Paid Parental Leave (PPL)

The University is committed to optimizing health and well-being of parents and children when employees add new children to their families. This policy provides eligible employees dedicated paid leave time to recoup from childbirth, bond with a newborn child following birth, adoption, foster placement, or other legal placement.

How to Apply for Paid Parental Leave

Eligibility

An employee’s eligibility for Paid Parental Leave (PPL) shall be based on the employee’s months of service and hours of work as of the date of the qualifying life event.

An SHRA/CSS/DMSS/EHRA Non-Faculty employee who becomes a parent via childbirth, adoption, foster care, or another legal placement is eligible if:

• The employee is full-time or part-time (half-time or more) in a permanent, probationary, or time-limited (benefits-eligible) position;
• The employee has been continuously employed by the State of North Carolina for the immediate twelve (12) preceding months; and
• The employee has been in pay status for at least 1,040 hours in the previous twelve-month period.

Faculty members are not generally eligible for Paid Parental Leave but may qualify for leave under the Faculty Serious Illness Leave & Parental Leave policy.

Leave Provisions

Eligible employees who have given birth shall be provided 4 weeks of Paid Parental Leave (PPL) for recuperation during the disability period associated with the birth (“Recuperation Leave”).  This leave must be used as a continuous 4-week period of leave commencing immediately following the birth.

Eligible employees shall be provided four weeks of PPL to care for and bond with an eligible child (“Bonding Leave”).  This leave type applies to both parents and must be used within the first 12 months of the birth or placement of the child and should be coordinated with the employee’s management to minimize impact to the work unit, if feasible, and to avoid any public safety concern.  This leave must be used as a continuous 4-week period of leave.

PPL must run concurrently with Family and Medical Leave (FMLA), if available. Even if the employee has already exhausted their available FMLA, the employee will remain eligible to use PPL if it has not been used within the past twelve months.

PPL cannot be used prior to the birth of legal placement of a child for related medical issues or placement-related legal or court appointments.

Eligibility for PPL ends if an employee transfers to an ineligible position/appointment, non-participating institution, or separates from the University. PPL is not paid upon separation from employment and cannot be donated to other employees.

In the event of a stillbirth occurring twenty or more weeks in the pregnancy, a birth mother who is otherwise an eligible employee shall be provided up to 4 weeks of PPL-Recuperation commencing immediately following the stillbirth.

Requesting Leave and Certification Requirements

Since the PPL runs in parallel with available FMLA, the first step of requesting leave associated with birth, adoption, foster placement, or other legal placement would be to submit the Family and Medical Leave Request Form to the HR Benefits Office at least 30 days prior to the beginning date of leave, or as soon as the need for leave is known.

To request PPL to run concurrently with the unpaid FMLA, employees should complete a Paid Parental Leave Request Form and return the completed form along with supporting documentation to the HR Benefits Office. A request for PPL cannot be approved until the supporting documentation has been provided.

For both PPL and FMLA, employees will be required to provide documentation to certify eligibility.  For FMLA, the Department of Labor Medical Certification Form may be required.  For PPL, an employee may be required to provide other official documentation, including but not limited to the documents referenced below:

Adoption – Adoption Order or Proof of Placement

Birth – Birth Certificate (or Report of Birth/Stillbirth), Certified DNA Results, Custody Order, or Proof of Placements

Foster Placement – Foster Care Placement Agreement, Custody Order, or Proof of Placement

Other Legal Placements – Custody Order or Proof of Placement

Administration of Leave

PPL and FMLA are administered through the HR Benefits Office.  For questions about these leave types, an employee should contact their HR Benefits Consultant.

Helpful Resources

• Family and Medical Leave Policy (FMLA)
• Family and Medical Leave Request Form (FMLA)
• Medical Release to Return to Work
• Paid Parental Leave Request Form (PPL)