This means parental leave is not in addition to CSU’s FAMLI plan and FMLA. 

PURPOSE OF THIS POLICY

The purpose of this policy is to provide Parental Leave that supports employees by offering leave to care for and bond with their growing families. New parents are eligible for up to 18 weeks of leave which must be used, to the extent available, in one continuous block of time with Colorado State University’s (CSU) FAMLI.

This policy streamlines CSU’s leave benefits, by clarifying how Parental Leave interacts with the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Act (FAMLI) and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FML). CSU FAMLI (up to 12 weeks) is inclusive of Parental Leave for employees who live and work in the state of Colorado and Parental Leave may not be used separately.

APPLICATION OF THIS POLICY

This policy applies to all Eligible Employees (as defined below). It does not apply to state classified employees whose leave benefits are specified by the State of Colorado Department of Personnel and Administration.

EXEMPTIONS FROM THIS POLICY

None.

DEFINITIONS USED IN THIS POLICY

Eligible Employee: Academic Faculty, Administrative Professionals, Post-Doctoral Fellows, Veterinary Interns and Clinical Psychology Interns with an appointment of at least half-time (50%) or greater who are benefits-eligible are eligible for Parental Leave. An employee is not an Eligible Employee during any period in which the employee is not in regular, paid employment status (for example, during a sabbatical or other such absence), and Parental Leave is not applicable to 9-month appointees during summer session appointments.

Parent: As used herein, a “Parent” means an Eligible Employee who is the child’s biological Parent, Adoptive Parent, certified foster Parent, or guardian or a spouse, domestic Partner or civil union Partner of an Eligible Employee who is a Parent, at the time that the leave period commences (and for as long as the leave is eligible to continue).  An employee becomes a Parent for purposes of this policy on the date of their child’s birth, placement for adoption or certified foster care.

POLICY STATEMENT

CSU recognizes the importance of supporting its employees with leave benefits that foster a healthy work-life integration. We understand that the arrival of a new child is a pivotal and cherished moment in a family’s life, and providing leave for new parents to care for and bond with their child is central to our commitment to both our employees and the broader campus community.

POLICY PROVISIONS

How to use Parental Leave

Parental Leave consists of up to eighteen (18) weeks of leave for Parents, to be used for the purpose of caring for and bonding with the child. Parental Leave may be taken anytime within the first year of becoming a Parent in one consecutive block of time. It runs concurrently with FAMLI and FML. FML is a federal leave program that provides job protection for an employee for up to 12 weeks of leave for qualifying events. (See AFAPM Appendix 8 for details on FML.)

Parental Leave is not available during the period preceding the birth, placement for adoption or certified foster care, even if absences are due to the expected arrival. Employees may use other types of accrued leave (such as sick or annual leave), or FML as appropriate, for absences during such periods.

Prior notice of the intent to take Parental Leave must be given by the employee to their supervisor at least 30 days in advance (unless such notice is impossible, in which case, then as soon as possible).

Parental Leave is not available during summer session for a 9-month employee, or during any other period where the employee would not otherwise have been on regular, paid work status at the time that the employee becomes eligible for Parental Leave.

For Academic Faculty, Parental Leave is intended to provide a full semester of leave, plus one week before and one week after the semester, giving Parents the needed time to bond and care for the newest member of their family while providing continuity for students. The following leave illustrations describe how Parental Leave may be applied in conjunction with FAMLI and FML.

Parental leave will run concurrently to the extent the employee is eligible for FML and FAMLI:

12-Month Faculty and Non-Classified Staff

• During the first 12 weeks of leave, employees must exhaust any availableFAMLI benefits and/or FML. Parental Leave pay will be used to supplement FAMLI during this time.
• For additional weeks up to the 18^th week, 12-month Faculty and Non-Classified staff must exhaust accrued annual or sick leave and receive Parental Leave pay once those balances are depleted.

 9-Month Faculty and Non-Classified Staff

• During the first 12 weeks of leave, employees must exhaust any availableFAMLI benefits and/or FML. Parental Leave pay will be used to supplement FAMLI during this time. .
• For additional weeks up to the18^th week, 9-month Faculty and Non-Classified staff will receive Parental Leave pay.

Teaching, Research, and Service Relief

Academic Faculty are entitled to relief from teaching responsibilities while on Parental Leave. Teaching, Research, and Service Relief includes release from teaching a full load for one semester, consistent with the unit’s teaching loads. It also includes a reduction of other duties to the extent practicable (such as research, student consultation and advising). It is the intention that Faculty arrange Parental Leave, when possible, to coincide with the semester calendar. Parental Leave is intended to minimize the disruption of students’ education that occurs when Faculty must be replaced by another instructor. Paid Parental Leave is not available during the summer for 9-month faculty.

Academic Faculty are to discuss proactively with their department head/chair an appropriate arrangement to minimize the disruption to students and research.

How to Apply

The application for CSU FAMLI and Parental Leave is located on the HR website. FAMLI is a self-funded private plan that pays partial income replacement in accordance with state mandated wage calculations for Colorado Eligible Employees paying the required FAMLI premium. Parental Leave is used to top off FAMLI partial income replacement for up to 12 weeks allowed under FAMLI. FAMLI is subject to change at the discretion of the State of Colorado and details can be found on the HR website.

Within one month following the return-to-work date, departments must complete the appropriate formal request at https://hr.colostate.edu/parental-leave-form/  to receive funding from the fringe pool as a result of an employee’s use of sick, annual or Parental Leave (up to 18 work weeks of leave.). During periods of FAMLI partial income replacement only the portion attributable to “top off” with Parental Leave for the first 12 weeks of FAMLI leave are eligible for fringe pool reimbursement. Under no circumstances will reimbursement occur if the request is received after the fiscal year end. The department will certify on the application that the Parental Leave policy requirements have been satisfied and paid from the departmental budget and request the reallocation of labor distribution from the fringe pool to the department’s budget. This does not include the direct cost of replacement services (for example, hiring a temporary employee to fill in during the Parent’s absence), since the department will have been made whole for the salary replacement cost of the Parent’s leave.

Only one Parental Leave benefit per Eligible Employee is available per birth, adoption or placement for foster care in a 12-month period. The number of children born, placed for adoption or certified foster care (e.g., multiple births (twins, triplets, etc.)) does not increase the amount of the FAMLI and Parental Leave benefit. If both Parents are Eligible Employees, each is entitled to use their FAMLI and Parental Leave benefit for the same event.

Supervisors are responsible for timely reporting Parental Leave of an employee in accordance with the Leave Reporting Policy.

FAMLI and Parental Leave that was earned but not used is not eligible for payment upon separation or retirement under AFAPM section F.3.2.3.

For employees who do not live and work in Colorado,  within one month following the return to work date, departments must complete the formal request form to receive funding from the fringe pool as a result of an employee’s use of sick, annual or Parental Leave (up to 18 work weeks of leave.). Under no circumstances will reimbursement occur if the request is received after the fiscal year end

COMPLIANCE WITH THIS POLICY

Assistance in applying this policy will be provided by the Division of Human Resources.

REFERENCES

• Academic Faculty and Administrative Professional Manual, Sec. F (Leave Policies) and Appendix 8 (FML Policy)
• HR Manual, Sec. 1, FMLA, and Sec. 2, Parental Leave and FML
• HR Web Resources
• CSU Policy: Graduate Student Parental Leave

FORMS AND TOOLS

Leave Reporting Procedures (HR website)

Reimbursement Request Form

APPROVALS

Approved by Amy L. Parsons, Vice President for University Operations in August 2011

Revision approved by Amy L. Parsons, Vice President for University Operations, on May 23, 2013

Revision approved by Amy L. Parsons, Vice President for University operations, on January 5, 2015

Revision approved by Brendan Hanlon, Vice President for University Operations, on April 18, 2025