Adoption

You are adopting a baby. What do you do now?

In order to take leave time to bond with your newly adopted baby, you must apply for FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act). FMLA is a federal law that protects you, the employee, while you are taking leave to bond with your newly adopted baby. FMLA protects your job and provides that your Health Insurance Benefits remain in force while you are out for adoption (provided you continue to pay your portion your health insurance premium.) In order to qualify, you will need to have worked for the District for at least one year and have worked 1,250 hours in the previous 12 months. Should you qualify, FMLA allows you to take up to 12 workweeks of leave to care for and bond with your baby.

You will need the following forms to apply for FMLA for the adoption of your baby.

 

As soon as you are aware of the date the baby will be placed in your custody, complete the Request for Family Medical Leave. Please list the approximate date of custody where the form asks for a start date for your leave. This beginning date for your FMLA leave will be adjusted based upon the Legal Certification information you will provide after the placement of your baby.  These forms can be faxed to 801-567-8056; hand delivered, or sent interoffice mail to the Human Resources Department- Benefits.  

You will need to provide Legal Certification of the adoption after the placement of your baby.  You will have 15 days (from the actual placement of your baby) to return this to the Human Resources Department (regardless if you were approved or denied for FMLA).  Please contact the Human Resources Department the day you return to work.

FMLA leave is not a paid leave. A portion of your leave can be paid if you have accrued Family or Personal leave days. In addition, you can apply to convert up to 12 days of sick leave for adoption (see Critical Family Leave for Adoption below). Any time beyond your eligible leave days and converted sick days will be in a non-paid status and will be deducted from contracted pay.  You can contact the Human Resource Department at 801-567-8249 to determine the amount of leave days you have available to use.

Critical Family Leave for Adoption

If you do not have enough Family or Personal leave days, you may also request to convert up to 12 of your sick leave days to care for and bond with your newly adopted child. This is called Critical Family Leave for Adoption.  Please review the correct policy for either Licensed or Classified employees. You can request to convert sick leave days for Adoption Leave by completing the Request for Critical Family Leave form for Licensed or Classified. 

If you do not have enough leave days and you did not qualify for FMLA, you may consider taking a Leave of Absence. You may choose to take a Personal Leave of Absence (allowing up to 15 days unpaid in a three year period.)  Below you will find a link to each of the policies related to Leave of Absence, please select the one that applies to you:

 

If you do not plan to return to work after your leave, please be sure to review either the Licensed, or Classified Resignation, and the FMLA policies, as they may have an effect on your final check.  First year employees have very limited leave benefits and should contact Human Resources to have your options explained in more detail.

Should you have any additional questions or concerns regarding your leave, please contact Human Resources-Benefits at 801-567-8249.