Emory University is expanding its paid parental leave policy to include faculty. Beginning May 18, 2022, Emory University will offer faculty who experience the birth or adoption of a child a minimum of six weeks of paid parental leave. This follows the policy expanding paid parental leave for staff from three to six weeks that became effective January 1, 2022.
The family-friendly policy expansion responds in part to the findings of the 2019-2020 COACHE Faculty Satisfaction Survey.
“Emory has provided paid parental leave for faculty for some time, but during the COACHE process, the steering committee heard faculty concerns about inconsistencies and variation in the accessibility of leave,” notes Deputy Provost Christa Acampora. “I’m very grateful to the deans for their engagement and action in response to that feedback. This policy now standardizes a minimum of six weeks of paid parental leave for all full-time Emory University employees. It also ensures that processes are in place to help employees, including faculty, access the benefit.”
Faculty support is a key priority for Provost Ravi Bellamkonda, who links it to faculty eminence and the success of the university’s research and teaching mission.
“Faculty success becomes markedly more possible when the university marshals all its resources and creates a climate that fosters well-being,” says Bellamkonda. “I appreciate our faculty voicing their opinions and raising this opportunity for improvement. I would like to thank them for their engagement, as well as our deans, Executive Vice President for Business and Administration Chris Augostini, and Executive Vice President for Health Affairs Jon Lewin for their leadership in supporting this new standard for paid parental leave.”
Eligible employees have completed one year of service and are a faculty member employed by Emory at 0.5 full-time-equivalent or greater. When both parents are eligible Emory employees, both are entitled to parental leave.
Eligible employees do not include medical residents, students, leased employees (including temporary employees) or any party not classified as an employee by Emory University, including employees of Emory Healthcare.
Medical house staff have a separate parental leave policy and should contact the Graduate Medical Education office for parental leave matters.
Leave must be taken within the first 12 months of the birth or adoption. Paid parental leave does not apply for foster care placement.
For questions about the application of this policy in your school or unit and especially about school-specific benefits, please contact your associate dean of faculty or department chair.
Visit policies.emory.edu/4.125 to see the full policy (login required).