Reply to Feds - paid parental leave

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]My (independent) agency is implementing the paid-leave effective May 1. Anyone who has a kid before that date will be covered by our current policy (a mix of STD for moms and if a dad using up to 8 weeks of sick to care for mom and baby immediately post-birth).

We had a kid last August so we were hoping to get to use the paid leave before the 1st birthday. But my agency is not allowing that.

I have a few friends at DoS having kids this summer. They will just miss the cut off.[/quote]

Also I should add that my agency put out the following guidance. Again, we are independent so this may change as more clarity comes from OPM:

[quote][i]
AQs on Paid Parental Leave (PPL)
Note: These FAQs will be updated with more details closer to the go-live date.

When will PPL be available to [Agency] employees?
Human Resources is working with Technology Services, Payroll, Legal and our plan administrator to bring this benefit to the [Agency] for May 10, 2020.

How will PPL work?
Within the first year of a birth, adoption, or foster placement an employee approved for Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) bonding time will be eligible to use up to 12 weeks or 480 hours of 100% paid leave. The eligible employee may take the leave continuously, intermittently, or do both (for example, take off six weeks at the time of birth, adoption, or foster placement, and then use the remaining six weeks on an intermittent basis).

Who is eligible for the [Agency]'s new Paid Parental Leave (PPL)?
The PPL benefit is effective on May 10, 2020. Employees with birth, adoption, or foster placement life events on or after May 10, 2020 will be covered for PPL.

What if an employee gave birth, adopted, or had a foster-placement life event prior to May 10, 2020?
Employees who are within one year from the birth, adoption, or fostering event as of May 10, 2020 may take remaining bonding time from May 10, 2020 forward as paid. Any baby-bonding FMLA leave taken prior to May 10, 2020 will be deducted from their 12-week PPL.

Are birth parents still eligible under the Short Term Disability (STD) benefit?
Yes, birth parents continue to be eligible for either 6 or 8 weeks of pay under the STD plan immediately following the birth of their child.

Are non-birth parents still eligible for 8 weeks of sick leave immediately following the birth, adoption, or fostering of a child?
Yes.

Help me understand better. If I gave birth on February 3, 2020 and I am approved for 8 weeks of STD maternity leave and then I immediately use my own annual leave for continuous bonding time under FMLA until May 10, 2020. Will my own leave used prior to May 10th be returned and will I get PPL from May 10 forward?

In this scenario, the STD benefit covers the birth parent from February 3, 2020 through March 29. FMLA bonding time from March 30 though May 9 will be unpaid FMLA; substituted with annual leave for a total of 6 weeks until May 10. From May 11 forward, the employee will have 6 weeks remaining of paid parental leave to use going forward, either continuously or intermittently, until February 3, 2021. Your own leave used during the period from March 30 though May 9 will not be returned.

Are domestic partners eligible for PPL?
Yes.
[/quote][/i][/quote]

So if I am reading it correctly, if you burned your own leave prior to May 2020, you don't get it back.  But those days are still subtracted from your PPL.  Seems unfair.  They should credit those AL days back to the employee, or give the employee the whole PPL period.  Women lose again. [/quote]

I'm the PP here
What I don't understand in my agency's FAQs is why a person would declare FMLA and use annual leave simultaneously. Just use the annual leave, as if it's vacation time. There's no requirement to declare FMLA if you're burning annual leave days.

The guidance really disadvantages people who "declared" FMLA within the period May 2019 to May 2020. My DW really wanted me to use unpaid FMLA leave, but now in hindsight we are happy I did not. I'll get to spend most of the summer 2020 off of work and bonding with my kid. [/quote]

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