As announced on Jan. 23, the new Paid Parental Leave benefit for all full-time benefits-eligible staff and full-time non-tenure line academic employees who earn vacation time, will go into effect on Wednesday, July 1. This benefit provides four consecutive weeks of salary continuation to all eligible employees for the purpose of bonding with a newborn child(ren), placement of a child(ren) upon adoption, or appointment as a legal guardian of a child(ren).

"Early bonding between a parent and a child can have a tremendous impact on the well-being of the family. We are pleased that Penn State is able to provide such a benefit to working families,” said Lorraine Goffe, vice president for Human Resources and chief human resources officer.

Employees must have at least 12 months of continuous full-time service with Penn State prior to the qualifying event (birth, adoption or legal guardianship) to be eligible for this leave. The four consecutive weeks of paid leave must be used within the first 90 days immediately following the qualifying event. Employees who are covered by a collective bargaining agreement are subject to its terms and are not eligible. Faculty should refer to HRG18.

The official Paid Parental Leave policy will be found on the Penn State Policy website, effective Wednesday, July 1. Additional resources are available on the Human Resources website and further questions can be answered by calling HR Services at 814-865-1473.