PsychologyThe University of Pennsylvania has a specific parental leave policy with regard to Ph.D. student funding (see this link for details).
In addition, our clinical program has a further policy in place with regard to clinical training, which is typically an unfunded obligation. We developed and abide by the PENDELDOT Suggested Parental Leave Policy for practicum training. This policy is in place for all in-house practica in our department, and we support the use of this policy at all external practica completed by our students.
PENDELDOT strongly encourages practicum sites to have a policy in place to support trainees who give birth, are supporting a partner who has given birth, or adopt a child during their practicum training year. Our recommended policy is as follows:
- Trainees who welcome a new child into their family (via birth or adoption) should be offered three months of parental leave, during which they will have no responsibilities for administrative work or patient care and their practicum training slot will be held for them.
- Trainees who are supporting a partner who is the primary caregiver of a new child should be offered two weeks of parental leave, during which they will have no responsibilities for administrative work or patient care and their practicum training slot will be held for them.
- In family systems in which both partners are providing equal care (i.e., there is no “primary” caregiver), trainees should feel free to identify themselves as a primary caregiver for the purpose of parental leave.
In most cases, the training period will simply be reduced by the amount of time taken as leave. Sites may offer various options for extending training, including allowing extra days to accrue clinical hours or extending the practicum beyond the usual end date. These should not be requirements, however, as many trainees will not have the flexibility to add extra clinic days or to extend the training period given other commitments and obligations. Similarly, many sites may be unable to accommodate extending training beyond the typical time frame.
Since asking about parental leave is fraught for trainees, and many trainees worry that it will prejudice the site against them, sites should explain their parental leave policies during the interview phase to all applicants without waiting to be asked.
Sites may specify how much notice they would like the trainee to give them, if possible, prior to the start of parental leave time.