Parental Leave

Parental Leaves of Absence Policy
Once a team member has been employed by Heart to Heart International for more than 6 months, they are eligible for parental/maternal leave following the birth of a child or placement of a child for adoption or foster care.

How long is leave for the primary caregiver?
If a team member is full-time, and is the mother or primary caregiver, they are eligible for 8 weeks of paid parental/maternal leave. However, if the Team member is part-time, they are not eligible for paid time-off but can take up to 8 weeks of unpaid parental/maternal leave.

How long is leave for the secondary caregiver?
If team member is full-time, they are eligible for 2 weeks of paid parental leave. However, if the team member is part-time, they can take up to 2 weeks of unpaid leave. This leave must be taken within the first twelve months following the birth or placement of the child. Holidays that fall during leave will not be paid, except using the team member’s accrued paid time-off.

Do I have to request leave for the birth or placement of a child?
Yes. The team members should submit their request in writing to Human Resources and state the date the leave is to begin and the date of return to work. The team member should put this request in writing at a minimum of 30-days from the expected leave date.

If I am eligible for FMLA, will my leave run concurrent with FMLA?
Yes. If you are eligible for FMLA, your leave will run concurrent with the FMLA, and FMLA hours will be tracked and reduced where necessary.

Can I request more leave, and how do I request leave for the birth or placement of a child outside of the original date of birth or placement?
Team members may request leave in one week or greater increments, though approval of nonconsecutive leaves will be dependent upon business needs. A team member may request additional time-off with Human Resources, but there is no guarantee that additional time will be approved. If additional time-off is approved, it will be unpaid unless the team member has accrued paid time-off that they wish to use. When requesting leave, the team member may be required to provide documentation to support the birth or placement of the child.

Will I be charged for medical benefits while I am away?
HHI reserves the right to seek reimbursement from the team member for the medical insurance premiums paid by HHI on behalf of the team member while the team member was on parental leave of absence. Paid
time-off, seniority, and other benefits are not accrued during the unpaid parental leave of absence.

What if I fail to report back to work by the leave stated date and time?
If a team member fails to return to work on the scheduled date of return, the team member will be considered to have abandoned their position and voluntarily terminated their employment.