Contract 2023 FAQ: Leaves

How have bereavement rules changed?

As before, UFT members can take up to four days of paid leave time following the death of a close family member. Before this contract, however, these four days had to be the day of death and the next three consecutive workdays. Now, the bereaved can take those four days at any point in the three months after the date of death if those leave days are connected to a funeral or memorial service.

How has paid parental leave changed?

If both parents are eligible UFT members, both parents can now receive up to six weeks of paid parental leave each, which can be taken consecutively, at the same time or in any combination. As before, UFT members who give birth can use up to six weeks’ worth of CAR days (eight weeks in the case of a C-section), in addition to the six weeks of paid parental leave.

Also, parents can now delay the beginning of paid parental leave, when the newborn baby has to stay in the hospital for a period of time.

For parental leave when both parents are UFT members, can one parent take all 12 weeks, or does the leave time need to be split between both parents?

While the UFT member who gives birth can use up to six weeks of CAR days (eight weeks in the case of a C-section), in addition to paid parental leave time, no individual can use more than six weeks of paid parental leave.