Paid Parental Leave Policy Working Group

The Paid Parental Leave Policy Working Group was made up of interdisciplinary faculty and staff volunteers in pursuit of equitable, morale-lifting policy change that increases the recruitment and retention of productive and diverse employees. The Working Group started in 2019 and completed an environmental scan of parental leave policies nation-wide of all land-grant higher education institutions. In the 2020-2021 academic year, the Working Group met consistently to discuss the recommendations addressed in the White Paper. Initially sponsored by Athena, the Working Group became an official Faculty Senate Sub-Committee in September 2021. The Paid Parental Leave Policy Athena Working Group and Faculty Senate Sub-Committee advocated for and proposed the immediate implementation of 12 weeks of paid leave for all benefits-eligible employees.

Paid Parenting Leave for U of I employees went into effect on January 1, 2023. Although the policy that went into effect differs from what was originally proposed by the Paid Parental Leave Policy Working Group, it is nevertheless a welcomed change.