USI is implementing changes to its pay policies that will give full time faculty and staff an additional two weeks, or 10 business days, of paid time off when they take a leave of absence for maternity or paternity reasons.
Director of Human Resources Donna Evinger said the new policy effects all of the spouses the old policy covered, including those in same-sex legal marriages and registered domestic partners.
“As long as they register a same-sex domestic partnership, they will be provided benefits. They get all the benefits that legally married couples do,” Evinger said.
She said some parents feel like staying with their newborn for more than the time usually allotted.
The policy will also directly effect spouses who are adoptive parents for either maternity or paternity time off, Evinger said.
The university has always had maternity and paternity leave because of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which requires every employer to give a certain amount of time off to their employees whether it’s paid or unpaid.
“The university has always followed this,” Evinger said. “The university also offers maternity and paternity leave under its own policies when employees aren’t qualified under the FMLA.”
The amount of time is dependent on the individual’s medical circumstances and the amount of time they have been with that employer.
Full time employees at USI have the advantage of being able to roll over their paid sick leave into new years, Evinger said.
Employees have the option to use all of their sick and vacation days however they see fit.