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CWRU's Staff Advisory Council is asking
the University to expand its current maternity leave policy, add
an adoption leave benefit and consider providing financial reimbursement
to adoptive parents.
The council, which is not a policy-making
body and can only make recommendations, passed three separate
resolutions at its June meeting. The first, approved unanimously,
asks the University to consider revising its maternity leave policy
to remove a medical provision and allow all parents to take up
to six or eight weeks of income protection and discretionary days,
depending on their accrued balances.
"SAC would support the implementation
of a parental leave, which is inclusive of men and women that
become parents," the resolution states.
The current policy allows birth mothers
to use up to eight income protection days on the premise that
giving birth requires medical leave. Additional time off must
be taken without pay or by using discretionary, or vacation, days
if they are available. A birth mother can take additional income
protection days if she has them but only if her medical condition
requires it and only with a doctor's orders.
In order for CWRU to "remain competitive
and compassionate," the second parental leave-related resolution,
which also was approved unanimously, calls for an adoption leave
policy equal to the parental leave benefit.
SAC also requests in the resolution that
the human resources department extend the adoption benefit to
domestic partners of adoptive parents despite their legal status.
In domestic partner adoptions in Cuyahoga County, courts do not
recognize both partners as legal parents.
Several universities and employers, including
the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals of Cleveland, already
offer adoption leave, according to SAC members. Some also provide
financial assistance to adoptive parents.
The third resolution, which the council
passed by a vote of 18-7, asks the University to consider offering
financial assistance to adoptive parents to help cover the cost
of attorney's fees, agency charges, travel or other expenses required
for the adoption. The resolution does not specify an amount or
give details on how the assistance would be allotted.
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