Paid Parental Leave

California State University recognizes the importance of family and supports employees during significant life events. The CSU provides paid Parental Leave days for employees associated with the birth or the placement of a child in connection with adoption or foster care.  This valuable benefit allows employees the opportunity to focus on their growing family while remaining in active pay status for a designated period as determined by employee category.

The use of paid Parental Leave days is not charged against the employee's leave credits, this is in addition to sick and/or vacation (if applicable).  The Parental Leave may run concurrently with related leaves such as PDL or FML/CFRA for which the employee is eligible.  The chart below provides information by employee category.  Please refer to the appropriate collective bargaining agreement for additional details.

CSU Paid Parental Leave

• Unit 1 - Physicians

  Number of Parental Days: 30

  Shall commence within 60 days of the arrival of a new child.  Such leave shall be taken consecutively, unless mutually agreed otherwise by the employee and the appropriate administrator.

• Units 2, 5, 7 & 9 - CSUEU

  Number of Parental Days: 30

  Shall commence within 60 days of the arrival of a new child.  Such leave may be taken consecutively, unless mutually agreed otherwise by the employee and the appropriate administrator. 

• Unit 3 - Faculty

  Number of Parental Days: 50

  A workload reduction of 60% may be taken in lieu of 50 parental leave days*.  The use of Parental Leave days shall commence within a 135-day period that begins 60 days prior to the anticipated arrival of a new child and end 75 days after.  Applicable to academic days for faculty assigned to academic classifications.  Faculty assigned to a 12-month classification; the standard pay calendar applies.

  *Effective with the March 4, 2024 agreement.  Prior to this effective date, 30 days of parental leave is applicable.

• Unit 4 - Academic Support

  Number of Parental Days: 30

  Shall commence within 60 days after the arrival of each new child(ren).  Such leave shall be taken in full-day increments and consecutively unless mutually agreed otherwise by the employee and the appropriate administrator.

• Unit 6 - Skilled Trades

  Number of Parental Days: 30

  Per calendar year and shall commence within 60 days of birth or placement due to adoption or foster care or legal guardianship (up to age 18).  Such leave shall be taken consecutively unless mutually agreed otherwise by the employee and the appropriate administrator.  

• Unit 8 - Public Safety

  Number of Parental Days: 30

  Consecutive eight-hour work days (240-hour equivalent) within a twelve month period.  Shall commence within 60 days after the arrival of the new child(ren).  If on an alternate work schedule, the maximum entitlement is 240 hours.  

• C99 - Confidential and MPP - Management Personnel Plan

  Number of Parental Days: 30

  Shall commence within 60 days of the arrival of the new child, and the days run consecutively.  Upon mutual agreement and on an exception basis, the scheduling of the leave may be modified to meet operational needs of the campus.

Ineligible employee groups:  Unit 11, Excluded (E99) employees, Student Assistants, Rehired Annuitants and Special Consultants. 

Parental Leave Application