If you have worked the Chapter 683 program for the past two years, we want to make you aware of an agreement regarding paid parental leave for those of you who are having a child, adopting a child or caring for a new foster child during or immediately prior to the program. 

You may now choose to take advantage of paid parental leave during the Chapter 683 program, or you may wait to take paid parental leave until the school year begins — but you must make that decision soon. Please inform the DOE and UFT of your intention by June 21, 2024.

Apply for Ch. 683 parental leave

If you decline the opportunity to work in Chapter 683 and instead take parental leave, you will be paid for up to six weeks of regular pay by the UFT Welfare Fund. During your leave, you will receive the same pay as you would receive if you were to take parental leave during the school year.

If you choose not to take Chapter 683 parental leave, depending on the date that you or your partner give birth, adopt or begin caring for a new foster child, you may still be eligible to take parental leave when school resumes in September.  

In order to be eligible for Chapter 683 paid parental leave, you must either:

1. Anticipate a covered event (birth, adoption or foster care placement) date that falls between June 26, 2024 and Aug. 11, 2024; or
2. Have had a covered event during the school year for which you have been using Cumulative Absence Reserve (CAR) days or parental leave on the last day of school and still have some parental leave time available when Chapter 683 begins.

If you are eligible for paid parental leave during the Chapter 683 summer program and have an anticipated covered event date that falls between June 26, 2024 and Aug. 11, 2024, you will be paid, on top of your regular summer pay, an additional amount comparable to your regular pay from the date of the covered event through Aug. 11, 2024, or six weeks after the birth, whichever comes first.

For example, someone who gives birth on Aug. 1, 2024 would be paid this additional sum from Aug. 1, 2024 through Aug. 11, 2024. Someone who gives birth on July 1, 2024 would be paid the additional sum from July 1, 2024, through Aug. 11, 2024 (six weeks after the birth).

If you are eligible for parental leave during Chapter 683 for a covered event toward the end of the 2023-24 school year, and you were using CAR days or were on parental leave on the last day of school, and you still have parental leave time remaining, you will be paid, on top of your regular summer pay, Chapter 683 parental leave at your regular school-year pay rate from July 1, 2024, through the last day of your parental leave eligibility.

For example, someone who has a covered event on June 15, 2024, and uses no CAR days, would be paid their parental leave payment from June 15 to the June 26 (the final day of school), their regular summer pay and Chapter 683 parental leave at their regular school-year pay rate from July 1, 2024, through July 27, 2024 (six weeks after the covered event).

If you have an anticipated covered event during Chapter 683 but you begin the program on July 1, 2024, you will not be able to use Chapter 683 parental leave. You may, however, take advantage of parental leave in September, depending on the anticipated date of the covered event.

For example, someone who gives birth on Aug. 1, 2024, could possibly use CAR days from the first day of school through Sept. 5, 2024 (the first day of school) through Sept. 11, 2024, or Sept. 25, 2024 in the case of a C-section, followed by parental leave for six weeks beginning the next day.

Someone who is not a birth parent and has a covered event on Aug. 1, 2024, could use parental leave from the first day of school through Sept. 11, 2024.

Still have a question about Chapter 683 parental leave? Use our online form to submit a question to our team. 

Submit a Ch. 683 parental leave inquiry