H. Other Leaves (Family [including Parental], Medical, and Personal) and Extensions

The FAS has a number of policies to support faculty members as they balance professional obligations with personal and family responsibilities or with medical issues. The application of these policies to ladder and non-ladder faculty may differ. Please review carefully each section below for eligibility guidelines. Faculty members are encouraged to contact the assistant dean of the appropriate division to discuss these policies.

Note: Parental leaves, non-parental medical leaves, and personal leaves do not count as accrued time when calculating someone’s eligibility for a paid sabbatical or paid research leave in the future.

(1)   Approval of Leave Requests

Prior to the birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child, a faculty member notifies their assistant dean for the division of the expected birth, adoption, or foster placement. Faculty should provide as much advance notice as practicable; except in the case of adoption or foster placement, where advance notice is not always possible, faculty are expected to provide no less than three months’ notice.

Once the assistant dean has been notified, it is their responsibility to inquire in which term the faculty member desires leave (and/or, for example, co-teaching). To maximize available benefits, faculty considering time away are encouraged to discuss their leave and other options with their divisional assistant dean.

To request a leave related to family (including parental), medical, or personal situations, please contact the assistant dean for your division/SEAS. Because of the nature of such leaves, there is no single deadline for submission of requests, but faculty members are asked to submit them as early as possible so that departments can make appropriate adjustments to cover their teaching and service responsibilities. Leaves, as appropriate, are subject to the approval of the Dean or the Dean's designee.

(2)   Effect on Tenure-Review “Clock”

In some cases, appointment extensions are available to tenure-track faculty who take a non-research leave. Policies related to such extensions are described below; faculty members should contact the assistant dean of the appropriate division/SEAS to discuss their individual situations. 

(3)   Family (including Parental) Leave, Co-Teaching, and Appointment Extensions

The FAS is committed to supporting faculty members who seek to balance the joys and demands of caring for newly born, adopted, or foster-placed children with professional growth and responsibilities as well as any medical issues. We also recognize the research that establishes the benefits of providing leave to mothers and fathers: parent-child bonding, improved outcomes for children, and increased gender equity at home and work.

Below, we describe the one-year limit that ordinarily applies to research leaves and family (including parental) leave. We then discuss the following:

  • Federal leave statutes relevant to family leave (i.e., Family and Medical Leave Act [FMLA] and Military Family Leave Entitlements)
  • Massachusetts Parental Leave Act (MPLA)
  • Harvard’s leave benefits for new parents, in keeping with the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave policy (MAPFML)

a.   One-Year Limit

Under the ordinary application of the policies governing research leaves and family (including parental) leave, faculty members should not, ordinarily, be out of the Harvard classroom for more than one year (i.e., two terms) at a time. This one-year limit for new or expecting parents is inclusive of any combination of unpaid FMLA leave, unpaid MPLA leave, MAPFML leave, and the University’s and the FAS’s leave polices in keeping with MAPFML policy (e.g., including the University’s MAPFML paid medical leave, the University’s MAPFML Bonding Leave, FAS Paid Parental Leave (FAS PPL), and the FAS Parental Semester of Leave (FAS PSL)). Exceptions to this one-year limit policy may be made for tenure-track faculty whose child is born, adopted, or foster-placed during a yearlong research leave; tenure-track faculty whose child is expected to be born, adopted, or foster-placed in a term following a yearlong research leave; or when medically indicated.

b.  Federal Leave Statutes

i.   Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA)

The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 requires the FAS to grant eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave (to be taken and completed during a 12-month period) for any of the following reasons:

a)      For the birth of a child and to care for an employee’s child within 12 months of birth, adoption, or the initiation of foster care;

b)      To care for a parent, child, or spouse with a serious health condition; or

c)      Because the employee’s own serious health condition makes the employee unable to perform the employee's job.

Under Harvard policy, faculty members (ladder and non-ladder) and those holding professional research appointments are deemed eligible for the provisions of FMLA if they have held at least half-time appointment in the FAS for three consecutive months or more. Harvard will continue to make the standard contribution to group health insurance during a leave covered by the FMLA. However, if the leave is unpaid, the individual on leave will be billed for the individual's share of the contribution. In certain cases, other Harvard policies and benefit programs may provide salary continuation and additional benefits.

Those holding faculty and professional research appointments who are eligible for FMLA coverage may take no more than 12 weeks FMLA leave during each 12-month period beginning on the first day that any FMLA leave is used. However, exhaustion of the 12 weeks of leave provided for in the FMLA will not necessarily limit an individual’s eligibility for additional leaves, as provided for by FAS policy.

Under FMLA (and in keeping with the MPLA), as described below, eligible FAS faculty (i.e., those who have held at least half-time appointment in the FAS for three consecutive months or more) can take up to 12 weeks of unpaid FMLA leave for the birth of a child and to care for a child within 12 months of birth, adoption, or the initiation of foster care. The provisions of FMLA apply to all parents, i.e., birth parents and non-birth parents alike.

ii.   Military Family Leave Entitlements 

Eligible employees with a spouse, son, daughter, or parent on active duty or call to active duty status in the Armed Forces, National Guard, or Reserves in a foreign country or in support of a contingency operation may use their 12-week leave entitlement to address certain qualifying exigencies. Qualifying exigencies may include attending certain military events, arranging for alternative childcare, addressing certain financial and legal arrangements, attending certain counseling sessions, and attending post-deployment reintegration briefings.

FMLA also includes a special leave entitlement that permits eligible employees to take up to 26 weeks of leave to care for a covered service member during a single 12-month period. A covered service member is (1) a current member of the Armed Forces, National Guard, or Reserves who has a serious injury or illness incurred in or aggravated by service in the line of duty on active duty that may render the service member medically unfit to perform the service member's duties and for which the service member is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy; or is in outpatient status; or is on the temporary disability retired list; or (2) a veteran undergoing such medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy for a serious injury or illness and who was a member of the Armed Forces, National Guard, or Reserves at any time during the five years preceding the date of such treatment, recuperation, or therapy.

c.  Massachusetts Parental Leave Act (MPLA)

Under the Massachusetts Parental Leave Act, a faculty member who has been employed for at least three months is entitled to eight weeks of unpaid leave to care for a newborn or newly-adopted child. In most cases, this leave entitlement is superseded by another, more generous, leave available under the FMLA or University and/or FAS policies in keeping with MAPFML.

d.  Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave (MAPFML)

For more information on the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave [MAPFML] policies that went into effect on January 1, 2021, please see Harvard’s “Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave” website.

Please contact your assistant dean for faculty affairs if you have questions. 

e.  Harvard Policies

Taking into account FMLA, MPLA, MAPFML, and Harvard policies, FAS faculty members who become parents have a number of options available to them. Below is a summary of leave benefits for, respectively: i. FAS professors of all ranks, ii. Senior Lecturers and Senior Preceptors, iii. FAS multi-year non-professorial faculty of certain ranks and multi-year researchers of certain ranks, iv. annual non-professorial faculty, visiting faculty, and other academic appointments, and v. postdoctoral fellows. You may also see https://hr.harvard.edu/files/humanresources/files/mapfml_summary_faculty_2021.pdf for more information on leave benefits for new parents in keeping with MAPFML.

Effective January 1, 2021, the FAS’ and University’s new policies in keeping with MAPFML policy supersede the FAS’ previous benefits for new or expecting parents.

As mentioned in Section 3H1, “Approval of Leave Requests,” prior to the birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child, a faculty member notifies their assistant dean for the division of the expected birth, adoption, or foster placement. Faculty should provide as much advance notice as practicable; except in the case of adoption or foster placement, where advance notice is not always possible, faculty are expected to provide no less than three months’ notice. Once the assistant deans are notified, it is their responsibility to inquire in which term the faculty member desires leave (and/or, for example, co-teaching).

To maximize available benefits, faculty considering time away are encouraged to discuss their leave and other options with their divisional/SEAS assistant dean as soon as practicable. Departments are expected to accommodate faculty members who wish to avail themselves of these forms of support. The chair consults with the assistant dean regarding the arrangements for teaching responsibilities.

Please contact your assistant dean for faculty affairs if you have questions.

i.   Forms of support for FAS professors of all ranks

This category includes: assistant professors, associate professors, tenured professors, professors of the practice, and professors in residence.

FAS professors of all ranks are eligible for the University’s MAPFML benefits. In addition, Harvard gives its Schools the discretion to offer supplemental leave benefits, consistent with University policy.

Leave benefits for professors of all ranks are summarized in the table below, followed by a description of each benefit. Please also see this December 9, 2020 email from Nina Zipser, Dean for Faculty Affairs and Planning, for information.

Please contact your assistant dean for faculty affairs for information on how to request these leaves.

 
 

If elected, FAS PSL runs concurrently with University MAPFML Bonding Leave

 

University MAPFML Medical Leave

FAS Paid Parental Leave (FAS PPL)

(Runs concurrently with MAPFML if taken after the birth)

University MAPFML Bonding Leave

 

FAS Parental Semester of Leave (FAS PSL)

Birth parent

Up to 6 months fully paid

(Typically, 8 weeks fully paid for a non-complicated childbirth)

+

Up to 4 weeks fully paid

+

Up to 4 weeks fully paid + up to 8 weeks partially paid

OR

One semester off, fully paid

(can be used from 1 month before birth/adoption/foster placement to up to 3 months after birth/adoption/foster placement)

(must be used within the 12 months after birth/adoption/foster placement)

(must be used within the 12 months after birth/adoption/foster placement and must be fully contained within a single semester, e.g., two half-semesters of leave are not permitted.)

Non-birth parent

N/A

+

Up to 4 weeks fully paid

+

Up to 4 weeks fully paid + up to 8 weeks partially paid

OR

One semester off, fully paid

(can be used from 1 month before birth/adoption/foster placement to up to 3 months after birth/adoption/foster placement)

(must be used within the 12 months after birth/adoption/foster placement)

(must be used within the 12 months after birth/adoption/foster placement and must be fully contained within a single semester, e.g., two half-semesters of leave are not permitted.)

 

     a/ University MAPFML Medical Leave:  This benefit allows professors of all ranks to take up to 26 weeks of medical leave at full pay due to their own medical condition, including recovery from childbirth. Typically, 8 weeks of medical leave are granted for recovery from non-complicated childbirth.

     b/ University MAPFML Bonding Leave:  The University’s MAPFML Bonding Leave benefit provides new parents (by birth, foster placement, or adoption) with up to 12 weeks of paid time off (i.e., up to 4 weeks fully paid and up to 8 weeks partially paid, at MAPFML calculation*) within the first 12 months after the birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child.

     c/ FAS Parental Semester of Leave (FAS PSL): If a faculty member chooses to take their University MAPFML Bonding Leave within a single semester, the FAS will supplement the MAPFML Bonding Leave so that the faculty member can take the full semester of leave (approximately 14 weeks) at full pay. This benefit is called the FAS Parental Semester of Leave, or FAS PSL. FAS PSL must be taken within the first 12 months after the child’s birth, adoption, or foster placement. FAS PSL must be fully contained within a single semester. If elected, FAS PSL runs concurrently with University MAPFML Bonding Leave, MPLA, and FMLA to the extent allowable by law.

     d/ FAS Paid Parental Leave (FAS PPL):  In addition, and regardless of whether FAS faculty choose to participate in FAS PSL, all FAS parents in any professorial ranks are eligible for another FAS leave benefit: up to 4 weeks of FAS Paid Parental Leave (FAS PPL). The purpose of FAS PPL is to provide faculty with time to prepare for the birth, adoption, or foster placement and/or to care for and bond with their newly born, adopted, or foster-placed child. As such, faculty are not expected to teach, advise, or do research during this leave. This leave can be used within the following time frame: anytime between a month before the expected date of the child’s birth, adoption, or foster placement and up to 3 months after the child’s birth, adoption, or foster placement. If elected, FAS PPL runs concurrently with University MAPFML, PMLA, and FMLA to the extent allowable by law. If a faculty member elects to take both FAS PPL and FAS PSL, these can occur either within the same semester or else in different semesters, but FAS PSL must always be contained within a semester.
To reduce the disruption of having faculty out of the classroom, FAS PPL should ordinarily be taken consecutively, meaning all four weeks at once.

     e/ Other types of MAPFML Family Leave: In addition to the leaves described in a/ through d/ above, MAPFML Family Leave also includes Family Care Leave, Military Exigency Leave, and Military Care Leave. Eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of Family Leave in total, across all types of Family Leave, per benefit period; however, eligible employees may take up to 26 weeks of Military Care Leave per benefit period.

  • Family Care Leave: eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of Family Leave (i.e., up to 4 weeks fully paid and up to 8 weeks partially paid, at MAPFML calculation*) to care for a covered family member with a serious health condition.
  • Military Exigency Leave: eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of Family Leave (i.e., up to 4 weeks fully paid and up to 8 weeks partially paid, at MAPFML calculation*) for a qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that a family member is on active duty or has been notified of an impending call or order to active duty in the Armed Forces.
     
  • Military Care Leave: eligible employees may take up to 26 weeks of Family Leave (i.e., up to 4 weeks fully paid and up to 22 weeks partially paid, at MAPFML calculation*) to provide care to a covered family member who is a covered servicemember.
      f/ Co-Teaching:

FAS professors of all ranks who are new or expecting parents may be eligible to co-teach a course during the semester in which their child is born, adopted, or foster-placed or the following semester. The availability of a co-teaching partnership will depend upon: 

  • the date you expect your child to be born, adopted, or foster-placed

  • the availability of a co-teacher

  • departmental and student needs

If a co-teaching partnership is not practicable, you may be asked to provide extra service in lieu of teaching or take paid time off.

Faculty members whose child is born or adopted in June or July may be eligible to co-teach in one of the two semesters that follow their child’s birth or adoption.

Faculty members are encouraged to discuss the availability of a co-teaching arrangement with the appropriate assistant dean and department chair as soon as practicable.

     g/ For Tenure-Track Faculty: Childcare Appointment Extension and Postponement of Review Policies
  • Extensions of tenure-track appointments are intended to provide flexibility in the timing of reappointment or promotion reviews for tenure-track faculty members in order to accommodate time spent on childcare commitments. Such extensions and review postponements are available to either parent (or to both, if both are FAS faculty members).
  • Upon the birth, adoption, or foster-placement of a child, a faculty member notifies the appropriate assistant dean for the division/SEAS. That faculty member’s current appointment will be automatically extended by one year and the new dates of appointment confirmed in writing to the faculty member, with a copy to the department chair(s). If the faculty member does not wish the appointment to be extended, the faculty member informs the appropriate assistant dean in writing.
  • Ordinarily, if an appointment is extended by a year due to the birth, adoption, or foster-placement of a child, any promotion review (whether from assistant to associate professor or from associate to tenured professor) will be automatically postponed by a year as well.
  • Tenure-track faculty members anticipating an associate review or tenure review whose expected birth-, adoption-, or foster-placement- date falls no later than one month after the deadline for them to submit all of their dossier materials to their department (i.e., for academic-year appointments, the dossier-materials deadline is September 1 [or the next business day, if September 1 falls on a weekend or holiday], and for calendar-year appointments, the dossier-materials deadline is  March 1 [or the next business day, if March 1 falls on a weekend or holiday] must notify their divisional/SEAS assistant dean by that September or March dossier-materials deadline that they wish to have the automatic appointment extension and review postponement that the FAS provides to expecting parents. Upon being notified by the faculty member, the assistant dean will confirm the new dates of appointment and schedule for promotion reviews in writing to the faculty member, with a copy to the department chair(s).
  • If a birth, adoption, or foster-placement takes place after a review is already underway, the review is not ordinarily postponed. However, if the reappointment or promotion is ultimately approved, the faculty member’s subsequent tenure-track appointment will automatically be extended by one year. If the faculty member does not wish the reappointment to be extended, the faculty member informs the appropriate assistant dean in writing.
  • Note:  For new tenure-track faculty whose child is born, adopted, or foster-placed in the six months before the faculty member’s appointment start-date at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the following rules apply:

For faculty with a July 1 appointment start-date:

  • If the baby is born, adopted, or foster-placed anytime between April 1 and June 30, immediately prior to the July 1 start-date, the faculty member’s current appointment will be automatically extended by one year. If the baby is born, adopted, or foster-placed anytime between January 1 and March 30, prior to the July 1 start-date, the faculty member’s current appointment will be automatically extended by six months.
  • In any of the above cases, the faculty member notifies the appropriate assistant dean for the division of the birth, adoption, or foster-placement, and the new dates of appointment will be confirmed in writing to the faculty member, with a copy to the department chair(s). If the faculty member does not wish the appointment to be extended, the faculty member informs the appropriate assistant dean in writing.
  • In addition to any appointment extension, any promotion review (whether from assistant to associate professor or from associate to tenured professor) will be automatically postponed by either a year or six months, corresponding to the length of appointment extension, as governed by the timetable above. The new schedule for promotion reviews will be confirmed in writing to the faculty member, with a copy to the department chair(s). If the faculty member does not wish the review to be postponed, the faculty member informs the appropriate assistant dean in writing.

For faculty with a January 1 appointment start date:

  • If the baby is born, adopted, or foster-placed anytime between October 1 to December 31, immediately prior to the January 1 start-date, the faculty member’s current appointment will be automatically extended by one year. If the baby is born, adopted, or foster-placed anytime between July 1 and September 30, prior to the January 1 start-date, the faculty member’s current appointment will be automatically extended by six months.
  • In any of the above cases, the faculty member notifies the appropriate assistant dean for the division of the birth, adoption, or foster-placement and the new dates of appointment will be confirmed in writing to the faculty member, with a copy to the department chair(s). If the faculty member does not wish the appointment to be extended, the faculty member informs the appropriate assistant dean in writing.
  • In addition to any appointment extension, any promotion review (whether from assistant to associate professor or from associate to tenured professor) will be automatically postponed by either a year or six months, corresponding to the length of appointment extension, as governed by the timetable above. The new schedule for promotion reviews will be confirmed in writing to the faculty member, with a copy to the department chair(s). If the faculty member does not wish the review to be postponed, the faculty member informs the appropriate assistant dean in writing.

 

  • Appointment Extensions for Tenure-track Faculty who Take Extended Medical Leave

Effective July 1, 2023, tenure-track faculty who take a medical leave of eight weeks or longer (including medical leave associated with childbirth) would be given the option of also taking a one-year extension to their current appointment. During this one-year extension, the faculty member would be eligible for one semester of teaching relief. 

By way of example, tenure-track faculty who use this benefit after giving birth are eligible to receive the following, for each birth:

  • The forms of University and FAS leave described in Section 3.H.3.e.i. (“Forms of support for FAS professors of all ranks”) of the FAS Appointment and Promotion Handbook. Namely:
    • University MAPFML Medical Leave (up to 6 months fully paid, and typically 8 weeks fully paid for a non-complicated childbirth)
    • FAS Paid Parental Leave (FAS PPL) (up to 4 weeks fully paid)
    • Either University MAPFML Bonding Leave (up to 4 weeks fully paid, and up to 8 weeks partially paid; this Bonding Leave runs concurrently with FAS PPL, if FAS PPL is elected), or an FAS Parental Semester of Leave (FAS PSL) (one semester off, fully paid)
  • The automatic childcare appointment extension given to faculty parents, as described in Section 3.H.3.e.i.g (“For Tenure-Track Faculty: Childcare Appointment Extension and Postponement of Review Policies”) of the FAS Appointment and Promotion Handbook. 
  • An optional additional appointment extension associated with medical leave.
  • An optional semester of course relief. Please work with your Divisional/SEAS assistant dean and department/area chair on the timing of this leave. Faculty may not, ordinarily, be out of the classroom for more than one year at a time.

In total, this amounts to two one-year appointment extensions, a term of course relief, and medical and other forms of leave, for each birth.

ii.   Forms of support for Senior Lecturers and Senior Preceptors

Leave benefits for Senior Lecturers and Senior Preceptors are summarized in the table below, followed by a description of each benefit.

Please contact your assistant dean for faculty affairs for information on how to request these leaves.

 

University MAPFML Medical Leave

 

University MAPFML Bonding Leave

Birth parent

Up to 6 months fully paid

(Typically, 8 weeks fully paid for a non-complicated childbirth)

+

Up to 4 weeks fully paid + up to 8 weeks partially paid

(must be used within the 12 months after birth/adoption/foster placement)

Non-birth parent N/A +

Up to 4 weeks fully paid + up to 8 weeks partially paid

(must be used within the 12 months after birth/adoption/foster placement)

    a/ University MAPFML Medical Leave:  This benefit allows senior lecturers and senior preceptors to take up to 26 weeks of medical leave at full pay due to their own medical condition, including recovery from childbirth. Typically, 8 weeks of medical leave are granted for recovery from non-complicated childbirth.

     b/ University MAPFML Bonding Leave:  The University’s MAPFML Bonding Leave benefit provides new parents (by birth, foster placement, or adoption) with up to 12 weeks of paid time off (i.e., up to 4 weeks fully paid and up to 8 weeks partially paid, at MAPFML calculation*) within the first 12 months after the birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child.

     c/ Other types of MAPFML Family Leave: In addition to the leaves described in a/ through b/ above, MAPFML Family Leave also includes Family Care Leave, Military Exigency Leave, and Military Care Leave. Eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of Family Leave in total, across all types of Family Leave, per benefit period; however, eligible employees may take up to 26 weeks of Military Care Leave per benefit period.

  • Family Care Leave: eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of Family Leave (i.e., up to 4 weeks fully paid and up to 8 weeks partially paid, at MAPFML calculation*) to care for a covered family member with a serious health condition.
  • Military Exigency Leave: eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of Family Leave (i.e., up to 4 weeks fully paid and up to 8 weeks partially paid, at MAPFML calculation*) for a qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that a family member is on active duty or has been notified of an impending call or order to active duty in the Armed Forces.
     
  • Military Care Leave: eligible employees may take up to 26 weeks of Family Leave (i.e., up to 4 weeks fully paid and up to 22 weeks partially paid, at MAPFML calculation*) to provide care to a covered family member who is a covered servicemember.

iii.  Forms of support for FAS multi-year non-professorial faculty of certain ranks and multi-year researchers of certain ranks

This category includes: College Fellows, and those with multi-year appointments as lecturer, preceptor, associate senior lecturer, Benjamin Peirce Fellow, or Briggs-Copeland Lecturer (if that title is not dependent upon an administrative appointment), as well as Senior Research Fellows, Senior Research Scientists, Research Scientists, and Research Associates.

Leave benefits for faculty and researchers in these ranks are summarized in the table below, followed by a description of each benefit. Please contact your assistant dean for faculty affairs for information on how to request these leaves. Research Associates may also visit the website of the FAS Office of Postdoctoral Affairs https://postdoc.fas.harvard.edu/medical-leave for more information.

 

University MAPFML Medical Leave

 

University MAPFML Bonding Leave

Birth parent

Up to 8 weeks fully paid + up to 12 weeks partially paid

(Typically, 8 weeks fully paid for a non-complicated childbirth)

+

Up to 4 weeks fully paid + up to 8 weeks partially paid

(must be used within the 12 months after birth/adoption/foster placement)

Non-birth parent N/A +

Up to 4 weeks fully paid + up to 8 weeks partially paid

(must be used within the 12 months after birth/adoption/foster placement)

     a/ University MAPFML Medical Leave:  This benefit allows multi-year non-professorial faculty of certain ranks and multi-year researchers of certain ranks to take up to 20 weeks of medical leave (i.e., up to 8 weeks fully paid and up to 12 weeks partially paid, at MAPFML calculation*) due to their own medical condition, including recovery from childbirth. Typically, 8 weeks of medical leave are granted for recovery from non-complicated childbirth.

   b/  University MAPFML Bonding Leave:  The University’s MAPFML Bonding Leave benefit provides new parents (by birth, foster placement, or adoption) with up to 12 weeks of paid time off (i.e., up to 4 weeks fully paid and up to 8 weeks partially paid, at MAPFML calculation*) within the first 12 months after the birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child.

    c/ Other types of MAPFML Family Leave: In addition to the leaves described in a/ through b/ above, MAPFML Family Leave also includes Family Care Leave, Military Exigency Leave, and Military Care Leave. Eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of Family Leave in total, across all types of Family Leave, per benefit period; however, eligible employees may take up to 26 weeks of Military Care Leave per benefit period.

  • Family Care Leave: eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of Family Leave (i.e., up to 4 weeks fully paid and up to 8 weeks partially paid, at MAPFML calculation*) to care for a covered family member with a serious health condition.
  • Military Exigency Leave: eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of Family Leave (i.e., up to 4 weeks fully paid and up to 8 weeks partially paid, at MAPFML calculation*) for a qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that a family member is on active duty or has been notified of an impending call or order to active duty in the Armed Forces.
     
  • Military Care Leave: eligible employees may take up to 26 weeks of Family Leave (i.e., up to 4 weeks fully paid and up to 22 weeks partially paid, at MAPFML calculation*) to provide care to a covered family member who is a covered servicemember.

iv.  Forms of support for annual non-professorial faculty, visiting faculty, and other academic appointments

This category includes: annual lecturers, annual preceptors, visiting faculty, and other salaried academic appointments not listed above.

Leave benefits for individuals in these ranks are summarized in the table below, followed by a description of each benefit.

Please contact your assistant dean for faculty affairs for information on how to request these leaves.

 

University MAPFML Medical Leave

 

University MAPFML Bonding Leave

 
 
Birth parent

Up to 20 weeks

(partially paid at MAPFML calculation*)

(Typically, 8 weeks for a non-complicated childbirth)

+

Up to 12 weeks (partially paid at MAPFML calculation*)

(must be used within the 12 months after birth/adoption/foster placement)

 
Non-birth parent N/A +

Up to 12 weeks (partially paid at MAPFML calculation*)

(must be used within the 12 months after birth/adoption/foster placement)

 

    a/ University MAPFML Medical Leave: This benefit allows annual non-professorial faculty of certain ranks to take up to 20 weeks of medical leave (partially paid at MAPFML calculation*) due to their own medical condition, including recovery from childbirth. Typically, 8 weeks of MAPFML leave are granted for recovery from non-complicated childbirth.

    b/ University MAPFML Bonding Leave:  The University’s MAPFML Bonding Leave benefit provides new parents (by birth, foster placement, or adoption) with up to 12 weeks of paid time off (partially paid at MAPFML calculation*) within the first 12 months after the birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child.

     c/ Other types of MAPFML Family Leave: In addition to the leaves described in a/ through b/ above, MAPFML Family Leave also includes Family Care Leave, Military Exigency Leave, and Military Care Leave. Eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of Family Leave in total, across all types of Family Leave, per benefit period; however, eligible employees may take up to 26 weeks of Military Care Leave per benefit period.

  • Family Care Leave: eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of Family Leave (partially paid at MAPFML calculation*) to care for a covered family member with a serious health condition.
  • Military Exigency Leave: eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of Family Leave (partially paid at MAPFML calculation*) for a qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that a family member is on active duty or has been notified of an impending call or order to active duty in the Armed Forces.
  • Military Care Leave: eligible employees may take up to 26 weeks of Family Leave (partially paid at MAPFML calculation*) to provide care to a covered family member who is a covered servicemember.

v.  Forms of support for postdoctoral fellows

This category includes: employee postdoctoral fellows and benefits-eligible stipendee postdoctoral fellows.

Postdoctoral fellows are on the Harvard nonunion staff MAPFML plan.[1] Leave benefits for postdoctoral fellows are summarized in the table below, followed by a description of each benefit.

Please contact your assistant dean for faculty affairs for information on how to request these leaves. Postdoctoral fellows may also visit the website of the FAS Office of Postdoctoral Affairs https://postdoc.fas.harvard.edu/medical-leave for more information.

 

University MAPFML Medical Leave

 

University MAPFML Bonding Leave  
 

Birth parent

Up to 20 weeks

(at 80% pay)

(Typically, 8 weeks for a non-complicated childbirth)

+

Up to 12 weeks

(i.e., Up to 4 weeks fully paid + up to 8 weeks partially paid at 80% pay, with a max of $1,250/week)

(must be used within the 12 months after birth/adoption/foster placement)

 
 

Non-birth parent

N/A

+

Up to 12 weeks

(i.e., Up to 4 weeks fully paid + up to 8 weeks partially paid at 80% pay, with a max of $1,250/week)

(must be used within the 12 months after birth/adoption/foster placement)

 
 

   a/ University MAPFML Medical Leave: This benefit allows postdoctoral fellows to take up to 20 weeks of medical leave (at 80% pay) due to their own medical condition, including recovery from childbirth. Typically, 8 weeks of MAPFML leave are granted for recovery from non-complicated childbirth.

    b/ University MAPFML Bonding Leave:  The University’s MAPFML Bonding Leave benefit provides new parents (by birth, foster placement, or adoption) with up to 12 weeks of paid time off (i.e., up to 4 weeks fully paid, and up to 8 weeks at 80% pay with maximum of $1,250 per week) within the first 12 months after the birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child.

     c/ Other types of MAPFML Family Leave: In addition to the leaves described in a/ through b/ above, MAPFML Family Leave also includes Family Care Leave, Military Exigency Leave, and Military Care Leave. Eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of Family Leave in total, across all types of Family Leave, per benefit period; however, eligible employees may take up to 26 weeks of Military Care Leave per benefit period.

  • Family Care Leave: eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of Family Leave (at 80% pay, with maximum of $1,250 per week) to care for a covered family member with a serious health condition.
  • Military Exigency Leave: eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of Family Leave (at 80% pay, with maximum of $1,250 per week) for a qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that a family member is on active duty or has been notified of an impending call or order to active duty in the Armed Forces.
  • Military Care Leave: eligible employees may take up to 26 weeks of Family Leave (at 80% pay, with maximum of $1,250 per week) to provide care to a covered family member who is a covered servicemember.

(4)   Medical Appointment Extension and Postponement of Review for Promotion

A tenure-track faculty member may request an extension of his/her/their existing appointment on the basis of a serious health condition such as serious physical or mental impairment that prevents the fulfillment of normal duties. The written request is sent to the assistant dean for the appropriate division, with a copy to the department chair. Such requests are subject, as appropriate, to the approval of the FAS Dean or the Dean's designee.

If the requested extension is approved, the new dates of appointment are confirmed in writing to the faculty member, with a copy to the department chair(s).

As noted above, in Section 3.H.3.e.i.g (“For Tenure-Track Faculty: Childcare Appointment Extension and Postponement of Review Policies”), effective July 1, 2023, tenure-track faculty who take a medical leave of eight weeks or longer (including medical leave associated with childbirth) would be given the option of also taking a one-year extension to their current appointment. During this one-year extension, the faculty member would be eligible for one semester of teaching relief. 

By way of example, tenure-track faculty who use this benefit after giving birth are eligible to receive the following, for each birth:

  • The forms of University and FAS leave described in Section 3.H.3.e.i. (“Forms of support for FAS professors of all ranks”) of the FAS Appointment and Promotion Handbook. Namely:
    • University MAPFML Medical Leave (up to 6 months fully paid, and typically 8 weeks fully paid for a non-complicated childbirth)
    • FAS Paid Parental Leave (FAS PPL) (up to 4 weeks fully paid)
    • Either University MAPFML Bonding Leave (up to 4 weeks fully paid, and up to 8 weeks partially paid; this Bonding Leave runs concurrently with FAS PPL, if FAS PPL is elected), or an FAS Parental Semester of Leave (FAS PSL) (one semester off, fully paid)
  • The automatic childcare appointment extension given to faculty parents, as described in Section 3.H.3.e.i.g (“For Tenure-Track Faculty: Childcare Appointment Extension and Postponement of Review Policies”) of the FAS Appointment and Promotion Handbook. 
  • An optional additional appointment extension associated with medical leave.
  • An optional semester of course relief. Please work with your Divisional/SEAS assistant dean and department/area chair on the timing of this leave. Faculty may not, ordinarily, be out of the classroom for more than one year at a time.

In total, this amounts to two one-year appointment extensions, a term of course relief, and medical and other forms of leave, for each birth.

Ordinarily, if an appointment is extended by a year for medical reasons, any promotion review (whether from assistant to associate professor or from associate to tenured professor) is postponed by a year as well. However, if the appointment extension for medical reasons takes place after a review is already underway, the review is not ordinarily postponed, and the extension is added to the term of reappointment or promotion.
    
Please see Section 3e.i.g, “Childcare Appointment Extension and Postponement of Review Policies for Tenure-Track Faculty,” for information on extensions and postponements in connection with the birth or adoption of a child.

(5)   Personal Leave and Appointment Extensions

a.   Personal Leave

Unpaid leave may be granted to ladder faculty members (assistant, associate, or tenured professors), professors in residence, Benjamin Peirce Fellows, professors of the practice, senior preceptors, or senior lecturers (if that title is not dependent upon an administrative appointment) for compelling personal reasons (for example, the care of a seriously ill spouse, partner, parent, or child). The FAS may count personal leaves toward the fulfillment of the FMLA 12-week leave entitlement, if the reason for the leave meets the FMLA criteria.

Unpaid personal leaves do not count as accrued time when calculating someone’s eligibility for a paid sabbatical or paid research leave in the future; however, there is also no penalty levied for taking a personal leave, in this regard: the counting of terms in residence, towards future leave eligibility, does not necessarily restart at “1” after someone returns from personal leave. The count resumes where it left off before the personal leave. Written requests are submitted to the assistant dean for the appropriate division and are subject, as appropriate, to approval by the FAS Dean or the Dean's designee.

b.   Personal Appointment Extension and Postponement of Review for Tenure-Track Faculty

A tenure-track faculty member may request an extension of his/her/their existing appointment on the basis of compelling personal reasons (for example, the care of a seriously ill spouse, partner, parent, or child). The written request is sent to the assistant dean for the appropriate division, with a copy to the department chair. Such requests are subject, as appropriate, to the approval of the FAS Dean or the Dean's designee.

If the requested extension is approved, the new dates of appointment are confirmed in writing to the faculty member, with a copy to the department chair(s).

Ordinarily, if an appointment is extended by a year for personal reasons, any promotion review (whether from assistant to associate professor or from associate to tenured professor) is postponed by a year as well. If an appointment is extended for personal reasons for a period less than a year, any promotion review will be postponed by an equivalent period of time. However, if the extension of the appointment for personal reasons takes place after a review is already underway, the review is not ordinarily postponed, and the extension is added to the term of reappointment or promotion.

*The MAPFML Law provides that the weekly wage replacement benefit shall be calculated as follows: (a) that portion of the employee’s average weekly wage at Harvard that is equal to or less than 50% of the state average weekly wage shall be replaced at a rate of 80%; and (b) that portion of the employee’s average weekly wage that is more than 50% of the state average weekly wage shall be replaced at a rate of 50%. The maximum benefit shall be 64% of the state average weekly wage. An estimate of your weekly wage replacement may be found at https://calculator.digital.mass.gov/pfml/yourbenefits/.

More information about the MAPFML wage replacement benefits can be found here: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/how-pfml-weekly-benefit-amounts-are-ca....