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Leaves of Absence

*WU is required by the Department of Labor to provide employees 60 days notice of the following change: Effective September 3, 2023, Willamette’s one-year calculation period for Family Medical Leave under federal and state law will change from a rolling backward year to a rolling forward year to better align with Paid Leave Oregon.*

  • Paid Leave Oregon

    Paid Leave Oregon begins on September 03, 2023.

    See our Paid Leave Oregon Policy for full details. 

    Paid Leave Oregon is a state mandated program that provides employees paid leave for the for the following purposes:

    • Parental leave (within first 12 months of birth, adoption, or foster placement)
    • Medical leave due to a serious health condition of the employee*
    • Family leave to care for a family member with a serious health condition
    • Safe leave (where you or your child are a survivor of sexual assault, domestic violence, harassment, or stalking)

    *Employees taking leave due to their own serious health condition must provide a return to work release from their healthcare provider before the day of their scheduled return.

    WU has contracted with The Standard Insurance Company to provide a private paid leave plan that meets the requirements set forth by the State of Oregon. Employees will work directly with The Standard to submit claims for paid leave. While on leave, Paid Leave Oregon benefits pays employees a percentage of their wages. Benefit amounts are based on what an employee earned in the prior year.  

    Eligibility - Paid Leave Oregon benefits are available to Oregon employees of Willamette University.  Student Employees are not eligible for Paid Leave Oregon benefits. 

    Duration of Leave - Eligible Employees can take up to 12 weeks paid leave in a 52-week period (starting from the day leave begins) for family, medical, or safe leave. If pregnant, in some situations, an employee may be able to take up to 2 more weeks for a total of 14 weeks.

    Notice Requirements - If leave is foreseeable, you are required to give notice to your employer at least 30 days before starting paid family, medical or safe leave. 

    For purposes of family leave under Paid Leave Oregon "family members" consist of the following:

    • Your spouse or domestic partner
    • Your child (biological, adopted, stepchild, or foster child), your spouse or domestic partner’s child, or the child’s spouse or domestic partner
    • Your parent (biological, adoptive, stepparent, foster parent, or legal guardian), the parent of your spouse or domestic partner, or your parent’s spouse or domestic partner
    • Your sibling or stepsibling or their spouse or domestic partner
    • Your grandparent or your grandparent’s spouse or domestic partner
    • Your grandchild or your grandchild’s spouse or domestic partner
    • Anyone you are related to by blood 
    • Anyone who is connected to you and has a family relationship

    Benefit Continuation - An employee on Paid Leave Oregon may continue group medical benefits at the same cost as if actively working during any period of Paid Leave Oregon at the employee's expense by making arrangements through the Human Resource Office. 

    Returning to Work - At the end of leave covered by Paid Leave Oregon an employee who has worked for Willamette for at least 90 consecutive calendar days will be entitled to return to the same position they held prior to the start of leave, if that position still exists. If the position no longer exists, the employee is entitled to be restored to any available equivalent position for which they are qualified with equivalent employment benefits, pay, and other terms and conditions of employment. 

    *Employees taking leave due to their own serious health condition must provide a return to work release from their healthcare provider before the day of their scheduled return.

    When a request for Paid Leave Oregon also qualifies as leave protected under FMLA/OFLA, or Oregon Sick Leave, those leaves will run concurrently. 

    Payroll Contributions - Contributions to the Paid Leave program will begin in September 2023 and are funded by payroll contributions.  Premiums will begin in September - September 15th for hourly employees and September 29th for salaried employees. The payroll contribution rate is a total of .9% on eligible wages with 60% of the contribution paid by employees and 40% paid by employers (as set forth in law). Contributions are subject to change in future policy years. 

    Paid Leave Oregon benefits pay you every week while you are on paid leave. The amount received depends on how much you earned the year before. Some employees will get 100% of their wages.​ Pay is retroactive from when your leave began. Below is an example of annual payroll contributions for employees and an example of benefits received if an employee takes leave under Paid Leave Oregon.

     

  • Medical Leave

    FMLA/OFLA medical leave can be used for the following purposes:

    • A serious health condition of the employee
    • A serious health condition of a family member
    • Birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child under the age of 18
    • Illness or injury of a child necessitating home care, other than a serious health condition (OFLA only)

    The Federal Family and Medical Leave Act and the Oregon Family Leave Act (FMLA/OFLA) protects your job while you’re on medical leave provided you meet eligibility requirements.

    To be eligible for FMLA, an employee must have been employed at least 12 months and has worked at least 1,250 hours during the previous 12-month period may be entitled to up to 12 weeks (unpaid) in any 12-month period beginning with the first date the employee must take leave.

    To be eligible for OFLA, an employee must have been employed with the University for at least 180 days and worked an average of 25 hours per week during the 180 days. The 25-hour limit does not apply for leave for birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child under age 18.

    The maximum amount of leave an employee may use at any one time is determined by the 12-month period beginning the first day the employee takes leave. 

    For purposes of family leave under FMLA "family members" consist of a child (biological, step, adopted, or foster) under the age of 18 or adult child substantially limited by a physical or mental impairment, spouse, or parent. Parent means a biological, adoptive, step or foster father or mother, or any other individual who stood in loco parentis to the employee when the employee was a son or daughter as defined in the FMLA. This term does not include parents "in-law."

    For purposes of family leave under OFLA "family members" consist of a child (biological, step, adopted, or foster) under the age of 18 or adult child substantially limited by a physical or mental impairment, spouse, parents, grandparents, grandchildren, parents-in-law, same-gender domestic partners and children and parents of same-gender domestic partners. Parent means a biological, adoptive, step or foster father or mother, or any other individual who stood in loco parentis to the employee when the employee was a son or daughter. 

    FMLA/OFLA is unpaid leave, and an employee must use available accrued sick leave and vacation during the unpaid portion of the leave. No vacation, sick time, or other accruals based on time-worked will accrue or be counted during the unpaid portion of the leave. An employee on FMLA/OFLA leave may continue group medical benefits at the same cost as if actively working during any period of FMLA/OFLA leave at the employee's expense by making arrangements through the Human Resource Office. 

    At the end of the FMLA/OFLA leave, an employee will be reinstated to his/her former position or to an equivalent position with equivalent benefits, pay and other terms/conditions of employment. When a request for FMLA/OFLA leave also qualifies as leave protected under Paid Leave Oregon or Oregon Sick Leave, those leaves will run concurrently. 

    For more information, please see the FMLA Employee Guide the University's policies, and make an appointment to discuss eligibility, obligations, and to receive the appropriate forms.

  • Bereavement Leave
    • Employees who work at least 24 hours per week on average all year or 60% of a full-time schedule, are eligible to receive bereavement leave.
    • Employees who are employed less than 40 hours per week or 100% of a full-time schedule will earn bereavement leave on a pro-rated basis, and must work at least 50% of their regularly assigned work schedule in a given month.

    Amount of time

    • Employees may take up to three (3) days off with pay in the event of a death of a family member.
    • If more than three days are needed, employees may use vacation time, or request leave without pay through Oregon Family Leave.

    Who qualifies as a family member?

    For the purposes of bereavement leave, an employee's family member is a: current spouse, partner, child, parent, parent-in-law, legal guardian, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, foster child, step-parent, step-child, step-sibling, or any other person living in the employee's household.

    For more information please review the Bereavement Leave Policy.

  • Military Leave

    Employees who enter or serve in the Armed Forces of the United States (including military reserves), who are called to active duty or mandatory training are granted a leave of absence without pay, in accordance with Federal and State laws. Additionally, employees whose spouse or domestic partner is called to active duty are eligible for leave under the Oregon Military Family Leave Act and FMLA.

    If an employee or their spouse/domestic partner is called to military duty, they should provide written notice of the need for leave to to the Human Resources office and their immediate supervisor or Dean, along with a copy of military orders if available.

    During Military Leave related to an employee's own military service, employees have the right to health and dental benefit continuation for up to 31 days, as if they had not taken leave. After 31 days, employees on Military Leave may continue benefits as long as compensation continues to be paid by the University, or through COBRA continuation.

    For a more detailed explanation, please view the Military Leave Policy.

  • Domestic Violence Leave

    Pursuant to the Oregon Victims of Certain Crimes Leave Act (OVCCLA), Willamette University provides leave to assist employees who experience acts of domestic violence, or are otherwise victims and survivors of violent crime.

    OVCCLA requires leave for victims and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking and prohibits discrimination against employees using leave under OVCCLA. To meet OVCCLA eligibility requirements, employees have to have worked an average of 25 hours or more per week for at least 180 days immediately prior to taking leave, and must have demonstrably experienced domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, or are parents of victims and survivors of such.

    Willamette reserves the right to provide leave for employees who have not met these eligibility requirements of the law, should the circumstances and severity of the situation dictate that provision of such leave is in the best interest of the employee and/or the University. For more information, view the Domestic Violence/Crime Victim's Leave Policy.

    Resources

    Willamette will make reasonable efforts to provide support and assistance. These efforts may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Willamette University

Human Resources

Address
University Services Building
Willamette University
900 State Street
Salem Oregon 97301 U.S.A.
Phone
503-370-6210 voice
503-370-6570 fax