Parent Leaves of Absence
Article XIII.D

It is recognized that a flexible and effective parent leave program can facilitate professional continuity for faculty and academic staff. In this spirit, the following options are available for members of the bargaining unit:

1.    Short-Term Disability Leave 
        For actively employed members of the bargaining unit, absences due to a     temporary illness caused or contributed to by pregnancy, childbirth and/or        recovery therefrom, shall be covered under Short-Term Disability Leave for Illness as specified in Section C.1 of this Article. 

2.   Modified-Duties Assignment for Childbearing and Child Care           Responsibilities 

a.   With prior approval, a member of the bargaining unit who has primary responsibility for the care of an infant for the period before and/or immediately following birth of a child or adoption of a child under age five, may be granted a semester of reduced duties in order that the parent can prepare and/or care for the infant or child. 

b.   The duration of the modified-duties assignment may not exceed fifteen weeks, including the anticipated short-term disability leave for pregnancy, childbirth and recovery there from, and should normally coincide with the             beginning and ending dates of the semester. Whenever possible, requests for modified-duties status should be submitted in writing to the dean/director/vice-president at least two months prior to the start of the requested leave and must include a certified statement by the bargaining-unit member certifying that s/he is assuming primary responsibility for the care of an infant or child. 

c.   A modified-duties assignment may take two forms. For a modified-duties assignment in which the equivalent of a full workload is performed, no adjustment in compensation or future assignments may be required. For a modified-duties assignment in which a reduced workload is arranged, some adjustment in compensation, up to $3,000, and/or in-load teaching or other assignments as described in D.2.e, may be required. It is the responsibility of the bargaining-unit member to work with the dean/director/vice-president to develop an acceptable modified-duties plan. Conditions and responsibilities of the modified leave status must be approved by the President or his/her designee. 

d.   During that portion of the semester that they are not away on short-term disability leave, bargaining-unit members on modified-duties status will be expected to carry out their professional responsibilities as stipulated in the arrangements made with the dean/director/vice-president. 

e.   Faculty whose modified-duties assignment involves a reduction in teaching load must teach, on an in-load basis, additional courses equivalent to the greater of one course or one-half of the teaching responsibilities they would have had during the semester of modified-duties status. Academic staff whose modified duties assignment involves a reduction in workload must arrange a plan with their unit administrator for additional in-load assignments. Such additional teaching or other assignments shall occur within the next three semesters following their return from modified-duties status. This requirement for additional teaching and other assignments may be waived by the President or his/her designee where the modified-duties plan is the equivalent of a complete workload. 

f.    Bargaining-unit members on subsidy-conditioned appointments may apply for modified duties when the granting of the duties would not be detrimental to the fulfillment of the external grant or contract. 

g.   If in the opinion of a bargaining-unit member and the Association, the bargaining-unit member improperly has been denied modified duties, a Step One grievance may be filed for the purpose of requesting a reconsideration. After the Step One meeting, the decision to grant a reconsideration will be at the discretion of the President or his/her designee. 

3.   Parent Leave of Absence without Pay 
        A member of the bargaining unit who wishes to cease work for reasons other than for medical necessity may apply, if eligible, for a leave of absence without pay under Section A of this Article. 

4.   Temporary, Fractional-Time Appointments
        Temporary, fractional-time appointments may be requested. 

5.    Tenure or Employment Security System Interruption 
        A member of the bargaining unit who has primary responsibility for an infant or young child may request that a maximum of one year be excluded from   the countable years of service that constitute that bargaining-unit member's probationary service for tenure or employment security status. The request must include a certified statement by the bargaining-unit member that s/he is         assuming primary responsibility for the care of an infant or child. Only one year may be excluded for child rearing from the countable years of service that constitute an individual's probationary period regardless of the      combination of circumstances. The request must be in writing and must be approved by the unit administrator and by the President or his/her designee.

AAUP-AFT, Local 6075 - 5057 Woodward Avenue - Suite 3301 - Detroit, Michigan 48202-4050 - Phone: (313) 577-1750 / Fax: (313) 577-8159