Maternity and Primary Caregiver Leave

Baylor University seeks to support faculty and staff members who are adding to their family through birth or adoption. For a complete description of the benefits, please see the resources section at the bottom of this page.

Definitions

Maternity leave covers the birth mother, and it only includes time during which the birth mother is physically unable to work as certified by her health care provider. Maternity leave is only available to female faculty and staff members.
Parent - An eligible parent is defined as a birth mother, spouse, or a new adoptive parent. An individual who adopts a spouse’s child(ren) is not eligible for this benefit.
Primary Caregiver - A primary caregiver is defined as someone who has primary responsibility for the care of a child who has been added to the family through birth or adoption. It is available to male and female faculty and staff members.
- Note: If both parents work for Baylor, primary caregiver leave may be awarded only once per childbirth or adoption event, and may be split between the parents.

Maternity Leave

Faculty and Staff maternity leave is provided for under the Family and Medical Leave Act (the FMLA), and it is available for female employees who are pregnant and, more specifically for:

Faculty who have been employed full-time in a regular faculty line (i.e., not in a temporary position) by Baylor University for at least one year.
Staff and Non-Contract Faculty who have been employed with Baylor University for at least twelve months and have worked at least 1,250 hours during the previous twelve month period.

Maternity leave may be taken on an intermittent or full-time basis, and it may last for up to 12 weeks for any 12-month period.

Maternity leave covers the birth mother, and it only includes time during which the birth mother is physically unable to work as certified by her health care provider.

Primary Caregiver Leave

Primary Caregiver Leave is also provided for under the FMLA, and it is available to male and female Faculty and Staff members who have recently added to their family through birth or adoption. This leave may be taken on an intermittent or full-time basis, and it may last for up to 12 weeks for any 12-month period.

In order to be eligible for this leave, the Faculty and Staff member must:

Faculty Be employed full-time in a regular faculty line (i.e., not in a temporary position), Be employed full-time by Baylor for at least one year before seeking the leave, and Certify that during the leave he or she will be the primary caregiver of a child under the age of one year. In the case of adoption, the child does not need to be under the age of one year, but the leave must be taken within one year of the adoption.
Staff and Non-Contract Faculty Be employed by Baylor for at least twelve months, and have worked at least 1,250 hours during the previous twelve month period, before seeking the leave Certify that during the leave he or she will be the primary caregiver of a child under the age of one year. In the case of adoption, the child does not need to be under the age of one year, but the leave must be taken within one year of the adoption.

Combining Maternity Leave and Primary Caregiver Leave

It is possible to combine Maternity Leave and Primary Caregiver Leave as long as the leaves total no more than 12 weeks in one 12-month period.

If Both Parents are Baylor University Employees

Primary caregiver leave may only be awarded once per childbirth or adoption event. If Baylor University employs both parents, the primary caregiver leave may be split between the parents.

Pay during Maternity and Primary Caregiver Leave

Faculty: Maternity Leave and Primary Caregiver Leave for Faculty

Staff and Non-Contract Faculty: Maternity Leave and Primary Caregiver Leave for Staff and Non-Contract Faculty

Application Procedure

Submit the Employee Request for Maternity Leave and Primary Caregiver Leave form (in Ignite) to your supervisor
For Maternity Leave, section II of the Certification of Health Care Provider for Maternity Leave and Primary Caregiver Affidavit form must be completed by your health care provider
For Primary Caregiver Leave, complete Section III of the the Certification of Health Care Provider for Maternity Leave and Primary Caregiver Affidavit form

Return to Work

Maternity Leave (Medical): Prior to returning to work, the faculty or staff member on FMLA will be required to provide Human Resources with a statement from their Health Care Provider. In the statement, it must specify the date she will be released to return to work, and if applicable, any restrictions and duration of the stated restrictions. (Note: It is possible for a faculty or staff member to return to work, and continue to be covered under FMLA on an intermittent basis.) The Fitness for Duty Certification form may be used for reporting the Health Care Provider's statement.
Primary Caregiver Leave: A fitness for duty certification from your health care provider is not required for this leave.