SOM Leaves of Absence Guidelines

Duke University offers a range of benefits to meet the diverse needs of our faculty members. The chart summarizes the types of leave available to SOM faculty in eligible positions. Visit the SOM Leaves of Absence website for more detailed process steps to follow when submitting leave requests. SOM faculty members employed by DHIP are also eligible for these leave policies.  Leaves involving salary continuation only apply to the portion of their monthly compensation paid by SOM/Duke University.  For more information regarding leaves for faculty employed by DHIP, please review DHIP Leave of Absence Guidelines and visit the DHIP Clinician Service Center (scroll to the DHIP Clinician & Department Resources by Service Type section). 

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

ELIGIBILITY

PROCESS

Temporary Medical Leave (TML)

Temporary Medical leave provides leave with pay to regular rank faculty members who are unable to work in the event of illness, injury, or temporary medical restriction which exceeds 4 weeks.

Counts as leave under the Family Medical Leave Act.

Regular rank faculty receive TML with pay. There is no waiting period.

Allows between 4 weeks and 1 year of leave with pay for personal illness.

Includes part-time temporary medical leave in the event of temporary medical restrictions.

Discuss with Department Rep or DHIP Clinician Service Center (if DHIP funded)

  1. Complete LOA Request Form
  2. Complete LOA Intake Form
  3. Submit Form 1002-E or 1002-F (Certification of Health Provider)

Family Medical Leave (FML)

Family Medical Leave (FML) is for an eligible employee to care for their own illness or injury or for a family member with a serious health condition.  May be taken in consecutive days or on an intermittent basis.

Regular rank and non-regular rank faculty members who have been employed at Duke for at least 12 months and have worked at least 1250 hours during the preceding 12 months. Provides unpaid time away from work for up to 12 weeks within a rolling 12-month period.

While FML is unpaid leave, it must be taken concurrently with other paid leaves such as Temporary Medical Leave or Parental Leave, where eligible.

Discuss with Department Rep or DHIP Clinician Service Center (if DHIP funded)

  1. Complete LOA Request Form
  2. Complete LOA Intake Form
  3. Submit FML Forms 1001, 1002-E or 1002-F (Certification of Health Provider) and 1003 (Notice of Eligibility and Rights & Responsibilities)

Parental Leave

(Regular rank faculty)

Parental leave provides regular rank faculty up to 3 months of leave with pay in the event of the birth, care of a child, the adoption of a child (under 6 yrs of age), or the birth of a domestic partner’s child.

No waiting period from the date of hire.

  • If both parents are regular rank faculty members, each parent is eligible to up to 3 months of paid leave.
  • Adopting a spouse or partner’s previous child(ren) is not eligible for parental leave. 
  • Automatic one-year extension of the tenure probationary period will be approved.

Discuss with Department Rep or DHIP Clinician Service Center (if DHIP funded)

  1. Complete LOA Request Form
  2. Complete LOA Intake Form
  3. Submit Form 1002-E or 1002-F (Certification of Health Provider)

Parental Leave

(Non-regular rank faculty)

A full-time, salaried non-regular rank faculty member shall be granted a 6-week leave with pay in the event of the birth of a child, the adoption of a child (under 6 years of age), or the birth of a domestic partner’s child. Moreover, 6 additional weeks of unpaid leave are allowed under the Family and Medical Leave Act, for a combined total of up to 12 weeks of leave.

No waiting period from the date of hire.

  • If both parents are non-regular rank faculty, each parent is eligible to receive the parental leave benefit.

Discuss with Department Rep or DHIP Clinician Service Center (if DHIP funded)

  1. Complete LOA Request Form
  2. Complete LOA Intake Form
  3. Submit Form 1002-E or 1002-F (Certification of Health Provider)

Short Term Disability (STD)

Long Term Disability (LTD)

Duke offers comprehensive disability insurance programs, including an employer-paid Long Term Disability plan available after three years of service and voluntary short-term and voluntary Long Term Disability programs that are immediately available.

Duke Disability plan replaces up to 60% of your base salary. Maximum benefit is $35k per month.

Regular rank and non-regular rank faculty members who work at least 30 hours per week are eligible.

120-day waiting period for LTD. Must submit claim paperwork within 180 days of becoming disabled and/or your last day worked due to disability.

Faculty members previously covered under an employer paid LTD plan immediately prior to coming to Duke may be eligible to waive the 3-year service requirement.

Contact Duke HR Disability Benefits at 919.684.5600.

Cherrelle V. Blackwell, MPA
Senior Benefits Administration
cherrelle.blackwell@duke.edu

If DHIP funded, contact the DHIP Benefits Team at DHIPBenefits@duke.edu to request information.

Personal Leave

Leave of absence without pay for unique and extraordinary reasons.

Note:  Regular rank faculty may consider requesting a Flexible Work Arrangement rather than a personal leave for circumstances where they do not need to be away from all their professional duties for an extended period of time.

Must be requested in advance and shown to be of mutual benefit to both Duke and the faculty member.

  • Requires department approval.
  • Granted for a period of up to one year with possible extension beyond one year under special circumstances.

Discuss with Department Rep or DHIP Clinician Service Center

  1. Complete LOA Request Form
  2. Complete LOA Intake Form
  3. Letter to the department describing the circumstance for leave

Sabbatical Leave

Primary purpose is for faculty member to advance scholarship (e.g., for teaching abroad, study, research, or publication undertaken to further the solution of pedagogical and administrative problems).

Tenured faculty after no more than each 6 years of active service in regular rank faculty position.

May be taken for a full year at half salary or a half year at full salary.

See Duke’s SOM Sabbatical Leave policy. 

  1. LOA Request Form
  2. Letter from the faculty member to Department Chair and Dean requesting sabbatical leave, including description of the sabbatical leave (start date, end date, activities, objectives, methodology, location(s), expected outcomes, timeline), clinical and administrative coverage arrangements (if needed), salary request (6 months at full pay, 1 year at half pay, leave of absence without pay, or alternative arrangement)
  3. Letter from Department Chair to the Dean supporting the requested leave, including endorsement (or adjustment) of the terms of the proposed leave
  4. Email above documents to SOMAPT@duke.edu.

Vacation (PTO)

Faculty members receive 22 business days annually of paid vacation in addition to paid designated holidays.

Unused time does not carry over to the following year and compensation is not issued for unused vacation when terminating.

Regular rank and non-regular rank faculty members who work at least 30 hours per week are eligible for vacation.

Discuss with Department Rep or DHIP Clinician Service Center (if DHIP funded)