Published: July 1, 2021

The Department of Human Resources will be holding FMLA and Parental Leave Information Sessions July 20-22, 2021. The FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act (1993)) is a federally mandated law, requiring eligible employers to provide eligible employees with job-protected and unpaid leave for qualifying medical and family reasons. The University of Colorado is a covered employer, and must offer Family Medical Leave to eligible employees.

The University of Colorado also offers a Parental Leave benefit for qualifying employees which provides up to six months of job-protected leave to run concurrently with FMLA and six weeks of paid parental leave (Boulder campus only).

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Family and Medical Leave Act and Parental Leave Information Sessions

Join the Department of Human Resources at an information session on the Family and Medical Leave Act and the Parental Leave benefit.

At the end of these sessions, attendees will:

  • Gain understanding of of the FMLA
  • Learn how to request Family Medical Leave
  • Better understand their rights and responsibilities as an employee, supervisor, and HR Liaison in regards to the Family and Medical Leave Act
  • Learn about the Parental Leave benefit on the Boulder campus

The FMLA and Parental Leave Information Sessions will be recorded and posted to the HR Website for any employee, supervisor, or HR Liaison who is unable to attend. If you are able to attend, please select the appropriate session below to register:

Employee Session

Date: July 20, 2021
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. MST

Format: Zoom Webinar

Supervisor/Manager Session

Date: July 21, 2021
Time: 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. MST
Format: Zoom Webinar

HR Liaison Session

Date: July 22, 2021
Time: 11:00 to 12:00 p.m MST
Format: Zoom Webinar

FMLA Eligibility Requirements

University Staff and Research Faculty must have worked for the University of Colorado for a minimum of 12 months within the past 7 years, and worked a total of 1,250 hours in the 12 months immediately preceding the first date of leave, in order to be eligible to apply for Family Medical Leave. Employees can take up to 12 weeks of FMLA per rolling calendar year. FMLA runs concurrently with all applicable forms of paid leave.

Classified Staff must have 12 months of state service in order to be eligible to apply for Family Medical Leave. Classified staff can take up to 12 weeks of FMLA and one additional week of State Medical Leave per rolling calendar year. Classified Staff are also eligible for up to 80 hours of Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML), prorated based on the employee’s percent of time. FMLA and State Medical Leave run concurrently with PFML and all other applicable forms of paid leave.

9-month faculty must have worked for the University of Colorado for a minimum of 12 months within the past 7 years, and worked a total of 1,250 hours in the 12 months immediately preceding the first date of leave, in order to be eligible to apply for Family Medical Leave. Faculty can take up to 12 weeks of FMLA per rolling year, which runs concurrently with all applicable forms of paid leave. Faculty may be eligible for additional leave beyond the 12 weeks of FMLA with approval from their Dean’s Office and/or the Office of Faculty Affairs.

Qualifying Events for Family Medical Leave

An employee may request Family Medical leave for the following reasons:

  • The birth of a child or to bond with the newborn child within one year of birth.
  • The placement with the employee of a child for adoption or foster care and to bond with the newly placed child within one year of placement.
  • A serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the functions of their job.
  • To care for the employee's spouse, child, or parent who has a serious health condition.
  • Any qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that the employee's spouse, child, or parent is a covered military member on covered active duty.
  • To care for a covered service member with a serious injury or illness if the employee is the spouse, child, parent, or next of kin of the servicemember. Employees are eligible for up to 26 weeks of FMLA Military Caregiver Leave in a rolling 12-month period.

Parental Leave

For detailed eligibility requirements and parental leave allotments, please refer to the CU Boulder Paid Parental Leave Policy. This policy is meant to be interpreted as an additive to .

For specific questions regarding the Family and Medical Leave Act or Parental Leave, please contact Employee Relations at 303-492-6475 or Leave@colorado.edu.