Up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave is available if you have worked at UK for 12 months within the past seven years, and at least 1,250 hours within the past 12 months.
Paid elder care leave
We offer staff one week of paid leave to care for a sick parent
Time away with Family Medical Leave
Federal law provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for qualifying family and medical reasons, including to care for a parent.
This leave is designed to be flexible to cover a variety of needs related to health and family. You must have worked at UK for 12 months within the past seven years, and 1,250 hours in the past 12 months, to qualify for Family Medical Leave.
In addition to job-protected time away, the university provides staff employees one week of paid elder care leave.
HR Policy & Procedure #88
"Any employee who has been a university employee (regular, temporary, faculty or student) for 12 months (not necessarily consecutive months, but within the last seven years) and has worked at least 1,250 hours during the previous 12-month period may take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for a serious health condition involving the employee or a qualified family member during any 12-month period for any or all of the following reasons:
In order to care for a ... parent of the employee who has a serious health condition."
See all reasons
Paid time away when you need to care for a parent who is ill
For staff
The university provides and sets standard paid leave options for staff.
Our paid elder care leave can be used to cover one of the weeks of Family Medical Leave.
Additionally, you can use any combition of accrued sick leave or vacation leave to cover any time beyond one week of your approved Family Medical Leave.
For faculty
You will be granted six to eight weeks of paid sick leave for this purpose, in addition to the option to use any vacation leave you might have, up to the full 12 weeks of Family Medical Leave.
Refer to these policies for more details and contact the Office of Faculty Advancement if you have questions.You may also call the Office of Faculty Advancement at (859) 323-6589.
Faculty TDL and Family Medical Leave memo
G.R. 10 on Temporary Disability Leave for Faculty (page 12)
1 week of paid leave for elder care
A new type of paid leave for staff implemented by the university on July 1, 2021, that provides one week of paid leave for elder care.
Read the announcement >
Sick and vacation leave
Staff leave accruals will be calculated on a prorated basis for your position's full-time equivalency (FTE) status. Check your current balances or calculate how much leave you'll accrue.
Leave balance in myUK >
Paid leave accrual calculator >
On the Family Medical Leave application, you'll see options for flexibility. It may be possible for the leave to be taken all at once or intermittently, and possibly with a reduced schedule upon return, pending your department's approval.
12 full weeks of leave
You can use up to 12 full weeks of leave, depending on your paid leave accruals.
Faculty do not accrue temporary disability leave but are eligible for paid leave from the beginning of employment, consistent with G.R. 10.
Intermittent leave
Leave may be taken in separate blocks of time due to a single qualifying event, according to the Family Medical Leave Act.
Requesting your leave
Please submit your Family Medical Leave form to HR Leave Administration. If you are not eligible for Family Medical Leave, you can submit a separate paid elder care leave form.
Paid elder care leave
If you have not worked enough to be eligible for Family Medical Leave, you may still qualify for paid elder care leave. Any regular staff employee working at least 0.5 FTE is eligible for paid elder care leave immediately upon empoyment. If you are not eligible for Family Medical Leave, fill out this form.
Frequently asked questions
What are some examples of elder care needs that could qualify for paid elder care leave?
You may qualify for paid elder care leave for if a parent has a serious health condition, as defined by the Family Medical Leave Act, which must be confirmed by a health care provider. For example, a parent who has a knee replacement requiring support with bathing or meal preparation may qualify. A parent with a broken arm whose physician determines does not require caregiving may not. HR Leave Administration can help determine if you should apply for these leaves. Please call them at (859) 257-8804.
Can I add one week of paid elder care leave to the 12 weeks of Family Medical Leave?
No. Paid elder care leave runs concurrently with Family Medical Leave, for a maximum of 12 weeks away to care for a parent who is ill.
If multiple UK employees share a parent who needs care, can multiple employees use paid elder care leave for the same parent?
Yes, more than one employee can request paid elder care leave for the same parent.
Can I use paid elder care leave to provide care for my in-laws?
No, paid elder care leave may only be used for parents.
Is there an age requirement for my parent to be approved for paid elder care leave?
No. You may receive approved paid elder care leave for a parent, regardless of the parent’s age.
Do I have to live with a parent to qualify for paid elder care leave?
No. You do not need to live with a parent to qualify for paid elder care leave.
News
HR Leave Administration
All employees (regular, temporary, faculty or student) who have worked for UK for 12 months, and have worked at least 1,250 hours during the previous 12-month period, are eligible. Please call us to discuss options if you’re ineligible.
Contact our office
Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
(859) 257-8804
christopheradudley@uky.edu
107 Scovell Hall