Beginning July 1, 2025, UAB's Paid Parental Leave Policy and Sick Time Policies will undergo important enhancements. These changes will expand eligibility for paid parental leave and give employees more time to bond with their growing families after the birth or adoption of a child.

Effective July 1, 2025...

• Eligible employees who have been employed in a benefits-eligible position for at least six months prior to the birth or adoption of a child are eligible for paid parental leave. Prior to this change, an eligible employee had to have been employed for at least 12 months prior to the qualifying event.
• Eligible employees will now be able to take up to six weeks (30 days/240 hours) of paid leave during the first six months following the birth or adoption of a child — up from the four weeks granted prior to the change. This benefit will continue to be available to both parents and can still be used continuously or intermittently.
• In addition to the previously offered direct donations, mothers can also receive sick time pool donations while they recover from childbirth. Please note, sick time donation does not apply to UAB Health System or Callahan Eye Hospital employees.
• Eligible employees can use sick time to care for any eligible individual/dependent, which may be defined as a spouse, sponsored adult dependent, parent, step-parent, parent-in-law, grandparent, sibling, biological child, step-child, sponsored dependent child, or a child placed for adoption or foster care. The previous policy limited sick time that could be used to care for a qualified individual not residing in the same household to three days per calendar year.

As a family-friendly employer of choice, UAB is committed to supporting employees in balancing their professional and personal lives. In addition to these enhancements, UAB Human Resources provides valuable resources and services designed to help employees navigate their work responsibilities while fulfilling their commitments at home.

• The UAB Sick Time Donation Program provides a source of paid leave for eligible employees who have exhausted their available accrued benefit time — through both direct donations and donations to the sick time donation pool, which the upcoming changes make available to mothers recovering from childbirth.
• Through a partnership with Senior Care Authority (SCA), the Employee Assistance & Counseling Center offers employees assistance in finding local care for an aging parent or loved one, as well as discounted eldercare consulting, driver self-assessments and more.
• For information on additional support for employees who are pregnant or expecting, new parents, and those raising a family, visit the Support for UAB Parents & Families page.

Once the changes take effect on July 1, 2025, the Human Resources website will provide additional details, including new paid parental leave examples and updated FAQs. In the interim, please contact HR Records Administration & Compliance with any questions.

— Published June 11, 2025