Paid Parental Leave

Overview

Paid Parental Leave provides eligible employees with up to 6 (six) weeks of paid time off (pro-rated if part-time) following a qualifying birth or adoptive event to allow for time to bond with their new child, adjust to their new family situation, and balance personal obligations that result from a birth or adoptive event. Paid Parental Leave is limited to one qualifying event every 12 months.

In addition to eligibility requirements based on employment type employees must have completed six months of continuous employment with the Universities of Wisconsin at the time of their qualifying event. Review UW System Administrative Policy 1221: Paid Parental Leave for all eligibility requirements.

Paid Parental Leave may be used continuously, intermittently, or on a reduced schedule basis and must be used within 12 months following the date of the qualifying event.

Paid Parental Leave may be used in conjunction with other forms of paid or unpaid time off. Paid Parental Leave runs concurrently with Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and Wisconsin Family Medical Leave Act (WFMLA) leave in cases when the employee also meets the eligibility requirements for FMLA or WFMLA leave. This means the employee’s Paid Parental Leave time used will decrease the amount of FMLA and WFMLA leave available to the employee.

How to Apply

Complete and submit the Paid Parental Leave Request Form found in the Resources section below, along with documentation of the upcoming qualifying event, to your institution human resources office. Forms of documentation include: a health care certification from a medical doctor, a birth certificate, a certified copy of an adoption order listing the eligible employee as a parent, a certified copy of a foreign adoption order registered in the State of Wisconsin, or comparable official or professional documentation.

When the leave is foreseeable, the employee must provide a minimum 30 (thirty) days’ advance notice to use Paid Parental Leave. If 30 days’ notice is not given, Paid Parental Leave may be denied until 30 days after the notice is received. It is understood that under some circumstances it is not feasible to provide 30 days’ notice. In these cases, the employee must provide notice as soon as practicable.

Resources

• UW System Administrative Policy 1221: Paid Parental Leave (effective July 1, 2024)
• Paid Parental Leave Frequently Asked Questions pdf
• Paid Parental Leave Request Form pdf
• Tip Sheets on Entering Paid Parental Leave Usage
  • Faculty, Academic Staff, Limited Appointees
  • University Staff