Lehigh HR, in collaboration with members of the Faculty and Staff Pride Network, Faculty Pride Council and the Pride Center, conducted a review of the University’s family-supporting benefits for staff and faculty. One of the results of the review is the university’s new Staff Paid Parental Leave benefit which took effect July 1, 2022.
Below are some of the main provisions of this new benefit. More detailed information, including the full policy, application form, and frequently asked questions, can be found on the Lehigh HR website.
Eligibility
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A staff member must have been employed continuously for at least one year in a full-time benefits-eligible position (working at least 75% effort annually) as of the date of birth or finalized adoption, and
- Have given birth to a child on or after July 1, 2022; or
- Be the spouse/partner of an individual who has given birth to a child on or after July 1, 2022; or
- Be the biological parent or spouse/partner of the biological parent, in the case of surrogacy, of the child born on or after July 1, 2022; or
- Have adopted a child (who is age 17 or younger) on or after July 1, 2022.
Benefit Amount
- Staff with at least five years of continuous full-time benefits eligible service with the University as of the date of birth or adoption date: 100% of their base salary for up to six (6) weeks
- Staff with at least one year but less than five years of continuous full-time benefits eligible service with the University as of the date of birth or adoption date: 60% of their base salary for up to six (6) weeks
Timing
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Staff members must take the paid parental leave in one continuous period and may not take the leave on an intermittent basis.
Looking Ahead
To further enhance and support our family-friendly Lehigh culture, HR and other parts of the university continue to work on providing additional benefits. This includes adoption assistance, changes to our staff FMLA leave policy, and expanded fertility benefits in the University’s medical insurance. Lehigh HR will share more information about these benefits as they take effect.
Our new Staff Paid Parental Leave benefit and our future policy changes are the result of an inclusive grassroots effort initiated in 2018 by current and former Lehigh staff and faculty members, including Sirry Alang, Scott Burden, Chelsea Gilbert and Mary Foltz. Thanks to their work and partnership with HR, Lehigh now has policies that better recognize the diverse ways in which our employees form and nurture their families.
For More Information
Want to know more about the Staff Paid Parental Leave policy? You can find resources, including answers to frequently asked questions, on this web page. The page also includes a link to a recording of ERAC’s July 27th Knowledge @ Noon where representatives from Lehigh HR took questions from participants.
As always, Lehigh HR is also available to assist you individually. Feel free to email the Benefits team at inben@lehigh.edu with any questions you may have.