This page serves as a resource to assist employees of the UW School of Medicine and Public Health (SMPH) in understanding leave options that may be available to them if they need to take time off work for medical or family reasons.
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Paid parental leave policies at UW–Madison
On July 1, 2024, the university implemented new Paid Parental Leave policies to provide eligible employees with up to 6 weeks (240 hours/pro-rated for part-time employees) of paid parental leave within a rolling 12-month period for the birth or adoption of a child:
- Paid Parental Leave Policy applies to eligible Faculty, Academic Staff, University Staff, Limited appointees, Graduate Assistants (holding positions of Teaching Assistant, Research Assistant, Project Assistant (including Reader/Grader), and Lecturer), and Post Degree Training Research Interns
- Postdoc Absence With Pay (Parental) Policy applies to eligible Employee-In-Training appointments (Research Associate, Postdoctoral Fellow, Postdoctoral Trainee)
These policies reflects the University’s commitment to supporting the well-being of employees and their families at an important time in their lives. For more information about the policies, including eligibility criteria and FAQs, please visit the Paid Parental Leave webpage at https://hr.wisc.edu/paid-parental-leave/. For questions about your specific leave needs and/or leave options, please contact the SMPH Leave Specialist/Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) at smph-fmla@med.wisc.edu.
Important to note: To request time off for the birth or adoption of a child and to request the UW Paid Parental Leave benefit, employees must complete and submit the Paid Parental Leave Request Form directly to the SMPH Leave Specialist/Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) at smph-fmla@med.wisc.edu at least 30 days before the leave starts.
Leave Options
Employees who need to take time off work for more than five working days or on an ongoing basis for certain medical or family reasons should contact the SMPH Leave Specialist/Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) at smph-fmla@med.wisc.edu to learn about their leave options.
FMLA and WFMLA
As an institution, once we are aware that an employee may need leave for a covered reason (e.g., employee’s own serious health condition) under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and/or Wisconsin Family and Medical Leave Act (WFMLA), we are legally required to inform them of their eligibility under the W/FMLA and provide them with a copy of the Notice of Employee Rights and Responsibilities under the FMLA. This is because W/FMLA are legal leave entitlements that provide unpaid, job protected leave for eligible employees. Employees can use any type of paid leave (vacation, sick, etc.) they have to cover the time they are out on leave that is formally approved under the W/FMLA so that they continue to receive their full pay.
Employees who are not eligible under the W/FMLA may be eligible for other leave options under UW leave policies.
Federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Under FMLA, eligible employees have the right to take up to 12 weeks (480 hours/prorated for part-time employees) of unpaid, job-protected leave* for the following reasons:
- Birth of a child
- Placement with employee of a child for adoption or foster care
- Employee’s own serious health condition
- To care for a family member with a serious health condition
- A qualifying exigency for a military family member on covered active duty
- To care for a covered service member with a serious injury or illness
Wisconsin Family and Medical Leave Act (WFMLA)
Under WFMLA, eligible employees have the right to take unpaid, job-protected leave* for the following reasons:
- Employee’s own serious health condition – up to 2 weeks (80 hours/prorated for part-time employees)
- Caring for a family member with a serious health condition – up to 2 weeks (80 hours/prorated for part-time employees)
- Pre-birth bonding, birth of a child, or adoption – up to 6 weeks (240 hours/prorated for part-time employees)
*While leave designated under W/FMLA is unpaid, employees may substitute accrued paid leave (vacation, personal holiday, sick leave, ALRA, etc.) so they continue to receive pay while on leave. If you have questions about your leave balances, pay or benefits, contact your divisional Payroll & Benefits Coordinator.
Comparison of FMLA and WFMLA Laws
For additional information on FMLA and WFMLA, including eligibility requirements and leave entitlement, refer to the Family & Medical Leave Information Guide.
How to Request Leave
To request time off work for a medical of family reason, complete and return the appropriate leave forms (see below) to the SMPH Leave Specialist at (608) 234-4401 (confidential fax) or smph-fmla@med.wisc.edu (confidential e-mail) at least 30 days before the leave is expected to start. As a designated Divisional Disability Representative (DDR), the SMPH Leave Specialist is responsible for maintaining confidential medical information for all SMPH employees.
Refer to the Medical and/or Parental Leave Checklist for information on both employee and employer responsibilities before, during, and after an employee is approved for a leave of absence.
Medical and/or Parental Leave Checklist
Employee Responsibilities
How to request medical and/or parental leave:
- Notify SMPH Leave Specialist at smph-fmla@med.wisc.edu as soon as possible about medical/parental leave.
- Submit completed leave paperwork to SMPH Leave Specialist at smph-fmla@med.wisc.edu at least 30 days prior to the start of your leave.
- More information about medical/parental leaves and required leave paperwork are available on SMPH Medical Leaves webpage.
- Contact SMPH Payroll & Benefits Specialist for questions about benefits, paid leave balances, and type of leave you plan to use.
For Physicians Dually Employed by UW SMPH and UWMF:
- For questions about UWMF benefits and UWMF Physician Paid Parental Leave benefit, contact UW Health HR by submitting ServiceNow ticket (on The Pulse) or by calling 608-263-6500).
- Contact Department Administrator for questions about UWMF salary.
Once medical/parental leave is approved and leave starts:
- Enter absences as they occur or you will not get paid. If you can’t, contact your supervisor right away for entry and approval of your time off.
- Continuous leaves longer than 30 days: Will be prompted to complete Benefits Intentions Form in Workday to identify which benefits to continue or lapse while on leave.
For parental leaves:
After baby arrives and/or is placed for adoption:
- Notify SMPH Leave Specialist at smph-fmla@med.wisc.edu within 14 days to confirm birth date and 1st day of leave for Paid Parental Leave eligibility.
- Contact SMPH Payroll & Benefits Specialist within 30 days to add baby to health insurance and other benefits.
Preparing to return from leave:
- Submit Return to Work Authorization Form at least 2 business days before your return to work date if you’re:
- On continuous leave for own medical condition, or
- Gave birth and plan to return before 6 weeks (natural birth) or 8 weeks (caesarean birth).
- To extend medical/parental leave, contact SMPH Leave Specialist at smph-fmla@med.wisc.edu as soon as possible. Updated medical documentation is required to extend medical leaves.
Employer Responsibilities
SMPH leave specialist
- After learning employee may need leave, send information about eligibility under W/FMLA and leave request process within 5 business days.
- Review leave request and paperwork, including medical documentation (if applicable). Process & send leave approval to employee, supervisor, HR Business Partner, and Payroll & Benefits Specialist.
- Enter and return employee from medical/parental leave of absence in Workday.
SMPH payroll & benefits specialist
- Consult with employee about:
- Benefits
- Paid Leave Balances
- Type of leave (paid or unpaid) being used
- Any issues with timely absence entries
Supervisor
- Sign Medical Leave Request Form and Leave Without Pay Request Form if department approval is required
- Review and approve employee absence entries timely to ensure payment
- Track employee leave usage on WFMLA/FMLA Tracking Spreadsheet and return to smph-fmla@med.wisc.edu after leave ends
- Delegate employee’s Workday tasks to others as needed
Confidentiality
All medical information is confidential (including leave request statuses and employee eligibility for FMLA) and can only be shared on a “need to know” basis. Access to confidential medical information is restricted. Only Divisional Disability Representatives (DDRs) are authorized to handle and retain medical information for employees.
- Medical Leave Forms
- Parental Leave Forms
- Military Family Leave Entitlements
- W/FMLA Leave Tracking Spreadsheets
- Related Policies
- Resources for Employees
- Resources for Supervisors
Required Forms
| wdt_ID | Form | To be Completed by: | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medical Leave Request Form | Employee | Not required for parental leave requests for the birth or adoption of a child |
| 2 | Certification of Health Care Provider for Employee's Serious Health Condition under the Family and Medical Leave Act | Employee’s Treating Specialist | Required if leave is for employee's own serious health condition |
| 3 | Certification of Health Care Provider for Family Member's Serious Health Condition under the Family and Medical Leave Act | Family Member’s Treating Specialist | Required if leave is for the care of a family member with a serious health condition |
| 4 | Return to Work Authorization Form | Employee’s Treating Specialist | Required for employees returning from continuous leave for their own serious health conditions. Due at least 2 business days prior to their expected return to work date. This is because we want to ensure that employees are able to safely return to work and that we are in line with any medical restrictions they may have. Employees may be sent home if they do not provide a complete and sufficient Return to Work Authorization Form. |
Optional Forms
| wdt_ID | Form | To be Completed by: | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Leave Without Pay or Temporary Assignment Request Form - Academic and University Staff | Employee | Only required if employee plans to take leave without pay. Supervisor signature of approval is required. Choosing to take leave without pay may affect employee's benefits, including health insurance and allocation of paid leave. We encourage employees to contact the Office of Human Resources – Benefits Services at 608-262-5650 or benefits@ohr.wisc.edu to discuss payment of premiums and any other questions related to their benefits and allocation of paid leave. |
| 6 | Leave Without Pay or Temporary Assignment Request Form - Faculty | Employee | Only required if employee plans to take leave without pay. Supervisor signature of approval is required. Choosing to take leave without pay may affect employee's benefits, including health insurance and allocation of paid leave. We encourage employees to contact the Office of Human Resources – Benefits Services at 608-262-5650 or benefits@ohr.wisc.edu to discuss payment of premiums and any other questions related to their benefits and allocation of paid leave. |
| 7 | UWMF Physician Parental Paid Leave Request Form | Employee | Only required for employees affiliated with UWMF, in any capacity, who are requesting parental leave. Complete and return the form directly to UWMF HR at hrservicecenterforms@uwhealth.org. For additional information, refer to the UWMF Physician Parental Leave of Absence Policy. |
To request time off for the birth or adoption of a child and to request the UW Paid Parental Leave benefit, employees must complete and submit the Paid Parental Leave Request Form directly to the SMPH Leave Specialist/Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) at smph-fmla@med.wisc.edu at least 30 days before the leave starts.
Required Forms
| wdt_ID | Form | To be Completed by: | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Parental Leave Request Form | Employee | Required for employees requesting time off for the birth or adoption of a child and the UW Paid Parental Leave benefit *Employees requesting time off for the placement of a foster child will need to complete the Medical Leave Request Form instead. |
Optional Forms
| wdt_ID | Form | To be Completed by: | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Leave Without Pay or Temporary Assignment Request Form - Academic and University Staff | Employee | Only required if employee plans to take leave without pay. Supervisor signature of approval is required. Choosing to take leave without pay may affect employee's benefits, including health insurance and allocation of paid leave. We encourage employees to contact the Office of Human Resources – Benefits Services at 608-262-5650 or benefits@ohr.wisc.edu to discuss payment of premiums and any other questions related to their benefits and allocation of paid leave. |
| 6 | Leave Without Pay or Temporary Assignment Request Form - Faculty | Employee | Only required if employee plans to take leave without pay. Supervisor signature of approval is required. Choosing to take leave without pay may affect employee's benefits, including health insurance and allocation of paid leave. We encourage employees to contact the Office of Human Resources – Benefits Services at 608-262-5650 or benefits@ohr.wisc.edu to discuss payment of premiums and any other questions related to their benefits and allocation of paid leave. |
| 7 | UWMF Physician Parental Paid Leave Request Form | Employee | Only for physicians dually employed by UW SMPH and UWMF Return completed form directly to UW Health HR by submitting a ServiceNow ticket or via fax 608-263-5778 at least 30 days prior to the start of the leave |
Federal Entitlements
Per the Notice of Employee Rights and Responsibilities:
Eligible employees with a spouse, son, daughter, or parent on active duty or call to active duty status in the National Guard or Reserves in support of a contingency operation may use their 12-week leave entitlement to address certain qualifying exigencies. Qualifying exigencies may include attending certain military events, arranging for alternative childcare, addressing certain financial and legal arrangements, attending certain counseling sessions, and attending post-deployment reintegration briefings.
FMLA also includes a special leave entitlement that permits eligible employees to take up to 26 weeks of leave to care for a covered service member during a single 12-month period. A covered service member is a current member of the Armed Forces, including a member of the National Guard or Reserves, who has a serious injury or illness incurred in the line of duty on action duty that may render the service member medically unfit to perform his or her duties for which the service member is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy; or is an outpatient status; or is on the temporary disability retired list.
- Certification for Military Family Leave for Qualifying Exigency under the Family and Medical Leave Act
- Certification for Serious Injury or Illness of a Current Servicemember for Military Caregiver Leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act
- Certification for Serious Injury or Illness of a Veteran for Military Caregiver Leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act
Wisconsin Entitlements
WFMLA does not have military-specific family leave provisions. However, caring for a service member/veteran may qualify as a WFMLA-eligible reason for leave.
Supervisors must maintain a leave tracking spreadsheet for each employee on approved W/FMLA leave. Once the leave ends, the supervisor must submit a copy of the leave tracking spreadsheet to the SMPH DDRs at smph-fmla@med.wisc.edu.
Under federal and state laws, SMPH Human Resources must maintain a record of all hours of W/FMLA leave taken by W/FMLA eligible employees for at least three years.
Employees should also maintain their own leave tracking spreadsheet. Doing so will help the employee and supervisor resolve any leave usage discrepancies.
Leave Tracking Spreadsheets
Contact Information
SMPH Leave Specialist
If you have any questions about medical or parental leaves, contact the SMPH Leave Specialist at smph-fmla@med.wisc.edu (confidential e-mail).
SMPH Payroll & Benefits
For questions about your paid SMPH leave balances, pay or benefits, contact your SMPH Payroll & Benefits Coordinator.
Office of Human Resources – Benefits Services
If you plan to take leave without pay or utilize other benefits, such as Income Continuation Insurance (ICI), during your leave, we encourage you to contact the Office of Human Resources – Benefits Services at 608-262-5650 or benefits@ohr.wisc.edu to discuss payment of premiums and any other questions related to your benefits and allocation of paid leave.
UWMF Health Human Resources
For physicians dually employed by UW SMPH and UWMF only – If you have any questions about your UWMF benefits, contact UW Health HR by submitting a ServiceNow ticket through The Pulse or calling 608-263-6500. Questions about your UWMF pay should be directed to your Department Administrator or their designee.