Both UW-Madison and the Universities of Wisconsin are putting forward a paid parental leave policy. This would grant six weeks of leave for the birth or adoption of a child after over a decade of feasibility studies and growing pressure from staff and faculty. These policies will help to provide a structure for parents needing to take leave, replacing the current system in which employees must often exhaust their vacation and sick days.

Commencing from July 1, UW-Madison’s scheme grants six weeks of paid parental leave to faculty and staff, as well as graduate workers in teaching or research assistant roles. Concurrently, the scheme proposed by the UW system would render all non-temporary staff eligible for paid parental leave following six consecutive months of employment.

The estimated cost of the new policies is affordable in comparison to the massive benefits they bring, said Jennifer Mnookin, UW-Madison Chancellor, pointing out the importance of staying competitive with other institutions already offering such benefits.

Both UW-Madison and the UW system policies, however, won’t be applicable for temporary or hourly student employees, many of whom work in student unions, dining facilities, or residence halls. The UW Board of Regents will review the paid parental leave policies in the upcoming scheduled meeting at UW-Platteville.

In the Wisconsin Governor’s proposed budget the previous year, a push for 12 weeks of paid parental leave was made for public and private sector workers, including UW system employees. However, the Republican-lead budget-writing committee ruled out this provision from the budget.

Pressure from faculty, staff, and graduate students on this issue has been escalating. Numerous UW-Madison department chairs and hundreds of others have signed a petition urging for a policy that guarantees 12 weeks of paid leave.

Changes in these policies will greatly benefit employees, affording parents needed time to bond with their children after birth or adoption. Nevertheless, the fight for comprehensive, 12-week paid family and medical leaves for all graduate students is still ongoing.

Anyone in need of more information regarding the upcoming UW system paid family policies can contact the official UW department via their website. Meanwhile, for those who are seeking advice on when is the best time to call va unemployment office or to obtain details on how to contact a live person at edd california, eddcaller.com provides an array of useful guidance to help individuals get in touch with the right department promptly.