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Policy on Faculty Family Leave

ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵbelieves in supporting faculty well-being, assisting faculty in nurturing their children, and minimizing the impact of parenting responsibilities on faculty tenure and other career goals. Toward that end, this policy establishes faculty family leaves for purposes of birth, adoption, or care for a child after birth or adoption. The University fully supports faculty using these leaves.

Jump to:

• Eligibility
• Types of Leaves
• Length and Timing of Leaves
• Coordination with FMLA and Medical Leave
• Expectations During Childbearing, Adoption and Childrearing Leaves
• Tenure Clock Extension

Any faculty in the Feinberg School of Medicine who have appointments in NMG should follow the leave of absence process outlined on the .  Faculty with NMG appointments do not contact MetLife for leave of absence requests.

Eligibility

Faculty eligible for childbearing, adoption, and childrearing leaves described below are:

1. full-time, benefits-eligible tenured or tenure track faculty
2. other full-time, benefits-eligible instructional faculty who, at the time of the birth or adoption, have completed three years of continuous full time service on the ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵfaculty (or have an appointment at the end of which they will have completed three years of continuous full time service) or who are serving on an academic appointment of three years or longer at the time of the leave. Persons who hold research faculty appointments and persons who hold faculty appointments but whose activities are primarily non-instructional (administrative) are ineligible for the childbearing, adoption, and childrearing leaves described in this policy.

Faculty members who do not meet the eligibility requirement described above may be eligible for paid medical leave for the period of time medically necessary for a faculty member to recover from childbirth and for unpaid leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (see section IV and “related Information” below).

Types of Leaves

Leave for Childbearing

Paid leave is provided to eligible faculty members who give birth to a child. Childbearing leave will be automatically approved after providing notification to the designated administrator within the faculty member’s school Dean’s or Faculty Affairs Office (as specified in Section III below) and submitting documentation to MetLife (see “related information” below). Faculty in Feinberg may follow a different process and should contact their department administrator or the Feinberg Faculty Affairs Office for information (fao@northwestern.edu).

Faculty members who give birth to a child are eligible for a subsequent paid childrearing leave.

Leave for Adoption

Paid leave is provided to eligible faculty members for adoption of a child and will be automatically approved after providing notification to the designated administrator within the faculty member’s school Dean’s or Faculty Affairs Office (as specified in Section III below) and submitting documentation to MetLife (see “related information” below). Faculty in Feinberg may follow a different process and should contact their department administrator or the Feinberg Faculty Affairs Office for information (fao@northwestern.edu).

Faculty members who adopt a child are eligible for a subsequent paid childrearing leave.

Leave for Childrearing

Paid leave is provided to eligible faculty members who are at least an equal partner in caring for a child. Approvals for childrearing leave will generally be granted to equal partners in childrearing. The Provost’s Office has final approval authority over childrearing leaves.

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Length and Timing of Leaves

Faculty Members Whose Primary Appointments are in WCAS, SESP, SoC, Medill, McCormick, Bienen and Kellogg

• Childbearing and Adoption Leave: One academic term, with corresponding reduction in teaching load. This leave must be taken during the academic term during which the birth or adoption takes place, or during the academic term immediately following birth or adoption. The faculty member is expected to notify the designated administrator within the faculty member’s school Dean’s or Faculty Affairs Office (see the Faculty Family Leave FAQs page – ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵOffice of the Provost) at least sixty days prior to the beginning of the academic term during which the leave will take place; in cases of reception of a child by adoption, a shorter notification period is allowed when necessary.

• Childrearing Leave: One academic term, with corresponding reduction in teaching load. Childrearing leave must commence within twelve months of the birth or adoption of the child. Approvals for childrearing leave will generally be granted to equal partners in childrearing. The Provost’s Office has final approval authority over childrearing leaves.

• The faculty member is expected to submit a request for leave at least sixty days prior to the beginning of the academic term requested as the leave period to MetLife, who will forward the request to the University, in addition to informing the designated administrator within the faculty member’s school Dean’s or Faculty Affairs Office (see the Faculty Family Leave FAQs page – ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵOffice of the Provost).

Faculty Members Whose Primary Appointment is in the Pritzker School of Law

• Childbearing and Adoption Leave: Ten weeks, with reduction in annual teaching load, equivalent to one course. Faculty members with term-based teaching responsibilities must take this leave during the academic term during which the birth or adoption takes place, or during the academic term immediately following birth or adoption. Other faculty members must take the leave at a time coincident with the birth or adoption. The faculty member is expected to notify the designated administrator within the faculty member’s school Dean’s or Faculty Affairs Office (see the Faculty Family Leave FAQs page – ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵOffice of the Provost) at least sixty days prior to the beginning of the leave; in cases of reception of a child by adoption, a shorter notification period is allowed when necessary.

• Childrearing Leave: Ten weeks, with reduction in annual teaching load, equivalent to one course. Childrearing leave must commence within twelve months of the birth or adoption of the child. Approvals for childrearing leave will generally be granted to equal partners in childrearing. The Provost’s Office has final approval authority over childrearing leaves.

• The faculty member is expected to submit a request for leave at least sixty days prior to the beginning of the academic term requested as the leave period to MetLife, who will forward the request to the University, in addition to informing the designated administrator within the faculty member’s school Dean’s or Faculty Affairs Office (see the Faculty Family Leave FAQs page – ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵOffice of the Provost).

Faculty Members Whose Primary Appointment is in the Feinberg School of Medicine

Any faculty in the Feinberg School of Medicine who have appointments in NMG should follow the leave of absence process outlined on the .  Faculty with NMG appointments do not contact MetLife for leave of absence requests, and the following bullets do not apply to such faculty.

• Childbearing and Adoption Leave: Ten weeks, with corresponding reduction in teaching load. Faculty members must take the leave at a time coincident with the birth or adoption. The faculty member is expected to notify the designated administrator within the faculty member’s school Dean’s or Faculty Affairs Office (see the Faculty Family Leave FAQs page – ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵOffice of the Provost) at least sixty days prior to the beginning of the leave; in cases of reception of a child by adoption, a shorter notification period is allowed when necessary.

• Childrearing Leave: Ten weeks, with corresponding reduction in teaching load. Childrearing leave must commence within twelve months of the birth or adoption of the child. Approvals for childrearing leave will generally be granted to equal partners in childrearing. The Provost’s Office has final approval authority over childrearing leaves.
• The faculty member is expected to submit a request for leave at least sixty days prior to the beginning of the academic term requested as the leave period to MetLife, who will forward the request to the University, in addition to informing the designated administrator within the faculty member’s school Dean’s or Faculty Affairs Office (see the Faculty Family Leave FAQs page – ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵOffice of the Provost).

Faculty Members Whose Primary Appointment is in NU-Q

• Childbearing and Adoption Leave: 10 weeks, with corresponding reduction in teaching load. Faculty members must take the leave at a time coincident with the birth or adoption. The faculty member is expected to notify the designated administrator within the faculty member’s school Dean’s or Faculty Affairs Office (see the Faculty Family Leave FAQs page – ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵOffice of the Provost) at least sixty days prior to the beginning of the leave; in cases of reception of a child by adoption, a shorter notification period is allowed when necessary.

• Childrearing Leave: 10 weeks, with corresponding reduction in teaching load. Childrearing leave must commence within twelve months of the birth or adoption of the child. Approvals for childrearing leave will generally be granted to equal partners in childrearing. The Provost’s Office has final approval authority over childrearing leaves.

• The faculty member is expected to submit a request for leave at least sixty days prior to the beginning of the academic term requested as the leave period to MetLife, who will forward the request to the University, in addition to informing the designated administrator within the faculty member’s school Dean’s or Faculty Affairs Office (see the Faculty Family Leave FAQs page – ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵOffice of the Provost).

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Coordination with FMLA and Medical Leave

Faculty who meet the eligibility requirements of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) may have 12 weeks of unpaid FMLA leave for the birth and care of a newborn child or for placement of a child for adoption or foster care. The faculty leaves for childbirth, adoption, or childrearing described above are counted toward the maximum entitlement of 12 weeks of FMLA leave in a 12 month period.

If a medical disability certified by MetLife arises as a result of pregnancy or childbirth which renders the faculty member unable to work before or after the academic term in which the faculty member takes a childbearing leave, the faculty member may be eligible for additional paid medical leave.

See “related information” below for resources on FMLA and medical leave.

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Expectations During Childbearing, Adoption and Childrearing Leaves

Faculty members on childbearing, adoption, and childrearing leave will not be required to fulfill such University service responsibilities as membership on committees. Faculty on childbearing leave may retain responsibility for any necessary supervision to students pursuing such work as undergraduate senior honors, masters, or doctoral research or make other arrangements for supervision during the leave. Faculty on adoption and childrearing leave are expected to retain responsibility for any necessary supervision to students pursuing such work as undergraduate senior honors, masters, or doctoral research.

During the academic year in which the leave is taken, a reduction in the annual teaching load corresponding to the length of the leave will be made. If the course reduction and leave from service are not taken in the academic year in which the birth or adoption occurs, the faculty member may take the remaining course reduction(s) and leave from service in the following academic year. Notwithstanding the provisions regarding course reductions, it is assumed that no faculty member's teaching load will be reduced to less than one course a year because of childbearing/adoption and/or childrearing. Childbearing, adoption, and childrearing are fully approved personal leaves and faculty will not be asked to make up for these leaves with teaching, course preparation, or service activities at any subsequent time. Faculty cannot be retaliated or discriminated against for having requested or using the rights granted pursuant to this policy.

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Tenure Clock Extension

Tenure Clock extensions are addressed in the Policy on Extending the Probationary Clock for Tenure-Track Faculty.

Related Information

Tenure Clock extensions are addressed in the Policy on Extending the Probationary Clock for Tenure-Track Faculty.

• – ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵOffice of Human Resources
• Faculty Family Leave FAQs page – ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵOffice of the Provost
• Guide to Filing a Faculty Family Leave of Absence with MetLife – ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵOffice of the Provost
• Medical Leave Information page – ÌÒÉ«ÊÓƵOffice of Human Resources
• Policy on Extending the Probationary Period for Tenure-Track Faculty