Parental Leave

Parental Leave / IDEO US

All IDEO US employees who are regular full-time employees, or regular part-time employees whose normal work schedule is at least 24 hours per week, are eligible for IDEO’s Paid Parental Leave policy (PPL) during any approved leave of absence for the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child (i.e., “birth bonding” leave). The purpose of IDEO’s PPL is to provide paid leave for a portion of the birth bonding leave and additional protected leave (i.e., duration) beyond what is required under the Family Medical Leave Act (FML). PPL will run concurrently with FML and any other state family leave law including, without limitation, the California Family Rights Act, and the New York Paid Family Leave Act. PPL also runs concurrently with California’s Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL) for the period of time an employee is covered under PPL after the birth of the child. Unlimited vacation may not be used for time off under IDEO’s PPL, however employees may use up to seven calendar days of sick time.

Primary parental caregivers will receive up to 18 weeks of PPL beginning on the day the child enters the employee’s life. A primary caregiver is the parent who has primary responsibility for the care of a child following the birth or the child coming into the custody, care, and control of the parent for the first time.

Following the paid 18 week leave, employees are eligible for an additional eight weeks of unpaid leave. The additional eight weeks of unpaid leave is voluntary, i.e., it is up to the employee to decide whether they would like to take this additional time off. However, to be eligible for this additional eight weeks of unpaid leave, you must provide your Business Lead at least 30 days prior written notice of your intent to extend beyond the 18 week leave. Written request to take this additional eight weeks of unpaid leave may be made less than 30 days prior to the start of any such leave where special circumstances required a shorter notice period.

During the entire period of leave (up to 26 weeks), you and your family will continue to receive IDEO health benefits, provided you continue to pay your portion of the health benefit costs that you paid before the beginning of the leave. You may reimburse your share of the premiums either through separate payments made to IDEO every pay period while on leave as if made through payroll deductions, or through increased payroll deductions or straight reimbursement after the leave ends. If an employee fails to return to work following the approved leave, IDEO may seek all premiums IDEO paid on the employee’s behalf for health coverage and any other IDEO-sponsored benefits during the leave. With respect to employee benefit plans other than IDEO’s group health plan, you will continue to receive such benefits, subject to the terms and limitations of the respective plans.

At the end of your leave, IDEO will attempt to reinstate you to your former position as more fully described in “Reinstatement & Return to Work” below.

Non-primary caregivers will receive up to six weeks of PPL.

In all cases, PPL begins as of the date of birth, adoption or placement, and must be used within one year of birth, adoption, or placement. These benefits must be used consecutively and can be used intermittently provided they are used in one-week blocks. The same amount of benefits will be received whether you have one child joining the family, or if you have twins, multiple adoptions at the same time.

Please know that you may be required to share certain documentation with IDEO, such as the child’s birth certificate or a certificate of adoption, as it becomes available. This is a formality required for record keeping.

This PPL benefit will be integrated with any state-provided leave payments (such as Paid Family Leave in California) or disability benefits you’re receiving. As such, PPL is equal to your base salary, minus the amount of other benefits you are receiving.

Any unused PPL will not be paid out at termination of employment, so please take advantage of this benefit, and time with your new addition, during the time you’re eligible.

Administration of this Policy

IDEO’s PPL was adopted to meet IDEO’s obligations in providing expanded new parent leave and is not intended to expand employees’ legal rights to time off. All other leaves and time-off not referenced in this policy shall run concurrently with this policy to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law. IDEO intends to administer the policy in accordance with applicable legal requirements. Your Talent team has more information about this policy including legal definitions of certain terms. California legal requirements are only guaranteed to California-based employees. Likewise, New York, Illinois, Massachusetts or other states’ rights only apply to employees working in that particular state. Any leave provided by IDEO that is not legally required is at the sole discretion of management and does not impose any legal duty upon IDEO.

Pregnancy Disability Leave (California Employees Only)

All California-based employees are eligible for benefits under California’s Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL) during pregnancy. This state benefit ensures job protection but does not, in itself, include salary coverage. But don’t worry, we have other policies in place that ensure you are paid, should you need to take pregnancy disability leave.

This state benefit provides for an unpaid leave of absence of up to 16 weeks during a disability due to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical condition. If your pregnancy disability leave starts before your child is born, you’ll be placed on IDEO’s short term disability plan and paid via sick leave until your child is born. After your child is born, your disability leave will run concurrently with IDEO’s PPL. If your pregnancy disability leave begins with the birth of your child, it will run concurrently with IDEO’s PPL. During a pregnancy disability leave, your group medical plan coverage will remain in effect, up to a maximum of sixteen weeks. When you are ready to return to work, you must obtain a written release from your health care provider and then IDEO will reinstate you to the job you held before the leave began, unless otherwise permitted by law.

This benefit covers the following scenarios:

• You’re still able to work, but your doctor advises that IDEO make an accommodation so you can continue to work safely (for example, working from home or a reduced work schedule). In this case, please work with your Business Lead and Talent Lead so they’re aware of the accommodation needed, and can ensure that it happens.
• Your doctor advises that, in advance of the birth of your child, you are no longer able to work. In this case, please notify your Business Lead and Talent Lead as soon as you know you’ll need to be out of the office, so they can plan for coverage while you're out.
• You’ve given birth and need to be out on leave to recover.

Still have questions or need more clarity? Your HR team is armed with all the knowledge and information you need to help you navigate this. Don’t hesitate to reach out.

San Francisco Paid Parental Leave Ordinance (San Francisco Employees Only)

Qualifying employees who work in the City and County of San Francisco may be eligible to receive supplemental monetary benefits when receiving Paid Parental Leave insurance benefits from the State of California for the purpose of bonding with a new child. Under the ordinance, employees who receive California Paid Family Leave benefits to bond with a new child are entitled to up to 8 weeks of supplemental compensation from their employer. This benefit increases leave compensation, but it does not extend the length of leave.

For more information, see: https://sfgov.org/olse/paid-parental-leave-ordinance or contact your Business Lead or Talent Lead.

Please note that it is your responsibility to notify IDEO of any wage supplements you receive from any governmental entity. This is to ensure that at no time your wage supplements exceed your regular base rate of pay.

Reinstatement & Return to Work

Employees on parental leave are asked to confirm their return date at least two (2) weeks before they return to work. Requests for additional leave should be made as soon as possible, as described above for parental leaves and family medical leaves. The employee must notify their Business Lead or Talent Lead in writing. Employees on parental leave who do not return as scheduled, and are not granted an extension, will be terminated as of the day the original leave expires, unless otherwise provided by applicable law.

When you are ready to return from parental leave, IDEO will attempt to reinstate you to your former position or one with equivalent pay, benefits, and other employment terms. You are entitled to reinstatement, however, only if you would have continued to be employed had parental leave not been taken. For example, you are not entitled to reinstatement if, because of a layoff, restructure, reduction in force or other reason, you would not be employed at the time you seek to return to work. Further, if you fail to return to work at the end of the approved leave period, you will be considered to have voluntarily resigned, effective as of the day following the last day of the authorized leave period. All employees on parental leave are subject to personnel actions unrelated to their leave (e.g., termination due to position elimination or reduction in force).