You are beginning a very exciting time in your life and have much to consider before your child(ren) arrives, especially if you are planning to take time off. We’ve learned from experience that the sooner you start your planning, the better prepared you will be for the transition. We encourage you to contact your HR Professional to start planning as soon as possible, especially if you plan to request an adjustment to your work arrangement or a leave of absence. 

There are many VCU programs, policies, and resources available to assist employees through birth, adoption, surrogacy or foster care. A list of some of those resources can be found on the family resources page. 

When you are comfortable:

• Share your good news with your team, manager and your HR Professional.
• Think about any work adjustments or flexible work arrangements that you plan to request, and discuss with your manager. If you anticipate a need to revise your goals for the year, be sure to discuss that with your manager as well.
• If you are planning to take leave, begin learning about the leave process and planning for your absence. Use this guide and the checklist to help you. 

Considerations when planning your absence include:

• What work needs to be covered while you are out? Do you supervise staff who will need an interim manager? Discuss these needs with your manager and take proper steps to plan and prepare for your planned absence. You may also want to think about what should happen if you have to go out earlier than expected.
• Set an out-of-office message on your email with instructions on who to contact in your absence.
• Set an out-of-office greeting on your phone with instructions on who to contact in your absence.

Returning from leave:

• Schedule meetings with your manager(s) and appropriate team members to get caught up on what you missed while you were on leave.
• Cancel your out-of-office notification. Review your email greeting to see if any changes are required.
• Set realistic goals and expectations of yourself and use the support of other working parents to help you through the transition.
• Be prepared to reassess your work schedule on a continual basis. 
• Communicate honestly with your coworkers, supervisors and others about your needs. People can’t help you unless you tell them what you need. 

Speak with your HR Professional or a member of their staff to discuss your leave options.

• Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) - provides unpaid job protection for up to 12 weeks for eligible VCU employees who are expecting a baby. It is important to note that this simply provides protection for your job and benefits and does not serve as income replacement. For faculty in VRS, University & Academic Professionals, and classified staff in VSDP this should be used in conjunction with short-term disability for the birthing parent. Your HR Professional or member of their staff will work with you to complete the necessary steps for this.
• Short-Term Disability (STD) - available to eligible VCU employees who are the birthing parent. Short-term disability provides income replacement for employees while they are medically incapacitated. This benefit runs concurrently with FMLA, if applicable. Short-term disability benefits for the birthing parent usually extend for 6-8 weeks subject to approval by the third-party benefit administrator. You must initiate your claim directly with the vendor and your HR team can help to provide you with that information.
• Parental Leave - available to eligible VCU University & Academic Professionals and classified staff with at least 1 year of service. It provides 100% income replacement for employees for 6 to 8 weeks. This program also runs concurrently with FMLA if applicable, and is typically used after the STD period ends. Your HR Professional or member of their staff will work with you to complete the necessary steps.
• University and Academic professionals receive 240 hours (6 weeks) of Parental Leave which must be used within a year of the baby’s birth.
• Classified employees receive 320 hours (8 weeks) of Parental Leave which must be used within 6 months of the baby’s birth.
• Medical documentation is not required for the approval of this leave program if the child has been added to the employee’s health coverage plan. If the child is not being added to the employee’s health coverage plan, proof of birth/relationship is required for approval.
• Annual Leave - available to faculty and classified staff for birthing and non-birthing parents to use to supplement their unpaid FMLA leave.
• Traditional Sick Leave - faculty and classified staff in the traditional sick leave program  may use this leave for childbearing purposes. Sick leave is applicable for the birthing parent for the time period they are medically disabled (normally 6 weeks). A portion of it can also be used for a non-birthing parent during FMLA for family reasons.
• More details about paid and unpaid leave options available to birthing and non-birthing parents based on employee classification can be found in the leave options chart below.

• Birthing and Non-Birthing parents will be receiving multiple leave documents from both their department and VCU Leave Administration. The chart below shows what documents the employee should expect to receive.

If you are also employed by MCV Physicians, please see the M1 and O1 Leave Flow Chart below for more information on the Parental and Medical Leave Process for Clinical Faculty Employed by VCU and MCV Physicians.

Parental and medical leave process for VCU and MCV Clinical Faculty [PDF]

 

Once you have had a chance to learn about leave options and put a plan together, you will want to complete the forms for applicable leave. The HR team will help you with this process and here are the following steps typically needed:

1. If you are the birthing parent, you should obtain the FMLA Medical Certification form and provide this to your doctor for completion. Most doctor’s offices charge a fee to complete this form, which can take some time to process with them. Once completed, submit the form back to the HR team. Non-birthing parents may submit proof of birth or another document that provides proof of relationship (i.e. birth certificate, court order for foster placement, adoption records) to VCU Leave Administration for approval of parental leave. 
2. Once returned, the HR team will use this to complete the applicable DocuSign forms for your FMLA and parental leave for you to complete. 
3. While obtaining the FMLA form, birthing parents should also connect with your STD vendor to initiate a claim. Specific forms will be required and you will need to communicate directly with your doctor to obtain these. *Please note that VCU cannot initiate the employee’s claim or respond on their behalf.
4. Once approved and processed, you can go into RealTime to pre-load your parental leave prior to departure if you are the non-birthing parent. Parental leave for the birthing parent will be pre-loaded by the VCU Leave Administration team based on your short-term disability claim dates.

Leave may be taken with or without pay. When paid leave is used (including short-term disability for eligible employees), benefits including health coverage, flexible spending accounts, retirement and life insurance continue without interruption.

When leave is taken without pay:

• Health coverage can continue if you continue to remit employee premiums to VCU Payroll by the first of each month during your leave of absence. Unpaid premiums can result in coverage cancellation so be sure to set up your payments in advance of unpaid leave. You can choose to waive or reduce your coverage when beginning a leave without pay if you wish. If you waive coverage, no premiums are due for any month you are on unpaid leave as of the first of the month, however, coverage is not automatically restored when you return to work and you must actively re-enroll no later than 60 days from returning in order to resume coverage. Coverage resumption is based on the date of your election and cannot be retroactive.
• Flexible spending accounts can continue if you pre-pay your contributions before your leave starts or remit contributions to VCU Payroll by the first of each month during your leave of absence. Unpaid contributions can result in cancellation of your account so be sure to set your contributions in advance of going on unpaid leave. You can choose to waive participation when beginning a leave without pay if you wish. If you waive participation your coverage period ends at the end of the month and your participation does not automatically resume when you return to work. You may re-enroll within 60 days of returning in order to participate again on a prospective basis.  
• Virginia Retirement System participants: There are no retirement contributions and no service credit for any month you are on unpaid leave as of the first business day of the month. You can purchase service credit directly from VRS for periods of leave due to the birth or adoption of a child once you return to work.
• Optional Retirement Plan participants: There are no contributions during leave without pay. Your benefit is not based on service credit. 
• Basic life insurance provided by VCU continues but if you purchase optional life insurance from your paycheck you must make arrangements directly with Securian to make your premium payments during unpaid leave. Payment cannot be made through VCU when you are not receiving a paycheck. 

Preparing to go out or returning to work from an extended leave can be challenging and requires a lot of decision-making and juggling, not to mention fortitude. VCU is committed to helping you succeed personally and professionally.  One of the many advantages of working at VCU is the quality of our work life. While numerous factors contribute to a positive working environment, a major benefit is flexible work arrangements (FWAs). FWAs allow flexibility in work schedules and location so staff are better able to balance their work and home life while still meeting the needs of the university and supporting an engaged living, learning and working environment. Employees should visit VCU’s Flexible work arrangements webpage to determine their eligibility for a FWA. The webpage provides examples and ideas for utilizing FWAs.

If you are interested in learning more about pursuing a FWA, talk to your HR Professional or manager to discuss the options that are available and what might work best for your personal situation. A FWA requires a number of considerations including determining eligibility, developing an agreement, requesting necessary equipment, etc. so plan to have a conversation as soon as you know you would like to discuss this option.  

Your health plan may offer prenatal care and maternity programs. These programs are designed to help answer your questions, assist you with making good choices and follow your health plan provider’s plan of care. Please consult your member handbook or contact your plan provider to learn more about their offerings for maternity care. 

If you are enrolled in the State’s health plan through VCU, please find below the current maternity programs offered through the State health plans. 

COVA Care and COVA HDHP Participants:

Anthem Future Moms Program (PDF)

If you’re expecting a baby, the Future Moms maternity support program can help you stay well throughout your pregnancy and after your baby is born. You’ll have regular phone calls with your personal Anthem nurse who can help you:

• Follow a healthy diet and lifestyle
• Understand your prenatal tests and the results
• Find a specialist if you need one
• Recognize the signs of early labor
  
• Take care of yourself and your newborn after delivery

Future Moms (PDF) Incentive: If you enroll in Future Moms within the first 16 weeks of pregnancy, actively participate, and comply with all program requirements, your health plan may waive the maternity hospital stay copayment. 

COVA HealthAware Participants:

Aetna Maternity Program

If you’re expecting a baby, the maternity support program can help you stay well throughout your pregnancy and after your baby is born. You’ll have regular phone calls or mailings from your personal Aetna nurse who can help you:

• Follow a healthy diet and lifestyle
• Understand your prenatal tests and the results
• Find a specialist if you need one
• Recognize the signs of early labor
  
• Take care of yourself and your newborn after delivery

Call (855) 414-1901 to sign up for the program. Your nurse will set up appointments so you can talk throughout your pregnancy, and you can call your nurse any time if you have a question. 

Remember: If you enroll within the first 16 weeks of your pregnancy and remain engaged in the program through your 28th week of pregnancy, you will earn a $300 contribution to your HRA.

Dental Care while Pregnant:

COVA Care, COVA HDHP, and COVA HealthAware participants

Healthy Smile, Healthy You Administered by Delta Dental of Virginia Growing evidence confirms the connection between oral health and overall general health. Delta Dental of Virginia's Healthy Smile, Healthy You™ program provides additional benefits for three important health conditions connected to oral health: pregnancy, diabetes and high-risk cardiac conditions. 

Through the program, pregnant members are eligible for one additional Dental cleaning and exam, or periodontal maintenance in addition to the normal plan frequency limits. Consult your member handbook for further details.  

Optima Health Participants:

Partners in Pregnancy

Optima Health recognizes that pregnancy in itself can be a life-altering journey and even the most experienced mom may feel in need of extra support.

The Optima Health Partners in Pregnancy Program is dedicated to providing guidance, support, and education to all expectant moms with Optima Health insurance. This program is available at no charge to every subscriber or their spouse enrolled with Optima Health.

Call the member services telephone number on your Optima Health member card, tell them you are pregnant and ask to be connected with a case manager who can help you answer your questions about pregnancy. You may call (866) 239-0618. 

Kaiser Permanente Participants:

Pregnancy and Maternity Care

As you prepare to welcome your new baby, Kaiser is available to give you the pregnancy care and support you need each step of the way.

They provide a pregnancy breakdown by trimester, including common symptoms, tests, and newborn care. Plus, find support if your partner's expecting a baby, and so much more. 

Call Kaiser Permanente member services for more information (800) 777-7902.

Changes to state employee health coverage and flexible spending are permitted during the annual open enrollment period (generally in May) or within 60 days of a qualifying mid-year event that permits changes.  

Visit our Changing your Benefits webpage for enrollment details and instructions.

Approved health coverage changes are retroactive to the month of birth or adoption, and approved flexible spending changes are effective the first of the month after receipt of your election.

Enroll/Change/Terminate Optional Life Insurance Coverage

For a summary of optional life insurance benefits, including rates and enrollment instructions, visit the VRS optional group life insurance website. 

To change the amount of your optional life insurance, add or remove coverage for dependents, or terminate optional life insurance, log into the myVRS portal on the Virginia Retirement System website.  Once you are logged in, select Life Insurance under the My History tab and then select the Visit Securian button. Optional life insurance changes are not initiated through VCU HR.

Update your Basic and Optional Life Insurance Beneficiaries

Life insurance for faculty and staff in VRS and the ORP is provided through the state employee group life insurance policy of the Virginia Retirement System (PDF).

To change your life insurance beneficiary designation, log into MyVRS and select beneficiary designation from the menu.  The beneficiary designation is not recorded by VCU HR. The VRS Employer Code for VCU is 30236, except for sworn officers of Campus Police who use 70236.

Update your ORP and TDA Beneficiaries Online

• Fidelity 
• TIAA 

Update your VRS and DCP Beneficiaries Online

• Defined Benefit Plan (Plan 1 & 2, VALORS 1 & 2, Hybrid DB) 
• Defined Contribution Plan (Hybrid DC & Hybrid Cash Match, COV 457 DCP & Cash Match)

As part of VCU’s commitment to work/life balance, the university supports employees using available leaves and benefits to maximize family time when a new child joins a family. The information below provides some resources that are available. 

• Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) has a wealth of information for new parents including a homecoming checklist, advice for new moms, a baby wish list, an article about breastfeeding and returning to work, and budgeting for new parents. This also includes information for those wanting to adopt including "Selecting an Adoption Agency," family and parenting issues for adoptive parents, and legal and financial issues in adoption. There is also an online search for child care services. Take advantage of these resources by visiting your health plan's Employee Assistance site.  
• The EAP includes up to 4 sessions at no charge for such services as mental health, alcohol or drug abuse assessment, child or elder care, grief counseling, and legal or financial services. EAP counselors are available to assist employees with problems related to alcohol, drugs, family, gambling, health, legal, financial, housing, mental health, child care, elder care, grief, spousal/child/parent abuse, workplace career planning, and retirement. In general, care must be authorized in advance. You or your eligible dependent will speak to an EAP specialist who will assess your problem and coordinate assistance. Should your problem require mental health or substance abuse care, you will be referred to a provider under your mental health and substance abuse benefit. 
• Before you bring your baby home, learn more about child passenger safety. In addition, find a convenient location for a car seat inspection.
• Mood swings after the birth of a baby are not uncommon. It isn't a character flaw or weakness, it's simply a complication of giving birth. Check out CommonHealth resources and videos on stress management through the "Dial It Down" program. If stress lingers, contact the Employee Assistance Program for help. 
• After your child is born, you may wish to update legal documents such as wills or trust documents. Your EAP provides legal resources. 

If you are adopting, there are a number of resources available online or through the National Council for Adoption. For information, visit National Council For Adoption or talk with the agency handling your home study.

• Start researching child care. Talk with friends and neighbors about the centers they use. Make a list of centers to visit. View the list of child care providers on the Work/Life page. It may be wise to enroll and/or get on a waitlist to ensure you have the support you need when your leave has ended.
• Start looking for pediatricians. Talk with friends and neighbors for suggestions. Visit and interview pediatricians. Check your health plan to be sure that the pediatrician participates with VCU Health benefits | Human Resources. Visit VCU Health to search for pediatricians and other health doctors at Find a Provider | VCU Health.
• Schedule childbirth classes. Many area hospitals offer these classes as a free service. Check the hospital your doctor uses to see if classes are available.
• A good way to keep in shape is through pregnancy exercises and yoga classes. VCU offers Employee discounts | Human Resources to yoga and area fitness centers. More resources can also be found at RamStrong.
• Start a college savings program. It's never too early. More information is available at Virginia529.
• When you return to work, remember that VCU promotes a family-friendly work environment that includes the support of breastfeeding mothers. View Family resources for a list of on-campus lactation sites.
• The guide, Parents in the Workplace: A Resource Guide for Virginia State Employees (PDF) provides a broad overview of employee benefits and resources geared towards working parents. It does not include information on all of the generous benefits available to eligible classified employees. 

Before arrival

• Contact your HR Professional or a member of their staff to discuss your plan and leave options. They will initiate the necessary forms for your leave of absence via DocuSign. FMLA, short-term disability, and parental leave forms (if applicable) should be processed within 30 days of the expected arrival of your child.
• When you are ready, share your leave plan with your manager and department. Schedule a meeting with your manager and back up support staff to discuss your leave schedule, review your workload, and a possible return to work schedule. Make sure to submit leave requests in RealTime for your expected absences.
• Discuss the use of flexible work options with your manager to ease the transition prior to leaving and returning back to work to best meet your work and potential health needs.  Consider initiating a request for a Flexible Work Arrangement as needed based on discussions with your manager.
• Create a running document of pending items at least 30 days prior to your anticipated leave start date and share with your manager and identified back up while you are away. 
• Make sure to set your out-of-office message and back up while you are away.
• Utilize any prenatal care programs offered by your health plan.
• If you plan to breastfeed, consider your lactation options. Remember that your breast pump and supplies may be covered by your health plan.
• Interview pediatricians.
• Look at child care options. It may be wise to enroll and/or get on a waitlist to ensure you have the support you need when your leave has ended.

After arrival

Within 60 days following birth/adoption:

• Add your child to your health coverage plan.
• Consider enrolling in or increasing your Flexible Spending Account election amounts (dependent care and health).

As soon as possible:

• Monitor your leave in RealTime and submit the appropriate leave based on your plan.
• Update your optional life insurance as desired.
• Update your beneficiary information on insurance policies, retirement plans, etc.
• Update your will and trust documents in consultation with the appropriate counsel.
• If you plan to breastfeed or chestfeed, make note of the lactation policy as well as the lactation spaces available. 

Preparing to return to work

• Submit your release to return to work to your HR Professional or a member of their staff on or before your first day back to work. This document will be sent to VCU Leave Administration for record keeping.
• Ensure you have communicated with your supervisor about your planned return to work date.
• Review your existing flexible work arrangements and schedule a meeting with your manager to discuss if adjustments are needed. The university recognizes that flexible work arrangements are an important part of being a Great Place to work.
• Schedule meetings with your manager(s) and appropriate team members to get caught up on what you missed while you were on leave within the first week of your return, if possible.
• Cancel your out-of-office notification. Review your email greeting to see if any changes are required.
• Set realistic goals and expectations of yourself. Use the support of other working parents to help you through the transition. 
• Use resources available to you to balance your work life and home life.

View the checklist (PDF)