This fall, the UFT rolled out a new interactive digital tool to simplify the task of determining how much paid parental leave an expecting parent can take.

In 2018, the UFT became the first public-sector union to negotiate paid parental leave for its members. Prior to that, birth mothers had only the option of using their accumulated CAR days. Now, birth mothers who have been employed by the Department of Education or city for 12 months and who work at least 20 hours a week are eligible for six weeks of paid parental leave in addition to their CAR days for a total of up to 12 to 14 weeks of time off depending on their circumstances. The spouses or domestic partners of a birth mother and the parents of adopted or foster children may also take six weeks of paid leave as long as they meet the same eligibility requirements.

UFT members found the process of applying for and taking this paid parental leave complicated, said UFT Member Representative Tanisha Franks, who was instrumental in developing the new tool. “Even with the union’s regular Pathways to Parenthood information sessions, the process was confusing,” she said. “We wanted to help folks navigate it more easily.”

The interactive tool, available on the UFT Member Hub, asks the member questions such as their length of service and whether they are willing to commit to returning to work for at least 12 months. Based on their answers, the tool will tell the member how much time they are likely eligible to take off.

“Welcoming a new child into your life should be a joyful time, not a stressful one,” said UFT President Michael Mulgrew. “With this new tool, UFT members can easily determine how much time they have to recover and bond with a new child.”

More than a thousand UFT members have tried the tool since it launched.

Carmen Lee, who teaches social studies at MS 177 in Manhattan, welcomed her first child in early November and used the tool to make sure that she was taking all the right steps to maximize her time with her new baby. “It’s an excellent tool,” she said, “and very user-friendly.” At the site, she was asked a series of questions that she described as being like a “choose your own adventure” story. And, she said, “It was also very cute!”

Members should consider the interactive tool as just one step in preparing for paid parental leave, Franks emphasized.

“You should still take our Pathways to Parenthood workshops, which are offered a few times each month, close to the covered event, which would be the third trimester for someone giving birth or for the partner of someone giving birth,” she said.

Go to the paid parental leave section and to sign up for a workshop. Members who have questions should call the UFT at 212-331-6311.