University policies concerning faculty leaves caused by medical or family circumstances are explained in the Faculty Handbook, and faculty members should be directed to this source of information immediately whenever related issues arise. The causes underlying such leaves may be as joyful as the birth or adoption of a child or they may be very serious. In all cases, Unit Heads should protect the privacy of the faculty member, and treat related information as confidentially as possible.
The notes provided below offer a brief summary of policies and procedures related to Medical and Family Leaves. They are not a substitute for official policy statements and should be used only to prompt reference to the official documents or to the Dean's office. The full University policy is available in the University's Policies, Procedures, and Handbooks Web page AC 26 Faculty Medical and Family Leave (formerly 02-11-01).
- Eligibility
- Full-time faculty
- Part-time tenured and tenure-stream faculty (must be at least half-time)
- Faculty member's own medical leave
- Serious illness; Certification required
- Up to 26 paid workweeks during any 12-month period for own serious medical condition
- When the medical leave extends beyond six calendar months, the individual may apply for an unpaid leave of absence not to exceed 12 additional months, or for disability insurance under the University Long-Term Disability Plan.
- Family leaves:
- Parental leave/Child bonding
- Up to 4 weeks of paid leave after the birth or adoption of a child (must be taken within one calendar year after the birth or adoption).
- This leave is in addition to medical leave granted under the medical leave portion summarized above or through the family leave portion summarized below.
- Care of family member
- Up to 4 paid workweeks during 24-month period for family illness; eligibility requires 24 months of service
- Up to one year unpaid; University continues to pay its share of premiums
- Combined paid and unpaid leave cannot exceed 12 calendar months
- Parental leave/Child bonding
- Tenure track considerations
- 4 months leave or more: clock stops for one academic year and contract will be extended.
- Less than 4 months: upon request, clock may stop for one academic year and contract may be extended.
- Mandatory tenure review cannot be delayed more than 3 years under this policy.
Guidelines for Unit Heads on FMFL paperwork
- Become familiar with the FMFL policy.
- Provide the faculty member requesting leave with a copy of the FMFL policy.
- Answers to frequently asked questions regarding eligibility, definitions of medical and family leave, the tenure clock, and more are available in this Faculty Medical and Family Leave document from the University of Pittsburgh Office of Human Resources.
- Instruct the faculty member to contact MetLife by calling 1-888-777-7418 or visit my.pitt.edu (search for “MetLife MyBenefits”) to file your claims.
- Instruct the faculty member to write a memo to you informing you of their medical and/or family leave plans.
- The faculty member must indicate the length of leave being requested, including a start date and an end date. Note that the length of leave requested is not an arbitrary number. The faculty member should be made aware that the requested length of leave must be consistent with what their physician has recommended and with the FMFL policy. Due to privacy under HIPAA, the memo should not state the medical condition prompting the request.
- Check to see if the faculty member plans to request an extension of the tenure clock; and, if so, instruct the faculty member to include a statement indicating this in their memo requesting medical and/or family leave.
- Write a memo to the Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, recommending the medical and/or family leave for the faculty member.
- The memo should state that the faculty member was provided with a copy of the FMFL policy.
- When applicable, the memo should indicate that any necessary arrangements to have the faculty member's courses covered have been made. Also, the department should enter any replacement requests into DASH.
- The amount of leave recommended should be identical to what the faculty member requested, providing it is acceptable under the FMFL policy.
- Upload your memo recommending the leave and the faculty member's request to Perceptive Content (if available, include a CV) and assign to Faculty Actions Manager.
- All FMFL paperwork should be processed in a timely manner.
University FMFL Policy on Birth and Adoption: Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences Implementation
- Category A: Birth mothers entitled to both medical leave and parental leave.
- Faculty members are entitled to paid medical leave as recommended by their physician (e.g., 6 weeks for uncomplicated birth), plus 4 weeks of paid parental leave.
- When combining medical and parental leave, this will be implemented as one term released from all responsibilities.
- The faculty member may choose to request medical and parental leave in different terms. In this case, the medical leave would provide 6 weeks of leave implemented as a one-course release for the term. The parental leave (processed separately) will also provide the faculty member with a one-course release in a different term.
- Salary will be continued only during that period for which the faculty member would normally be on the payroll.
- Leave must be taken within 1 year of birth of a child.
- Academic year in which birth takes place will not normally count toward mandatory tenure review. The faculty member desiring this option must submit a written statement to the unit head or dean within the academic year in which the birth occurs.
- Faculty members are entitled to paid medical leave as recommended by their physician (e.g., 6 weeks for uncomplicated birth), plus 4 weeks of paid parental leave.
- Category B: Faculty member entitled to parental leave only (i.e. adoption, non-birth mothers, and partners).
- Faculty member is entitled to 4 weeks of paid parental leave.
- Faculty member could request this as a one-course reduction, or
- Faculty member could request this as a 4 week continuous leave
- Primary caregiver (provides at least 50% of child care) may also:
- request buy out of one additional course at the standard Dietrich School rate, or
- arrange with the unit head for modified duties for one term, in accordance with the units workload policy
- Leave and/or modified duties must take place within 1 year of birth or adoption of a child.
- Academic year in which birth or adoption takes place will not normally count toward mandatory tenure review. The faculty member desiring this option must submit a written statement to the unit head or dean within the academic year in which the birth or adoption occurs.
- Faculty member is entitled to 4 weeks of paid parental leave.
Updated January 2026