Paid parental leave and other leaves

Thanks to a public campaign by thousands of union members, the UFT became the first public-sector union in the history of New York City to negotiate paid parental leave for the people it represents. The UFT secured paid parental leave for UFT-represented employees in June 2018 after months of intense negotiations with the Department of Education. The policy provide six weeks of time off at full salary for maternity, paternity, adoption and foster care leave. When combined with available maternity leave policies, new mothers can take up to 12 or 14 weeks of paid leave. Call the union for more information about Paid Parental Leave and other options that may be available to you. See the UFT's FAQ on paid parental leave or register for the next series of our popular workshops, "Pathways to Parenthood," to learn more about your parental leave benefits. 

Special Leave of Absence Coverage (SLOAC)

SLOAC entitles eligible and approved city employees up to a maximum of 18 weeks or four months (depending on pay cycle) of benefits coverage in a 12-month period during unpaid leave resulting from a disability or serious illness of the employee. You may also be eligible for an additional eight months of coverage through the UFT Welfare Fund.

Restoration of Health Leave

If you are disabled as the result of pregnancy or other illness, you can apply for a Restoration of Health Leave. Once you exhaust your CAR balance, this extended unpaid leave, which requires medical documentation, may provide you with up to a year of health benefits.

Supplemental health benefits

A UFT Welfare Fund child care benefit may extend your supplemental health benefits for up to six months following the birth or adoption of a child. This benefit begins upon termination of your supplemental health benefits covered under your leave. You need to apply for this benefit by completing the UFT Welfare Fund Child Care Coverage Request Form and submitting it, along with a copy of your child care leave, to the Welfare Fund. Be aware that before submitting the Child Care Coverage Request Form, you need to submit a UFT Welfare Fund Change of Status online form to add your child.