Paid Parental Leave

The Office of Human Resources is pleased to announce that we are now able to offer Paid Parental Leave (PPL) as a new benefit of employment with the College. This new benefit will provide up to six (6) weeks of Paid Parental Leave for eligible employees who give birth to a child or are the primary caregiver for a child placed with them for adoption. The new benefit also provides up to two (2) weeks of Paid Parental Leave for a non-birthing co-parent, the non-primary caregiver for a child placed with them for adoption, or for an employee who fosters a child under age 18 in SC state custody.

To be eligible for PPL, employees must be in a permanent FTE position and the qualifying event (birth, placement for adoption or foster care) must occur on or after October 1, 2022. Employees must meet eligibility requirements and communicate with Human Resources to ensure all necessary documentation is provided, in accordance with the College's Paid Parental Leave policy

Paid Parental Leave Application

Paid Parental Leave (PPL) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

If the answer to your question cannot be found below please reach out to The Office of Human Resources (humanresources@cofc.edu).
  • Paid Parental Leave Eligibility FAQs

    If an employee is eligible for Family Medical Leave as a temporary, time-limited, or temporary grant employee are they eligible for PPL?

    • No. Only employees in full-time employment (FTE) positions are eligible for PPL. 

    If an employee is working at a South Carolina State Agency in a temporary, time-limited, temporary grant, or other non-FTE position and gives birth, adopts a child, or becomes a foster parent and then is later hired into an FTE position, is the employee eligible for PPL?

    • No. To be eligible for PPL, the employee must meet all eligibility requirements at the time of the qualifying event (birth, adoption, or foster care placement).

    If an employee is hired into an FTE position and gave birth, adopted a child, or becomes a foster parent prior to their hire date are they eligible for PPL?

    • No. To be eligible for PPL, the employee must meet all eligibility requirements at the time of the qualifying event (birth, adoption, or foster care placement).

    Does an employee have to work for a period of time before being eligible to take PPL?

    • No. There is no service requirement to take PPL.

    If an employee has exhausted their Family Medical Leave, are they eligible for PPL?

    • Yes. PPL will run concurrently with Family Medical Leave, however if Family Medical Leave has been exhausted the employee is still eligible for PPL if all other criteria are met. 

    If an employee has sick leave and annual leave and is eligible for Family Medical Leave in what order should leave be taken?

    • Sick leave and PPL run concurrently with Family Medical Leave, but the employee may decide which leave to use first. However, the employee may only use sick leave for the period they are medically unable to work or for family sick leave (up to ten working days) if the leave qualifies. Also, once the PPL begins, the employee must continue with PPL until this leave is exhausted.
    • If the employee exhausts sick leave and PPL and has remaining Family Medical Leave under FMLA available, they may use annual leave, other available leave, or leave without pay. 

    If an employee is on paid military leave and gives birth, adopts, or fosters a child are they eligible for PPL?

    • If the employee is on paid Short-Term Military Training Leave, they are eligible. However, if the employee is on Long-Term Military Leave of Absence, the employee would not be eligible for PPL. 

    If an employee is on Leave Without Pay and experiences a qualifying event, are they eligible for PPL?

    • Yes, as long as the employee would otherwise be eligible to use other paid leave types if available (sicl leave, annual leave, etc.). However, if an employee is suspended pending an investigation or for disciplinary reasons, they would not be able to substitute any type of paid leave, including PPL, for the time they are suspended. 

    If an employee gives birth, adopts a child, or has foster child placed before October 1, 2022, is the employee eligible for PPL within twelve months of October 1, 2022?

    • No. PPL is only available if the qualifying event occurs on or after October 1, 2022. 

    If both parents work for the state government, are both eligible for PPL?

    • Yes. PPL for both employees may be taken concurrently, consecutively, or at a different time, subject to all other requirements. However, the number of weeks available to each employee may be different. 

    Are nine-month faculty employees eligible for PPL if they experience a qualifying event during the period of the year they are not working (i.e., May 16 - August 15)?

    • Yes, so long as the employee remains in an FTE position. However, they may not begin PPL until they are scheduled to work. They may not use PPL for time they would otherwise not be working.
  • Paid Parental Leave Usage and Availability FAQs

    If an employee is in an FTE position and is taking Paid Parental Leave and then moves to a non-FTE position prior to exhausting their two or six weeks of PPL, is the employee able to take the remaining PPL while occupying a non-FTE position?

    • No. The employee's PPL would end when they move to the non-FTE position even if they have not exhausted their two or six weeks of leave.

    Is an adoption or foster care parent able to use PPL before the initial legal placement for adoption or foster care placement for reasons related to the adoption or foster care placement such as traveling to a foreign country to meet the child before the actual adoption?

    • No. PPL is not available until the qualifying event occurs. The employees may, however, be eligible for Family Medical Leave under FMLA.

    Is PPL available for surrogacy?

    • While not specifically included in the Paid Parental Leave Bill, we have determined that the birth of a child through surrogacy to an eligible employee will be considered a qualifying event. In this case, the employee would declare whether or not they are the primary care giver.

    Is PPL available for the birth of a non-biological child conceived through in vitro fertilization?

    • While not specifically included in the Paid Parental Leave Bill, we have determined that the birth of a non-biological child conceived through in vitro fertilization to an eligible employee will be considered a qualifying event. 

    Does PPL have to be taken immediately following the birth, adoption, or foster care placement?

    • No. PPL may be taken at any point in the twelve months following the qualifying event. However, if the employee is taking Family Medical Leave, they would have to use PPL prior to taking leave without pay (LWOP) for the time on Family Medical Leave.

    If leave for the birth of a newborn child and adoption must be taken consecutively, does that mean the employee must take full days consecutively? Or can the employee take a few hours over consecutive day until they use up their allotment?

    • The employee must take all time consecutively. The employee could take a partial day at the start of the leave period but after that, they would have to take full days until their leave is exhausted. Depending on the shift worked by the employee, the PPL may be exhausted in the middle of a workday resulting in a partial day of PPL. Employees may use a different type of leave (sick, annual, leave without pay) or may work for the partial workday following the exhaustion of the PPL.

    If the mother is admitted to the hospital on one day but the birth does not occur until the following day, can PPL be used by either parent for the day prior to the birth?

    • No. PPL can only be used on or after the date the qualifying event occurs. The parents may, however, be permitted to use other types of leave.

    If the employee begins parental leave but leaves state employment before their leave is exhausted and then becomes re-employed with the state government within 12 months of the qualifying event, can they take the remaining PPL beginning the date they return to employment?

    • No. PPL must be etake consecutively and is forfeited at separation of employment. 

    Can an employer deny an employee's request to take PPL at a certain time?

    • In general, the same considerations applied to requests for Family Medical Leave time off for binding should be applied to requests for PPL. Therefore, requests for periods of leave should, generally, be granted for the time requested by the employee so long as the requested time is within twelve months of the qualifying event. Request for PPL must still meet eligibility and policy requirements and must run concurrently with any FMLA if available. 

    Are employees required to use PPL for legal holidays, which occur during their period of leave?

    • No. Official College of Charleston employee holidays are not counted against PPL.

    If an employee leaves state government while using PPL, but prior to exhausting the PPL available, and then returns to an FTE position without experiencing a break in service, can they use the balance of PPL available?

    • Yes, so long as the employee does not experience a break in service, they may continue PPL, but the period of PPL must be taken consecutively. Therefore, the employee will have to take PPL immediately upon return to an FTE position. If the employee does experience a break in service, they forfeit any PPL remaining upon the time of the separation.

    How do I get more information on Paid Parental Leave at the College of Charleston?