New paid family leave program introduced as efforts to transition to paid time off are paused

UF’s new paid family leave benefit was introduced to eligible TEAMS and faculty employees on Jan. 8. The new benefit provides up to 8 weeks of paid leave every 24 months for parental or medical reasons. This leave is designed to provide peace of mind throughout an employee’s lifespan, helping to meet their needs during the best of times and the worst of times.

More than 200 employees have already qualified for and are benefiting from the new program since its introduction. This first year of implementation is designed to help the university understand how the benefit will be used, with an interest in expanding the offering to 12 weeks, if possible, moving forward.

As we continue to navigate through the pandemic’s challenges together, and based on the UF community’s feedback, UFHR has decided to pause its efforts to transition to a paid time off, or PTO, model of leave until a later date. While many have been excited about this transition, the decision to pause these efforts will help ensure the transition goes smoothly and is implemented during a more stable period.

As a result, please note that your vacation and sick leave accounts will continue to accrue as normal. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to UFHR’s Central Leave team at central-leave@ufl.edu.