Scenario #2 - Adoption


Jane and Lisa are a dual-career academic couple at the School of Medicine. Jane is a Clinical Assistant Professor, and Lisa is a tenure-track Assistant Professor. The couple is planning to adopt a child domestically and have just finished the home study and authorizing paperwork. They are told the wait for a child will be at least a year. A week later, Jane and Lisa receive a surprising early morning call. By noon the next day, they are awestruck parents. Overwhelmed by the immediacy of the transition, they sit down to discuss how to manage the coming weeks. Should they take Family Leave? If so, should they take it at the same time? Are they eligible for short-term disability? As same-sex domestic partners, which policies apply to them? Jane worries about how she will cover her clinical responsibilities on such short notice. Lisa wonders if she should extend her tenure clock or try to continue since she is so close to beginning her tenure review. What about childcare – they were not even on a waitlist!

Solutions:

* Schedule a counseling session with the Stanford Work-Life Office to receive customized advice

* Review available benefits at the Life Events (Children) section of the Benefits website. The Benefits website also has a Maternity, Adoption and Childcare page.

* Adoption expense assistance up to $10,000.

* Family Leave – up to 12 weeks of unpaid protected leave
Contact Stanford Benefits at 736-2985, and discuss with department Faculty Affairs Administrator. Leave can be taken within 12 months of arrival of new child; eligibility requires employment by Stanford for at least 12 months and at 50% time or more. More information at the Leave section of the Benefits website.

* Infant Care Leave: Stanford employee (faculty and staff) who becomes a parent by birth or adoption may take an unpaid leave of up to one year at full or part-time, subject to approval by department Chair.

* Time off with pay available to both professoriate and Clinician Educators subject to clinical coverage needs and with department Chair approval (see the School of Medicine Faculty Handbook).

* Short-term reduction in clinical responsibilities for professoriate members(see Chapter 3.5B, Reduced Teaching and Clinical Duties for New Parents in the University Faculty Handbook, and the application). Relief from teaching and/or clinical duties during the quarter of birth or adoption of child, with full pay, assuming faculty will be the primary care giver. Faculty must continue to carry a full complement of professorial activities. Faculty should discuss with Division Chief and Department Chair and contact Academic Affairs.

* New Parent Extension: Faculty in the UTL , MCL and NTL are entitled to request a one-year extension to appointment term (and, for the UTL, to the tenure “clock”) upon the birth or adoption of a child (up to a maximum of three). This extension may also delay a reappointment or promotion review. The faculty member needs to fill out a form and submit to their Faculty Affairs Administrator or Department Chair, preferably at least one year prior to the commencement of the tenure, promotion or reappointment review process.

* FTE reduction: elect to have a part-time appointment on a temporary or permanent basis (not limited to family situation), subject to approval by the department (initially), school and university. This chart shows some of the flexible work arrangement options. Faculty should discuss with their division chief or department chair.

* Faculty Back-Up Care Advantage:
24/7 access by internet at backup.brighthorizons.com (login sucares, password 2011), or call 877-BH-CARES (877-242-2737)

ACI Specialty services – Emergency and Back-up Program
24/7 access by phone at 1-800-777-3319
Resource and referral model
Applies to child and elder care
Agency offers list of available spaces for time requested
User coordinates and pays full cost for service
Stanford subsidizes up to $160 annually
Unlimited use of service

· Faculty Child Care Assistance Program (FCCAP): provides financial assistance for childcare to families with children age 5 and under with gross income less than $199,000. Open to full-time faculty in UTL, NTL and MCL lines whose spouse or domestic partner is working at least 30 hours a week or is disabled, a student, or looking for work. Information and application