How federal agencies are providing parental leave

[Anonymous]

Can someone at a federal agency share how they have been able to take parental leave under the new policies? My husband and I are at different agencies and both policies are unclear, but it's too early for us to give notice and start engaging with HR.

It seems like, as a birth parent, I can take 6 weeks ST disability, an additional (max) of 8 weeks sick leave, an additional 12 weeks of "paid parental leave," and then have access to 12 weeks of (unpaid) FMLA. But it is unclear whether I can use sick leave for the 12 weeks of FMLA, or whether it must be unpaid, or whether I can use annual leave, etc. And it seems like this works out to 38 weeks/ 9.5 months total, although again it's unclear whether I can use sick/annual leave for the unpaid FMLA time.

Any experiences with navigating this would be very much appreciated.

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

My understanding is that the 12 weeks of paid parental leave takes the place of FMLA. You are entitled to the 12 weeks, anything else needs to be approved by your supervisor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My understanding is that the 12 weeks of paid parental leave takes the place of FMLA. You are entitled to the 12 weeks, anything else needs to be approved by your supervisor.

Although that is the minimum under the statute, some agencies are being more generous and getting around this by creating another leave category. There is discussion about this in other threds. My agency is now providing "paid parental leave" for 12 weeks, plus 12 weeks FMLA. But it is unclear whether the FMLA period can include paid leave, like sick time.

[Anonymous]

Just did this - it’s 12 weeks of paid parental leave (FEPLA), but you activate FMLA to take the FEPLA. Our agency allows other leave types to be taken before or after, though sick leave must be taken before FEPLA (after FEPLA, can be taken but must be for legit normal reason you’d take sick leave).

[Anonymous]

Yes at my agency (within hhs) the paid parental leave activates FMLA so you can’t take that in addition though that doesn’t mean you can’t take unpaid leave it’s just with supervisors approval. You can take sick leave beforehand, at my agency you always have only been able to take up to 6 weeks paid leave after a birth because that is the recovery time (or 8 weeks if you have a c). Then you can also take annual leave after the paid parental leave. So I’m using up most of my sick leave after the birth, about five weeks, then I’ll use the paid parental leave, then I’m doing a combo of annual and unpaid to extend a little because I really wanted to take an extended leave my second time around and my team is supportive. At my agency a lotttt of this is supervisor discretion.

[Anonymous]

Another fed here on maternity leave. Exact same as PP. Wonderfully supportive supervisor though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just did this - it’s 12 weeks of paid parental leave (FEPLA), but you activate FMLA to take the FEPLA. Our agency allows other leave types to be taken before or after, though sick leave must be taken before FEPLA (after FEPLA, can be taken but must be for legit normal reason you’d take sick leave).

This. FMLA is not a “type” of leave per se. FMLA is a law that just means you can’t be fired/they have to hold your job for you, for 12 weeks. Depending on where you work (federal agency or otherwise), it may be paid or unpaid, using your own accumulated leave or whatever paid parental leave is given to you at your organization. Also depending on where you work, whatever leave you are taking may be required to run concurrently with FMLA. It’s a really common misconception that FMLA is a type of leave.

[Anonymous]

What a PP mentioned is similar to what I'm doing (at NIH). 6 weeks sick leave, then 12 weeks Paid Parental Leave concurrent with FMLA. However, I'm easing back in on a part-time schedule after the first 8 weeks of FMLA/PPL, with 2/days a week of intermittent FMLA/PPL and 3 days working. It does help that I'm still teleworking full-time and my Institute is not sending (non-scientific) folks back to the office until Fall at the absolute earliest. So overall 14 weeks of continuous leave, then 160 hours (4 weeks worth) intermittent. A colleague in another Institute who is due a month after me is doing the same thing.

[Anonymous]

Don’t burn up all your paid leave during maternity leave you will need it as baby gets older ! Better to take unpaid if necessary. Also better to come back earlier and negotiate part time hours in my case but ymmv.

[Anonymous]

Want to add not sure about the ST disability. The sick leave needs to be taken immediately after birth because it's for the birth mother's physical recovery. 6 weeks is the default for sick leave, but don't need to have a c-section for 8 weeks, just need a doctor's note (my doctor was happy to provide a note saying I needed 8 weeks for recovery with my first, which was an unmedicated, uncomplicated delivery). Then you can take 12 weeks of paid leave, and then can use annual or unpaid leave after with approval. Any time the baby is sick or you or the baby have a doctor's appointment during that time you can use sick leave for those hours. If your partner is also a fed, he should also get 12 weeks of paid parental leave to take within 1 year of the baby's birth, so after you go back to work, he can take an additional 12 weeks. I also think he can take up to 6/8 weeks of sick leave at the beginning for your recovery (he doesn't have to take that whole time, but can't use the sick leave later because it's for your recovery, not to care for or bond with the baby).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just did this - it’s 12 weeks of paid parental leave (FEPLA), but you activate FMLA to take the FEPLA. Our agency allows other leave types to be taken before or after, though sick leave must be taken before FEPLA (after FEPLA, can be taken but must be for legit normal reason you’d take sick leave).

This. FMLA is not a “type” of leave per se. FMLA is a law that just means you can’t be fired/they have to hold your job for you, for 12 weeks. Depending on where you work (federal agency or otherwise), it may be paid or unpaid, using your own accumulated leave or whatever paid parental leave is given to you at your organization. Also depending on where you work, whatever leave you are taking may be required to run concurrently with FMLA. It’s a really common misconception that FMLA is a type of leave.

They have to hold a similar job but not the same job. Pay must be the same.