Our goal is to provide an environment and culture where employees becoming new parents are treated fairly during pregnancy, upon their return to work, and beyond to allow them the ability to be successful in their professional lives and to provide a supportive work/life balance.

New Parent's Guide for Returning to Work

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Iowa Paid Parental Leave

Starting July 1, 2025, the University of Iowa will offer a new benefit to support employees during important family milestones. The Iowa Paid Parental Leave (IPPL) program provides paid time off for FMLA-eligible employees following the birth of a child or placement for adoption.

 

What IPPL offers: 

  • Up to four weeks of paid leave for birthing parents or adoptive parents that is not charged to sick or vacation accruals

  • One week of paid leave for non-birthing parents, including spouses and partners that is not charged to sick or vacation accruals

  • Flexibility to use leave all at once or intermittently. Intermittent leave requires supervisor approval

IPPL must be used within 12 months of a birth or adoption placement and runs at the same time as Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave. While IPPL provides paid leave for up to four weeks, employees may still use accrued vacation or sick leave to extend their paid time off during FMLA leave. IPPL does not accrue, carry over, or pay out upon separation from the institution.

 

Adoption leave 

Per existing policy, adoptive parents, including those who become parents via surrogacy, will continue to receive one week of paid adoption leave charged to sick leave accruals. This can be used in addition to IPPL leave, provided the employee is eligible under FMLA.

 

Questions? 

Employees should first contact their HR representative for assistance with IPPL. HR will coordinate with Faculty and Staff Disability Services (campus) or Leave and Disability Administration (health care) for assistance in determining eligibility.

For policy details and answers to frequently asked questions, visit the IPPL policy page (updates will be available by July 1) or explore the FAQs below. Additional resources are available to support nursing parents, childcare needs, and adoptive families, including UI’s Adoption Assistance Pilot program. 

Iowa Paid Parental Leave FAQs

Who is eligible for Iowa Paid Parental Leave?

As determined by state law, university employees who are eligible for Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave are eligible for Iowa Paid Parental Leave (IPPL). This means that they must have worked for the university for at least 12 months, and have worked at least 1250 hours during the previous 12 months.

If an employee becomes FMLA-eligible after the birth or adoptive placement of a child, they may still be eligible to use IPPL, provided it is taken within 12 months of the qualifying event.

How much paid leave is provided?

An eligible employee who gives birth may take up to four weeks (160 hours) of IPPL. An eligible employee who is the non-birthing parent (including a spouse or partner) may take up to one week (40 hours) of IPPL. An eligible employee who adopts a child may take up to four weeks (160 hours) of IPPL. IPPL is approved based on the employee’s FMLA hours available at the time of leave and is pro-rated for part-time employees.

Is Iowa Paid Parental Leave charged to my paid leave accruals (sick leave or vacation)?

No. IPPL is a separate paid leave benefit established by state law. It does not utilize or reduce your sick leave or vacation accruals. It is a new category of paid leave provided by state law. However, eligible employees may still use accrued paid leave as permitted by university policy to extend their paid time off beyond the IPPL period during their FMLA leave.

Is Iowa Paid Parental Leave taken at the same time as FMLA leave?

Yes. IPPL runs concurrently with FMLA leave. In other words, IPPL provides paid leave, without using sick leave or vacation accruals, for up to one week (for non-birthing parents) or four weeks (for birthing or adoptive parents) as long as the employee has FMLA hours available.

Are there any limits on when I can take Iowa Paid Parental Leave?

Yes. IPPL must be taken within 12 months following the birth or adoptive placement of the child. It may be taken all at once or intermittently over the 12-month period. Intermittent leave requires supervisor approval to accommodate operational needs.

How and when should an employee initiate a request for Iowa Paid Parental Leave?

Eligible employees should notify their local HR representative as soon as possible when they wish to take IPPL. They should provide the expected dates and duration of leave. Providing advance notice is critical for operational planning and staffing.

How does Iowa Paid Parental Leave apply to employees who become parents via a surrogate?

Employees who become parents through a surrogate will be considered adoptive parents for purposes of IPPL. Therefore, they are eligible for up to four weeks of IPPL.

I had a new child or adopted a child within the last 12 months prior to July 1, 2025. Am I eligible for Iowa Paid Parental Leave?

Possibly. Employees who added a new child to their family between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025, may be eligible to take IPPL beginning on July 1, 2025, provided they are eligible for FMLA and have FMLA hours available within the calendar year. To support a smooth implementation of IPPL during this initial rollout, eligible employees with available FMLA hours will be allowed additional time to utilize IPPL, beyond the usual 12 months following the birth of a child or placement for adoption.

Employees who added a child between July 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024, may utilize IPPL through December 31, 2025. This one-time extension allows eligible employees more time to use available IPPL while helping departments plan for operational needs. The examples below illustrate application of IPPL, but they are not exhaustive. Contact your local HR representative for guidance on your individual circumstances.

IPPL cannot be applied retroactively to any period of leave taken prior to the July 1, 2025, date of implementation.

Example 1: An employee gave birth to or adopted a child on August 1, 2024. If this employee meets FMLA eligibility requirements, and has FMLA available, then effective July 1, 2025, the employee may use up to 4 weeks of IPPL through December 31, 2025, concurrently with their remaining FMLA leave. If the employee has already exhausted FMLA leave for the birth of a child or placement for adoption by July 1, 2025, they are not eligible for IPPL.

Please remember, because IPPL must be used at the same time as FMLA, employees may only use as much IPPL as they have FMLA leave remaining.

Example 2: An employee had a child born or adopted on March 10, 2025. If this employee meets FMLA eligibility requirements and has FMLA available, then effective July 1, 2025, the employee may use up to four weeks of IPPL through March 9, 2026, to run concurrently with their remaining FMLA leave. If the employee has already exhausted FMLA leave for the birth of a child or placement for adoption before July 1, 2025, they are not eligible for IPPL. Please note that use of IPPL in the 2026 calendar year may be subject to reverification of FMLA eligibility in the new calendar year.

Please remember, because IPPL must be used at the same time as FMLA, employees may only use as much IPPL as they have FMLA leave remaining.

Example 3: An employee had a child born or adopted on June 16, 2025. The employee is on continuous FMLA beginning June 16, 2025, with FMLA entitlement exhausting on September 8, 2025. The employee remains eligible for FMLA on July 1, 2025, and therefore is eligible for IPPL beginning on July 1, 2025. The employee may use IPPL during their continuous FMLA leave.

I had twins. Am I entitled to Iowa Paid Parental Leave for each baby, for twice the standard amount of leave?

No. Consistent with FMLA rules, you are entitled to IPPL for the single qualifying event (e.g., birth or placement), regardless of the number of children that are added as a result of that event. Having or adopting multiple children at one time is considered a single qualifying event, and as such, does not increase the total amount of IPPL available.

My spouse/partner and I both work for the university and we are expecting (or adopting) a new baby. Are we both eligible for Iowa Paid Parental Leave?

Yes. Each eligible parent may use their full IPPL entitlement, which is detailed above, within the first 12 months following the birth or adoptive placement. However, please note that under FMLA, the total bonding leave available to both parents combined is limited to 12 weeks.

I am adopting a new child. Will I receive four weeks of Iowa Paid Parental Leave in addition to the one week of adoption leave already available in university policy?

Yes. IPPL provides four weeks of paid leave for eligible adoptive parents that is not charged against any other paid leave balances. In addition, the university’s existing adoption leave policy provides one week of paid leave charged to accrued sick leave, provided they have sufficient sick leave accruals available. Adoptive parents who are not eligible for FMLA are not eligible for IPPL but still may take one week of adoption leave if they have sufficient sick leave accruals.

How much leave time can a non-birthing parent receive after their spouse or partner gives birth?

Iowa Paid Parental Leave (IPPL) was implemented according to state law, which makes a distinction between birthing, non-birthing, and adoptive parents.

Non-birthing parents may also qualify for Family Caregiving Leave, which allows them to use up to one week of accrued sick leave each calendar year to care for a spouse or partner recovering from childbirth. If they didn’t use caregiving leave the previous year, they may be eligible for an additional week, potentially bringing their total paid leave to three weeks.

How do I record Iowa Paid Parental Leave on my time record?

New time reporting codes have been created specifically for IPPL. Please consult with your local HR representative to determine the appropriate code to use.

Do I have to use my existing sick leave or vacation accruals before I can take Iowa Paid Parental Leave?

No. IPPL is a separate paid leave benefit and does not require employees to exhaust other leave balances first.

However, employees who give birth have a period of medical disability (typically six weeks) following the birth during which they may use accrued sick leave accruals. Sick leave is not available after this period of medical disability. To maximize access to available paid leave, birthing parents are encouraged to consider using paid sick leave during the period of medical disability, then using IPPL for the bonding period. After that, if additional time off is needed, employees may use accrued vacation, compensatory time or leave without pay.

Please consult with your HR representative for help creating a leave plan that meets your needs and supports department operations.

Is Iowa Paid Parental Leave available to a faculty member on a 9-month academic appointment?

Yes. Faculty members on a 9-month academic appointment are eligible for IPPL if they meet FMLA requirements. However, IPPL must be taken during the nine-month period of active employment and cannot be used during months when the faculty member is not working.

Will I receive payment for unused Iowa Paid Parental Leave when I leave university employment?

No. IPPL does not accrue and is not eligible for payout upon separation from the institution. It is a benefit intended to provide paid time off for eligible employees to care for and bond with a newly added child.

Who pays for IPPL?

Iowa paid parental leave (IPPL) is additional leave available to an employee to use that does not reduce their vacation or sick leave accruals. Since IPPL can be used in place of sick leave or vacation leave, it allows employees to use that sick or vacation leave at another time, potentially.

There is no additional cost to the department to fund IPPL. A possible additional cost to a department would be if an employee went into leave without pay status without the IPPL, or if additional staff needed to be hired during their absence to cover their duties.

What is the impact of IPPL if I am paid by external funding on grants and contracts (Fund 500 and 510)?

Per 2 CFR 200.431.b, IPPL can be used if employees are funded by external funding on grants and contracts, because IPPL meets all the criteria for leave to be allowable compensation. There is no additional documentation or justification needed for employees to use IPPL who are funded by external funding on grants and contracts. 

Parental Leave Resources

Parental Leave Guidance

Return To Work Guidance

The Parental Leave Policies & Best Practices webpage is a collaborative effort between UI Family Services and UI Faculty and Staff Disability Services.