Time Away From Work
The University offers resources for faculty and staff who may need time away from work due to a qualifying event. Members of our faculty and staff employed under a collective bargaining agreement should refer to their respective agreements for details about bargained leave options.
Plans for paid time off are offered solely at the discretion of the University to benefit-eligible faculty and staff.
Other leaves of absence (e.g., military leaves, jury duty and family and medical leave) are subject to federal and state law.
Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
FMLA helps employees balance the demands of work with the needs of their families. The University provides reasonable unpaid job-protected leave for certain family and medical reasons such as, but not limited to, an employee's serious health condition.
To begin the application process for FMLA leave, employees should contact the HR Partner for their respective department.
Pension Participant Short Term Disability Checklist for Managers
To begin the application process for FMLA leave, employees should contact the HR Partner for their respective department.
Paid Parental Leave
The University of Delaware offers paid parental leave available to eligible employees. The policy will offer eight (8) weeks of paid parental leave for benefits-eligible employees upon the birth of their child or adoption of a child six (6) years of age or younger. A completed, request for Parental Leave Form and other required documentation must be submitted 60 days in advance.
Benefited employees working 30 hours or more per week, except those in positions covered by AAUP, University of Delaware Chapter.
- Employees must have been employed by the university for at least 12 months in a benefits-eligible position.
- Paid parental leave must be taken during the first eight (8) weeks following the birth of a child or placement of a newly adopted child six (6) years of age or younger.
- If both legal parents are eligible employees of the University, they are entitled to a combined eight (8) weeks of paid parental leave.
- A multiple birth or adoption will not increase the length of paid parental leave granted.
- Parental leave (paid and unpaid) runs concurrently with FMLA and short-term disability, if applicable.
A completed and signed Request for Parental Leave Form and other required documentation must be submitted to your department’s Human Resources Manager/HR Designee 60 days in advance.
The purpose of paid parental leave is to allow recovery/bonding time following the birth of your child or adoption of a child six (6) years of age or younger.
The system will reflect the day of birth or adoption as the first day of paid parental leave. It will cover pay for 8 weeks/40 work days.
If eligible, you will receive up to a maximum of eight (8) weeks of paid parental leave per birth or adoption of a child. In no case will you receive more than eight weeks of paid parental leave in a rolling 12-month period, regardless of whether more than one birth or adoption event occurs within that twelve-month timeframe.
Yes. Paid parental leave must be taken in one continuous period of leave.
No. The paid parental leave benefit provides up to eight (8) weeks of paid leave per birth event or adoption event, regardless of multiple births (twins, triplets, etc.) or adopting more than one child.
No. The policy only covers birth or adoption.
A completed and signed Request for Parental Leave Form and other required documentation must be submitted to your department’s Human Resources Manager/HR Designee 60 days in advance.
Yes, appropriate documentation is required and must be submitted to Human Resources Benefits within 30 days of the event. Documentation requirements: for birth, the birth certificate; for adoption, documentation such as an adoption order. Please review the Family Status Change form if you wish to add your child to benefits.
Yes, if you are eligible for FMLA, the paid parental leave will be taken concurrently with FMLA.
If you are eligible for short-term disability benefits and your claim is approved, you will receive short-term disability payments of 75%. The additional 25% will be charged to your paid parental leave. Paid parental leave and FMLA leave will run concurrently during the STD waiting period. You will use your vacation balance concurrently with FMLA, after the eight weeks (8) of paid parental leave is exhausted. For additional information see UD’s Disability Policy.
No. The University will maintain all benefits for you during the paid parental leave period just as if you were taking any other University paid leave such as vacation leave or sick leave.
No. If both parents are employed by the University, you are entitled to eight (8) weeks of combined paid parental leave.
No. Adoption of your spouse’s children does not meet the eligibility criteria for this benefit.
This policy may not be applicable to you if you are covered under a union contract. If you are covered under a union contract, you should refer to your respective contract.
Yes. The Leave Management Team will be happy to submit your time off in WorkForce using the proper codes for the correct periods. Time off requests will be submitted in accordance with our sick, vacation and FMLA policies utilizing physician information. Parental leave (paid and unpaid) runs concurrently with FMLA and short-term disability, if applicable.
A Family Status Change form with required supporting documentation should be uploaded to our secure document portal found here https://www.udel.edu/faculty-staff/human-resources/forms/ within 30 days of birth/adoption. The initial documentation may be the footprints certificate from the hospital, but the Social Security Card and birth certificate copies should be forwarded once received in the mail.
If a University holiday(s) of less than one full week occurs while you are on paid parental leave, such holiday(s) will not extend the total paid parental leave entitlement nor will your receive additional holiday pay for the day. If a University holiday of one full work week or more occurs during your parental leave, it WILL extend your leave by the number of days the University is closed for said holiday. You will not receive additional pay for those days.
A completed and signed Request for Parental Leave Form and other required documentation must be submitted to your department’s Human Resources Manager/HR Designee 60 days in advance.
For Leave of Absence assistance and questions email: leavemanagement@udel.edu
Additional Leave of Absence resources for HR Business Partners and Supervisors can be found in the HR Knowledge Hub under Leaves of Absence.
Workers' Compensation
All compensated employees of the University are protected by Workers' Compensation Insurance for any occupational injury or illness. (Compensation may include payment or other forms of compensation, for example, room and board.) This protection covers prescribed medical treatment and hospitalization, if necessary.
To report an injury or illness submit: First Report of Occupational Injury or Disease Form
Contact Leave Management for more information at leavemanagement@udel.edu
You would report an injury or illness by submitting: First Report of Occupational Injury or Disease Form
You are to still required to report the injury to your manager or Human Resources.
You are to notify your manager or Human Resources within 24 hours of the work related job-injury or illness.
A claim is processed with our third party vendor, PMA Companies
Please submit the bill by mail or Fax to:
PMA Customer Service Center
P.O. Box 5231
Janesville, WI 53547-5231
Fax: 1-800-432-9762
When lost time occurs as a result of illness or injury, an employee may receive up to their full regular salary. Employees must use all accrued sick leave during a period of lost-time because of an illness or injury and may use accrued vacation to maintain a full salary during a period of lost-time because of a covered illness or injury. The employee may also elect to use vacation leave to continue to receive their full salary.
The employee will retain any benefits paid by the Worker’s Compensation insurance carrier while the employee is receiving their full salary. If disability should continue after sick and vacation leave has been exhausted, the employee will receive Workers Compensation benefit payments directly from the University’s Worker’s Compensation insurance carrier.
PMA will contact the injured worker with any claim approvals/denials by postal mail or email. If you need information accessed quickly, the injured party can contact PMA at:
PMA
P. O. BOX 5231
Janesville, WI 53547-5231
Phone: 1-888-476-2669
Billing Fax: 1-800-432-9762
Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA)
The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) gives workers and their families who lose their health benefits the right to choose to continue group health benefits (i.e. health, dental, vision and Health Care FSA) provided through the University.
COBRA benefits can only be continued for limited periods of time under certain circumstances, such as voluntary or involuntary job loss, reduction in the hours worked, transition between jobs, death, divorce and other life events. COBRA requires that continuation coverage extend from the date of the qualifying event for a limited period of time of 18 months (for employee), 36 months (for dependent) or 29 months (if a qualified beneficiary is disabled).
Qualified individuals are required to pay the entire premium for coverage, up to 102 percent of the cost of the plan. If you are leaving the University or you or a covered dependent will be losing benefits for some reason, please send an email to hrhelp@udel.edu with the details of your situation.
Effective July 1, 2024
Health Care Coverage
| Total Monthly Rate | COBRA @ 102% | |
|---|---|---|
| Highmark Delaware First State Basic | ||
| Employee/Retiree | $1,102.06 | $1,124.10 |
| Employee/Retiree & Spouse | $2,280.12 | $2,325.72 |
| Employee/Retiree & Child(ren) | $1,675.24 | $1,708.74 |
| Family | $2,850.26 | $2,907.27 |
| Aetna CDH Gold | ||
| Employee/Retiree | $1,140.62 | $1,163.43 |
| Employee/Retiree & Spouse | $2,364.98 | $2,412.28 |
| Employee/Retiree & Child(ren) | $1,742.66 | $1,77.51 |
| Family | $3,004.50 | $3,064.59 |
| Aetna HMO | ||
| Employee/Retiree | $1,150.54 | $1,173.55 |
| Employee/Retiree & Spouse | $2,425.78 | $2,474.30 |
| Employee/Retiree & Child(ren) | $1,760.02 | $1,795.22 |
| Family | $3,026.82 | $3,087.36 |
| Highmark Delaware Comprehensive PPO Plan | ||
| Employee/Retiree | $1,258.16 | $1,283.32 |
| Employee/Retiree & Spouse | $2,610.80 | $2,663.02 |
| Employee/Retiree & Child(ren) | $1,939.04 | $1,977.82 |
| Family | $3,263.86 | $3,329.14 |
| Total Monthly Rate | COBRA @ 102% | |
|---|---|---|
| Dental Plan Administered by MetLife | ||
| Employee | $46.81 | $47.75 |
| Employee & Spouse | $94.22 | $96.10 |
| Employee & Child(ren) | $105.43 | $107.54 |
| Family | $153.21 | $156.27 |
| Total Monthly Rate | COBRA @ 102% | |
|---|---|---|
| Vision Plan Administered by National Vision Administrators (NVA) | ||
| Employee | $4.42 | $4.51 |
| Employee & Spouse | $9.50 | $9.69 |
| Employee & Child(ren) | $7.16 | $7.30 |
| Family | $13.06 | $13.32 |
| Total Monthly Rate | COBRA @ 102% | |
|---|---|---|
| Dental Plan Administered by MetLife | ||
| Employee | $44.58 | $45.47 |
| Employee & Spouse | $89.73 | $91.52 |
| Employee & Child(ren) | $100.41 | $102.42 |
| Family | $145.91 | $148.83 |
| Total Monthly Rate | COBRA @ 102% | |
|---|---|---|
| Vision Plan Administered by National Vision Administrators (NVA) | ||
| Employee | $4.42 | $4.51 |
| Employee & Spouse | $9.50 | $9.69 |
| Employee & Child(ren) | $7.16 | $7.30 |
| Family | $13.06 | $13.32 |
When you separate from the University, you will receive two COBRA letters via regular mail. One letter will be sent from ASI COBRA offering continuation of your medical coverage. The second letter will be mailed from the University and provide instructions on how to continue your dental and vision via COBRA..
Our medical benefits are administered by the State of Delaware, and they utilize the vendor ASI to administer their COBRA plan. The University administers their own dental and vision plans, HR will offer and administer continuation of these benefits.
You are given an election period of 60 days, beginning the first day you lose coverage, to choose whether or not to elect continuation coverage. When you enroll within the 60 day grace period, coverage is retroactive to the first day of lost coverage. There may be no lapse in coverage between active and COBRA.
COBRA offers extended insurance coverage for 18 months beginning the first day of the month after you separate from the University. For example, if you separate from the University March 15, 2023, your regular health benefits continue until March 31, 2023 and your COBRA insurance coverage will begin effective April 1, 2023. COBRA also offers extended coverage of 36 months for the divorced spouse of a covered employee, surviving dependents after the death of a covered employee and loss of dependent child status at age 26.
Your COBRA letter will outline two options. You may submit a check by mail or enroll in ACH for automatic electronic deductions from your checking account each month.
You may cancel at any time. You would contact ASI COBRA directly to request cancellation of your COBRA Medical. You would contact the University of Delaware Human Resources via email at hrhelp@udel.edu to request cancellation of dental and/or vision.
Yes, the Marketplace offers “one stop shopping” to find and compare private health insurance options. In the Marketplace, you could be eligible for a tax credit that lowers your monthly premiums and cost-sharing reductions (amounts that lower your out-of-pocket costs for deductibles, coinsurance and copayments), and you can see what your premium, deductibles and out-of-pocket costs will be before you make a decision to enroll. Visit healthcare.gov to compare plans and premiums.
Medicare is the Federal health insurance program for people who are 65 or older and certain younger people with disabilities or End-Stage Renal Disease. If you are enrolled in Medicare as well as COBRA continuation coverage, there may be special coordination of benefits rules that determine which coverage is the primary payer of benefits. Check your Summary Plan Description to see if special rules apply or ask your pla administrator. For more information on Medicare, visit Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE.
Time Away From Work Resources
Secure Document Submission
Please use the Secure Document Submission Form to provide HR with important documents. Log-in with your Employee ID and password and follow the directions on the form.
Knowledge Hub
Looking for a form, policy or toolkit? Find these resources in the HR Knowledge Hub (formerly the HR ATLAS). (This content is only available to internal staff and faculty)
Related Policies:
For Leave of Absence assistance and questions
Connect
550 S. College Ave., Suite 201, Newark, DE 19713 hrhelp@udel.edu Phone 302-831-2171