Taking Parental Leave to Welcome a New Child
As part of USC’s commitment to our Unifying Value of well-being, the university supports faculty and staff using available leaves and benefits to maximize family time when a new child joins a family. The information below explains these provisions but note that federal (i.e., Family and Medical Leave Act) and state (i.e., California Family Rights Act, Pregnancy Disability Leave) regulations governing pregnancy and parental leaves and benefits are complex and frequently change.
Disability Options
Disability insurance helps to replace income when you are medically certified as unable to work due to an injury or medical condition (such as pregnancy). Before planning a parental leave, please visit USC’s disability webpage for information on all the disability options available to you, including USC Basic, State Disability, and supplemental disability.
Steps for Taking Parental Leave
USC partners with Broadspire to manage the parental leave process.
| Timing | What You Need to Do |
| When you begin preparing for your parental leave | Understand your parental leave benefits: • Faculty and staff birth-giving parents: May be eligible for disability benefits before the child’s expected due date for up to four weeks of pay, if approved by their medical provider. May be eligible for disability benefits after delivery for the first six weeks (for natural birth) or eight weeks (for cesarean delivery or deliveries with significant complications), plus USC-provided parental contributions allowing for up to 10 weeks of leave to support recovery. • Staff non-birth-giving parents: May be eligible for eight weeks paid leave at Paid Family Leave (PFL) rates. In the case of adoption or surrogacy, may be eligible for 10 weeks at disability rates. • Faculty non-birth-giving parents: May be eligible for up to 10 weeks faculty paid parental leave. |
| At least 30 days in advance of your parental leave | Notify your supervisor or department chair* of your intended leave, preferably as soon as possible, through written notice that includes the following: • The expected start date of your leave and your anticipated return-to-work date • Full-time faculty only: the Faculty Paid Parental Leave Request form Please note that you must obtain approvals. Notify your leave administrator (staff) by contacting the HR Service Center or Faculty Affairs Partner of your intended leave • They will send you a packet of information for you to review and complete. • Return all requested items quickly to avoid delaying benefit payments. *For Faculty: Per the Faculty Handbook, absences of two consecutive weeks (14 calendar/10 workdays) or more require the faculty member and the chair or dean to provide a written plan for the discharge of individual faculty responsibilities, with notice to the Office of the Provost. |
| At least 30 days in advance of your parental leave | After notifying your supervisor or department chair, call Broadspire at 800-495-2315 to file a claim*. • Broadspire will send you a claims packet within one week. • Return all requested items quickly to avoid delaying benefit payments. Once the child is born, contact Broadspire and your leave administrator/Faculty Affairs Partner again to inform them of the birth. • Broadspire will work with you and your healthcare provider to obtain all information needed to evaluate your claim. If you are covered under a Kaiser health plan, please contact Kaiser directly and follow their procedures. *If you are enrolled in California State Disability, file a claim with the State of California Employment Development Department. |
| Upon receipt of your Broadspire claim packet | Complete and send in your claim packet to receive timely benefits. • Broadspire will work with your healthcare provider to obtain all information needed to evaluate your claim. |
| Following your child’s birth or placement | Call Broadspire again at 800-495-2315 to confirm the delivery/placement date of your child and initiate Disability and/or Paid Family Leave payments. • Once you notify Broadspire, they will work with USC to initiate Disability and/or Paid Family Leave payments. • Make sure your physician faxes the Physician’s Certification Form to Broadspire at 859-550-2172. No disability pay will be processed if this form has not been received. |
| Within 30 days of your child’s birth or placement | Update your benefits, as necessary. • Add your child to your medical, dental, or other insurance coverage by providing the USC Benefits team with acceptable provisional documentation. The effective date of your child’s coverage will be his/her date of birth or placement date. • Start or change the amount of a flexible spending health care or dependent care account. • Review and/or update your beneficiary designations on insurance policies or retirement plans. |
To learn more about USC’s Staff Parental Leave Program, view the Staff Parental Leave Policy here. For any other questions about parental leave to support the birth or placement of your child, please email the HR Service Center by email at uschr@usc.edu or call 213-821-8100.