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Faculty Handbook - Appendix E

Miscellaneous Procedures for Implementation of Handbook Policies

Policies and Examples for Implementing Maternity and Family Care Leave Under FMLA Guidelines for Teaching Faculty

Summary of relevant policies (see faculty handbook for important details and special cases):

  1. All leave requests should be developed in joint consultation between the faculty member, the department chair, the academic dean, and Human Resources.
  2. Maternity leave can be a combination of medical leave for the birth mother and, if requested, family care leave to care for the new child.
  3. In addition to adoption and paternal leaves, under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) an employee may take unpaid leave under a variety of other circumstances to care for a seriously ill child, parent, or spouse. A written application is required (section 7.5.2).
  4. Faculty members are not expected to teach the first portion of a course before taking leave, or the second portion of a course after returning from leave. Instead, maternity and family care leaves are typically spread over a semester by reducing or eliminating the teaching load for that term.
  5. Faculty pay is based on teaching load, while a medical or family care leave is typically counted in weeks. For the sake of this calculation, 3 weeks of leave is equivalent to 2 semester hours of teaching credit (section 7.1.5). In the items below, the semester hour equivalent for each benefit is given. To calculate a faculty member’s salary for the year, add up the semester hours for courses taught, CRFs, etc., and add in semester hour equivalents for the benefits that are used. If the sum for the year is 21 semester hours, the faculty member receives their full salary. If the sum is less than 21 hours, multiply the sum by 4.5% and round the result to the nearest 5% to obtain the percentage of a full-time salary that the faculty member will receive.
  6. Medical leave for a normal vaginal birth is 6 weeks or equivalent to 4 semester hours. Medical leave for a cesarean birth is 8 weeks or a credit of 5 semester hours. Multiple births or medical complications may receive longer leaves as recommended by a doctor (section 7.1.5).
  7. During a full-semester medical/family care leave away from teaching, a faculty member may receive 2 semester hours of teaching credit for routine non-teaching duties (section 7.9.4).
  8. In the academic year of a family care leave, summer courses can be used as part of the total teaching load for the year (i.e., pay for a summer course shall be the same as for academic year courses; section 7.1.5).
  9. For summer births, the medical portion of a leave receives semester hour credit only if it overlaps with the end of spring semester or the beginning of fall semester (section 7.1.5). For the purposes of this calculation, spring semester ends June 15 and fall semester begins August 16; the benefit is prorated based on the amount of overlap. For planning purposes, the due date is used; medical emergencies (e.g., bed rest, premature birth, etc.) are handled on a case-by-case basis.
  10. For faculty on reduced load appointments, medical leave is prorated based on typical load in the preceding years. If the pay for the year during a family care leave exceeds the typical pay for the position, permission must be obtained from the department chair and dean (section 7.1.5).
  11. Faculty members may, with the permission of their department chair and dean, choose to reduce their teaching load for reduced pay for situations not meeting FMLA guidelines, such as care of a healthy preschooler (section 3.11.4).
  12. For medical leaves of 6 weeks or longer, a faculty member automatically receives a one-year extension of the tenure clock. Extensions may also be requested for other personal and family circumstances (section 3.7.1.2).
  13. Sabbatical pay is based on the average teaching load of the faculty member in the six preceding years (section 3.3.4.10). This average will not include years in which a medical or family care leave of greater than 6 weeks is taken.
  14. If a faculty member’s load is less than 21 hours, their benefits will be affected in several ways. Medical and dental coverage continue uninterrupted; however, the employee’s premium increases. Calvin’s contribution to retirement and other benefits is reduced as these benefits are proportional to pay. For complete details, see section 7 of the Handbook for Teaching Faculty and Human Resources.

Examples

The above policies provide flexibility so that each faculty member can design a leave package that is appropriate to their situation and their department while also being equitable within the community. Below are several examples of how these policies may be implemented. These are only examples. An individual faculty member’s package may be different. In all cases, the leave package must be developed in consultation with the department chair, dean, and Human Resources, who can help the faculty member deal with any unique circumstances. FMLA leave and related benefits may not be guaranteed by any person without the authorization and approval of Human Resources.

  1. A faculty member has a baby due early in the fall semester. She chooses to take the fall semester off from teaching but maintains routine non-teaching duties during the fall. During the interim and spring semester, she teaches a total of 13 semester hours. The load for the year is 13 (teaching) + 4 (medical) + 2 (other duties) = 19 semester hours. The pay for the year would be 19 x 4.5 = 85.5%, which rounds to 85% of a full-time salary.
  2. A faculty member has a baby due early in the fall semester and chooses to take off the entire fall semester with no duties. During the interim and spring semester, she teaches a total of 13 semester hours. She also teaches a 3–semester hour summer course. The load for the year is 13 (academic year teaching) + 4 (medical) + 3 (summer teaching) = 20 semester hours. The pay for the year would be 20 x 4.5% = 90% of a full-time salary.
  3. A faculty member has a son who is diagnosed with cancer in the middle of the fall semester. He continues to teach his assigned load of 8 semester hours but elects to take the interim off to be with his son during his treatment. In the spring, he elects to teach a reduced load of only 5 semester hours. In addition, he teaches a 3–semester hour summer course. The load for the year is 13 (academic year teaching) + 3 (summer teaching) = 16 semester hours. The pay for the year would be 16 x 4.5% = 72%, which rounds to 70% of a full-time salary.
  4. A faculty member has a baby due late in the fall semester. She does not teach in the fall, but she uses a 1-course CRF and maintains her routine duties of advising and committee work. She takes interim off entirely. During the spring semester, she teaches a heavy 12 semester hours. The load for the year is 12 (teaching) + 4 (medical) + 2 (other duties) + 1 course (CRF) = at least 21 semester hours. The pay for the year would be 100% of a full-time salary.
  5. A faculty member adopts a child at the end of the fall semester. He teaches full-time (10 hours) in the fall semester and takes interim off completely. He teaches a reduced load (6 hours) in the spring. The load for the year is 16 (teaching) = 16 semester hours. The pay for the year would be 16 x 4.5% = 72%, which rounds to 70% of a full-time salary.
  6. A faculty member who shares a position with her husband has a baby due in January. She decides to teach a 3-hour course in the fall and take the interim and spring off completely. Since she is normally half load, she receives half the medical leave benefit. Her husband takes on a somewhat higher load than usual, teaching 16 semester hours during the academic year. The load for the year for the position is 19 (teaching) + 2 (prorated medical for the mother) = 21 semester hours. The pay for the year for the position would be 100% of a full-time salary portioned between the pair according to the number of semester hour equivalents each accrued during the year.
  7. A faculty member has a baby due early in the spring semester. She chooses to teach a heavy load in the fall semester and interim, a total of 14 hours, and take the spring semester off entirely. The load for the year is 14 (teaching) + 4 (medical) = 18 semester hours. The pay for the year would be 18 x 4.5% = 81%, which rounds to 80% of a full-time salary.
  8. A faculty member on a reduced-load appointment has a baby due in the middle of the spring semester. She normally carries a load of 11 semester hours, or 50% time, and this normal load is used to prorate the medical benefits. This year she shifts her load earlier in the year, teaching 7 semester hours in the fall and 3 hours in interim, and taking the spring semester off completely. The load for the year is 10 (teaching) + 2 (prorated medical) = 12 semester hours. The pay for the year would be 12 x 4.5% = 54%, which rounds to 55% of a full-time salary. Since this is somewhat above her typical pay, she must obtain permission from her department chair and dean to shift her load earlier in the year.
  9. A male faculty member’s wife has a baby due in the middle of the spring semester. In the fall before the baby arrives, the father uses a CRF and teaches 8 hours. During interim, he teaches 3 hours. In the spring, he chooses to teach a reduced load of 7 hours. The load for the year is 18 (teaching) + 1 course (CRF) = at least 21 semester hours. The pay for the year would be 100% of a full-time salary.
  10. A faculty member has a baby due in late May, after spring grades are due. She taught a full load of 12 hours during the preceding fall semester and interim, and she teaches a reduced load of 7 hours in the spring. Since half of the medical leave falls before June 15, she receives half of the teaching credit for medical leave (i.e., 2 semester hours during the spring semester). The load for the year before the birth is 19 (teaching) + 2 (prorated medical) = 21 semester hours. She uses the 21-hour cap in the academic year preceding the birth and receives 100% of a full-time salary.
  11. A faculty member has a baby due in late June. The 6 weeks of medical leave occur entirely between June 15 and August 15, so medical leave does not reduce her course load during the academic year preceding or following the birth. In the following academic year, she chooses to teach a reduced teaching load in the fall, teaching only 6 semester hours. She teaches full-time during interim and spring semester, for a total of 12 semester hours. Her load for the year is 18 (teaching) = 18 semester hours. Her pay in the academic year following the birth would be 18 x 4.5% = 81%, which rounds to 80% of a full-time salary.
  12. A faculty member has a baby due in late July, so that three weeks of the medical leave fall after August 15. Thus, she receives half the medical leave in the form of a fall teaching credit of 2 semester hours. She decides to teach 6 semester hours in the fall with some guest lectures early in the term. During interim and spring semester, she teaches a total of 13 semester hours. The load for the year is 19 (teaching) + 2 (prorated medical) = 21 semester hours. The pay for the year would be 100% of a full-time salary.
  13. A faculty member’s father is in failing health. In order to be able to spend more time caring for him, the faculty member chooses to teach a reduced load of 6 semester hours during the fall semester. The faculty member’s father stabilizes, and she chooses to teach a full load of 13 semester hours during the interim and spring semesters. The load for the year is 19 (teaching) = 19 semester hours. The pay for the year would be 19 x 4.5% = 85.5%, which rounds to 85% of a full-time salary.
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