Rhodes College will provide leave for pregnancy, birth, adoption and nursing as set forth in the Tennessee Maternity Leave Act “TMLA”; T.C.A. 4-21-408. Leave under this policy is intended to and will run concurrently with leave under the College’s Family Medical Leave policy and Faculty Illness policy (which includes up to 12 weeks of paid leave), to the extent applicable. [Nota bene: For legal purposes, pregnancies are referred to as an illness.]
The TMLA provides for up to an additional four weeks of unpaid leave for adoption, pregnancy, childbirth, and nursing an infant to employees upon request who have been employed by the College for at least twelve consecutive months as full-time employees prior to the commencement of the leave. Leave for adoption commences at the time placement of the child.
The faculty member seeking leave must give the Chief Human Resources Officer and the Vice President for Academic Affairs no less than three months advance notice of intent to take the leave, unless a medical emergency develops or the notice of adoption was received less than three months in advance of placement.
The employee taking leave under this policy must notify the College of the requested length of the leave and express the intent to return to full time status at the end of the leave.
The employee may not pursue any other employment in any way during the leave.
Faculty members who intend to request a maternity leave should contact the Vice President for Academic Affairs, their department chair, and Human Resources to ask questions about the process or request further clarification of College policies.