When a new child is joining your home, there are often many details to tend to! This page is meant to be a helpful resource for understanding how Leave of Absence and other paid Parental Leave benefits intersect.
If you are the MOTHER, there are three benefits or policies that you need to review. (If you are the father, click here to jump to that section.)
- Leave of Absence, specifically the Family and Medical Leave section - This policy covers the 12 weeks that you are able to take off of work within one year of your child's birth to recover from childbirth and care for your child. This policy just covers the amount of time that you are able to take off, not your pay during that period.
- Maternity Leave section of Paid Parental Leave - This benefit covers the additional paid time off that you are eligible for when you have a baby depending on your employment hours. You may use the additional paid time off in combination with your accrued PTO for up to 12 weeks of your Leave of Absence.
- Short-Term Disability - If, as a result of pregnancy or childbirth, you experience medical complications that extend beyond the length of your maternity leave (see #2 above), you may be eligible for short-term disability. This will allow you to receive two-thirds of your normal salary during the period of your disability for a maximum of 90 days. If medical complications continue beyond 90 days, you may be eligible for long-term disability coverage.
Scenario - Routine Pregnancy and Childbirth
| Question | Explanation | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| How much time off can I take? | Up to 12 weeks total within the first year after your child is born. If you want to stop working before the baby comes, the 12-week "clock" starts the day you stop working. | Family and Medical Leave section of the Leave of Absence Policy |
| What happens with my pay? | You will get your full salary for the first 6 weeks of your leave and won't need to use PTO during that time. If you want to take the up to the full 12 weeks of your leave of absence, you will need to use any accrued PTO that you have for the remaining weeks. After your PTO is exhausted, you will no longer receive a paycheck. Of course, this is all dependent upon available funds in the Reliant account for which you are responsible. | Paid Parental Leave |
Scenario - Pregnancy and/or Childbirth with Medical Complications
To help explain this scenario, we'll use as an example a pregnancy with complications that necessitate 3 weeks of bedrest before childbirth.
| Question | Explanation | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| How much time off can I take? | Up to 12 weeks total within the first year after your child is born. For this scenario, the 12 weeks starts on the day that you would go on bedrest (3 weeks before the baby is born). | Family and Medical Leave section of the Leave of Absence Policy |
| What happens with my pay? | For situations like this, it's important that you notify your Program Team as soon as you go on bedrest. Your liaison will coordinate with you how to access, if eligible, Short-Term Disability and the 6-week Maternity Leave Benefit. If you want to take the full 12 weeks of your leave of absence, you will need to use any accrued PTO that you have for the remaining weeks after your Short-Term Disability and paid Maternity Leave benefits end. After your PTO is exhausted, you will no longer receive a paycheck. Of course, this is all dependent upon available funds in the Reliant account for which you are responsible. |
If you are the FATHER, there are two benefits or policies that you need to review.
- Leave of Absence, specifically the Family and Medical Leave section - This policy covers the 12 weeks that you are able to take off of work within one year of your child's birth to care for your child. This policy just covers the amount of time that you are able to take off, not your pay during that period.
- Paternity Leave section of Paid Parental Leave - This benefit covers the additional paid time off that you are eligible for when you have a baby depending on your employment hours. You may use the additional paid time off in combination with your accrued PTO for up to 12 weeks of your Leave of Absence.
| Question | Explanation | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| How much time off can I take? | Up to 12 weeks total within the first year after your child is born. If you want to stop working before the baby comes, the 12-week "clock" starts the day you stop working. | Family and Medical Leave section of the Leave of Absence Policy |
| What happens with my pay? | You will get your full salary for the first 2 weeks of your leave and won't need to use PTO during that time. If you want to take the up to the full 12 weeks of your leave of absence, you will need to use any accrued PTO that you have for the remaining weeks. After your PTO is exhausted, you will no longer receive a paycheck. Of course, this is all dependent upon the available funds in the Reliant account for which you are responsible. | Paid Parental Leave |
Employees should coordinate with their supervisor and/or partner church or ministry if this situation applies to them.
If you are the MOTHER, there are three benefits or policies that you need to review. (If you are the father, click here to jump to that section.)
- Leave of Absence, specifically the Family and Medical Leave section - This policy covers the 12 weeks that you are able to take off of work within one year of your child's birth to recover from childbirth and care for your child. This policy just covers the amount of time that you are able to take off, not your pay during that period. Because both you and the father work at the same ministry or church, you may be limited to a combined total of 12 weeks of leave to share between the two of you.
- Maternity Leave section of Paid Parental Leave - This benefit covers the additional paid time off that you are eligible for when you have a baby depending on your employment hours. You may use the additional paid time off in combination with your accrued PTO for remaining weeks of your Leave of Absence.
- Short-Term Disability - If, as a result of pregnancy or childbirth, you experience medical complications that extend beyond the length of your maternity leave (see #2 above), you may be eligible for short-term disability. This will allow you to receive two-thirds of your normal salary during the period of your disability for a maximum of 90 days. If medical complications continue beyond 90 days, you may be eligible for long-term disability coverage.
Scenario - Routine Pregnancy and Childbirth
| Question | Explanation | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| How much time off can I take? | Up to 12 weeks total within the first year after your child is born. However, because both you and the father work at the same ministry or church, you may be limited to a combined total of 12 weeks of leave to share between the two of you. If you want to stop working before the baby comes, the 12-week "clock" starts the day you stop working. | Family and Medical Leave section of the Leave of Absence Policy |
| What happens with my pay? | You will get your full salary for the first 6 weeks of your leave and won't need to use PTO during that time. If you want to take the up to the full 12 weeks of your leave of absence, you will need to use any accrued PTO that you have for the remaining weeks. After your PTO is exhausted, you will no longer receive a paycheck. Of course, this is all dependent upon available funds in the Reliant account for which you are responsible. | Paid Parental Leave |
Scenario - Pregnancy and/or Childbirth with Medical Complications
To help explain this scenario, we'll use as an example a pregnancy with complications that necessitate 3 weeks of bedrest before childbirth.
| Question | Explanation | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| How much time off can I take? | Up to 12 weeks total within the first year after your child is born. For this scenario, the 12 weeks starts on the day that you would go on bedrest (3 weeks before the baby is born). However, because both you and the father work at the same ministry or church, you may be limited to a combined total of 12 weeks of leave to share between the two of you. | Family and Medical Leave section of the Leave of Absence Policy |
| What happens with my pay? | For situations like this, it's important that you notify your Program Team as soon as you go on bedrest. Your liaison will coordinate with you how to access, if eligible, Short-Term Disability and the 6-week Maternity Leave Benefit. If you want to take the full 12 weeks of your leave of absence, you will need to use any accrued PTO that you have for the remaining weeks after your Short-Term Disability and paid Maternity Leave benefits end. After your PTO is exhausted, you will no longer receive a paycheck. Of course, this is all dependent upon available funds in the Reliant account for which you are responsible. |
If you are the FATHER, there are two benefits or policies that you need to review.
- Leave of Absence, specifically the Family and Medical Leave section - This policy covers the 12 weeks that you are able to take off of work within one year of your child's birth to care for your child. This policy just covers the amount of time that you are able to take off, not your pay during that period. Because both you and the mother work at the same ministry or church, you may be limited to a combined total of 12 weeks of leave to share between the two of you.
- Paternity Leave section of Paid Parental Leave - This benefit covers the additional paid time off that you are eligible for when you have a baby depending on your employment hours. You may use the additional paid time off in combination with your accrued PTO for up to 12 weeks of your Leave of Absence.
| Question | Explanation | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| How much time off can I take? | Up to 12 weeks total within the first year after your child is born. However, because both you and the mother work at the same ministry or church, you may be limited to a combined total of 12 weeks of leave to share between the two of you. If you want to stop working before the baby comes, the 12-week "clock" starts the day you stop working. | Family and Medical Leave section of the Leave of Absence Policy |
| What happens with my pay? | You will get your full salary for the first 2 weeks of your leave and won't need to use PTO during that time. If you want to take the up to the full 12 weeks of your leave of absence, you will need to use any accrued PTO that you have for the remaining weeks. After your PTO is exhausted, you will no longer receive a paycheck. Of course, this is all dependent upon available funds in the Reliant account for which you are responsible. | Paid Parental Leave |
There are two benefits or policies that you need to review.
- Leave of Absence, specifically the Family and Medical Leave section - This policy covers the 12 weeks that you are able to take off of work within one year of your adoption placement. This policy just covers the amount of time that you are able to take off, not your pay during that period.
- Adoption Leave section in Paid Parental Leave - This benefit covers the additional paid time off that you are eligible for when you adopt depending on your employment hours. You may use the additional paid time off in combination with your accrued PTO for up to 12 weeks of your Leave of Absence.
| Question | Explanation | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| How much time off can I take? | Up to 12 weeks total within the first year after your adoption placement to care for the newly placed child/children. If you want to stop working before the adoption (e.g., to prepare for the placement), the 12-week "clock" starts the day you stop working. | Family and Medical Leave section of the Leave of Absence Policy |
| What happens with my pay? | You will get your full salary for the first 2 weeks of your leave and won't need to use PTO during that time. You may request an additional 2 weeks of paid Adoption Leave. Contact your Program Team for start the process for requesting the additional 2 weeks. If you want to take the up to the full 12 weeks of your leave of absence, you will need to use any accrued PTO that you have for the remaining weeks. After your PTO is exhausted, you will no longer receive a paycheck. Of course, this is all dependent upon available funds in the Reliant account for which you are responsible. | Paid Parental Leave |
If both adoptive parents work at the same ministry or church, each employee will receive the 2 weeks of paid Adoption Leave, but they may be limited to a combined total of 12 weeks of leave. (E.g., if one parent takes 8 weeks then the other parent can only take up to 4 weeks.)
Employees should coordinate with their supervisor and/or partner church or ministry if this situation applies to them.
There are two benefits or policies that you need to review.
- Leave of Absence, specifically the Family and Medical Leave section - This policy covers the 12 weeks that you are able to take off of work within one year of your foster care placement. This policy just covers the amount of time that you are able to take off, not your pay during that period.
- Foster Care Leave section in Paid Parental Leave - This benefit covers the additional paid time off that you are eligible for when a child or children are placed in your home for foster care, depending on your employment hours. You may use the additional paid time off in combination with your accrued PTO for up to 12 weeks of your Leave of Absence.
| Question | Explanation | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| How much time off can I take? | Up to 12 weeks total within the first year after your foster placement to care for your newly placed child/children. If you want to stop working before the placement (e.g., for counseling sessions, court appointments, etc.), the 12-week "clock" starts the day you stop working. | Family and Medical Leave section of the Leave of Absence Policy |
| What happens with my pay? | You will get your full salary for the first 2 weeks of your leave and won't need to use PTO during that time. The paid Foster Care Leave benefit is limited to two weeks each calendar year regardless of the number of foster placements within the year. If you want to take the up to the full 12 weeks of your leave of absence, you will need to use any accrued PTO that you have for the remaining weeks. After your PTO is exhausted, you will no longer receive a paycheck. Of course, this is all dependent upon available funds in the Reliant account for which you are responsible. | Paid Parental Leave |
If both foster parents work at the same ministry or church, each employee will receive the 2 weeks of paid Foster Care Leave, but they may be limited to a combined total of 12 weeks of leave. (E.g., if one parent takes 8 weeks then the other parent can only take up to 4 weeks.)
Employees should coordinate with their supervisor and/or partner church or ministry if this situation applies to them.
3 Comments
Julie Thomas
Amber Blais - Please review and let me know if you think this page is necessary or if the Paid Parental Leave page is clear and descriptive enough.
Amber Blais
I actually like how this page is laid out much better! Reading this through the eyes of a missionary, I think this page is very clear and helpful.
Julie Thomas
That's good to hear! I'll keep this one, and I added a link to it from the "official" Paid Paternal Leave policy page.