31.1 Federal Family Medical Leave Act. Consistent with the federal Family Medical Leave Act of 1993, an employee who has worked for the state for at least twelve (12) months and for at least one thousand two hundred and fifty (1250) hours during the twelve (12) months prior to the requested leave is entitled to up to twelve (12) work weeks of leave per year for any combination of the following:
Family Member is defined as: the employee's spouse or same or opposite sex domestic partner, child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, sister, or brother. It also includes individuals in the following relationships with the employee's spouse or domestic partner: child, parent, and grandparent. "Child" also includes any child residing in the employee's home through foster care, legal guardianship or custody. Family members include those persons in a "step" relationship.
31.2 The twelve (12) week FMLA leave entitlement is available to the employee each calendar year, provided that eligibility requirement listed in (a) are met.
31.3 The University will continue the employee's existing employer-paid health insurance benefits during the period of leave covered by FMLA. If necessary, due to continued personal medical or continued approved parental leave, the employee may elect to use eight (8) hours of accrued applicable paid leave for continuation of employer paid health insurance benefits for up to four (4) months, including any portion of leave covered by FMLA.
31.4 FMLA leave may be taken intermittently or as part of a reduced work schedule when medically necessary.
31.5 Parental Leave. Parental leave is defined as: up to four months of leave taken after the birth of a child to the employee, spouse or domestic partner, or because of the placement of a child with the employee or domestic partner through adoption or foster care. Parental leave may extend up to four months, including time covered by the FMLA, during the first year after the child's birth or placement. Extensions beyond four (4) months may be approved by the Employer.
If parental leave is taken as leave of absence without pay, the employee may apply eight (8) hours of accrued paid leave per month during the first four (4) months of parental leave to provide for continuation of employer paid health benefits. Periods of parental leave covered by the FMLA shall be deducted from the four (4) month period of eligibility to intersperse paid leave.