Your parental leave application also serves as an official notice to your school or work office of your intentions of how long you plan to be out so that they can prepare for your absence. You are encouraged to directly discuss your plans with your supervisor as well. You are able to amend your application and leave plans later if your intentions change. 

No. If a non-work date (eg, holiday, school vacation, weekend, etc.) occurs during your 6 weeks of parental leave, it is included within that time frame and will not extend the duration of your leave. Non-birth parents who must start their parental leave on the date of the event will do so even if that falls on a non-work day (other than summer vacation for school year employees). However, if you are a birth mother who is using your CAR/sick time for a  six (or eight, for C-sections) week recovery period after birth and prior to parental leave, paid holidays and vacations can count toward that time without charge to your CAR/sick time.

No. Individuals who work F-status are not entitled to Parental Leave. Time worked F-status will also not count towards eligibility to take Parental Leave. 

Multiple births from one pregnancy are considered to be a single covered event, so you will get the same six weeks. 

Members are eligible for an additional Parental Leave if they have been an eligible employee in active status for 10 calendar months following the initial covered event, exclusive of time on an unpaid leave other than Parental Leave. 

For non-birth parents, your Parental Leave will start the next day, but still will end no later than 6 calendar weeks starting on the day of the event. For birth mothers, Parental Leave will start after the use of any CAR/sick days towards a recovery period. 

Apply online through SOLAS (https://dhrnycaps.nycenet.edu/SOLAS) up to 15 days prior to giving birth or within 10 days following birth. If you don’t apply within that window, the DOE will require you to explain the extenuating circumstances and may not approve your leave.

You should apply at least 15 days prior to the anticipated due or covered event date, but no later than 10 days after delivery to ensure timely payment of the benefit from the UFT.

If your baby arrives much later than the due date, you can revise your application in SOLAS. Just log back in within 10 days of giving birth. You have to confirm the birth date regardless. 

In general you should apply as soon as possible when you know your plans for using your CAR days and any additional child care leave, however keep in mind that you will not be able to apply earlier than two months in advance of the anticipated event. You should also notify your school or work location so they can begin to plan for your absence.

New parents—including by birth, adoption and foster care—who are DOE employees in titles represented by the UFT are eligible to apply for Parental Leave, and meet the following criteria:

• You are a full-time employee OR an H-bank/non-pedagogical employee who works a regular schedule of 20 hours or more per week
• You have been an employee and on payroll for a minimum of 12 calendar months from your most recent date of hire.
• You have been in active status for the 12 calendar months immediately prior to the covered event.
• F-status and per diem employees are not eligible for paid parental leave.
• Employees who have taken one paid parental leave are eligible to take another paid parental leave after 10 calendar months of active status.

• Employees who take paid parental leave must return to work or active status for at least 12 calendar months or they will be required to pay back the benefit.

  Check your eligibility for parental benefits by using the UFT Parental Leave Guide. Log in to the UFT Member Hub to check it out!

Learn more about parental leaves »

One of the following must be submitted by a birth mother, the father or partner of a birth mother: 

• a copy of your child's birth certificate
• a copy of your child's footprints or a letter from the doctor or hospital, on official letterhead, stating the child's birth date, parent names, and type of delivery. 

For adoption or foster care, you must submit official adoption or foster paperwork. 

To avoid delays, you may wish to choose options available before the birth certificate arrives so you can submit your documentation as soon as possible. 

Supporting documentation may be uploaded directly to SOLAS or sent via email to: SOLASleavesfax [at] schools [dot] nyc [dot] gov (SOLASleavesfax[at]schools[dot]nyc[dot]gov).