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 MetLife 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: Are eligible for a minimum of 10 weeks of paid benefits for Pregnancy Disability following birth of a baby, minus a 7 day waiting period unless hospitalized, starting with the date of birth of the child. For more information, please refer to the Parental Leave Policy. • 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 MetLife at 1-833-622-0139 to file a claim*. • MetLife 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 MetLife and your leave administrator/Faculty Affairs Partner again to inform them of the birth. • It is the employee’s responsibility to provide MetLife with all medical documentation 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 MetLife claim packet | Complete and send in your claim packet to receive timely benefits. • It is the employee’s responsibility to provide MetLife with all medical documentation needed to evaluate your claim. |
| Following your child’s birth or placement | Call MetLife again at 1-833-622-0139 to confirm the delivery/placement date of your child and initiate Disability and/or Paid Family Leave payments. • Once the claim is approved, the TPA provides an advice to pay which is processed through USC payroll. • Make sure your physician faxes the Physician’s Certification Form to MetLife at 800-230-9531. 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, refer to the Staff Parental Leave Policy. 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.