G.1.5.2 Massachusetts Parental Leave

Marine Biological Laboratory
Policy No. G.1.5.2

Human Resources

Initiated by: Human Resources Director
Approved by: MBL Director 
Date: June 2026
Distribution: MBL Community

An employee who has completed three (3) consecutive months of full-time employment may be entitled to eight (8) weeks of parental leave for the purpose of giving birth or for the placement of a child under the age of eighteen (18), or under the age of twenty-three (23) if the child is mentally or physically disabled, for adoption with the employee who is adopting or intending to adopt the child.  An employee who either has multiple births or adopts more than one child at the same time is entitled to eight (8) weeks of leave for each child.  If two MBL employees seek to take parental leave in connection with the same child, then they are entitled to a total of eight (8) weeks of parental leave in the aggregate for the birth or adoption of that child.

In order to be eligible for this leave, an employee must give notice of the anticipated date of departure and intention to return to work to Human Resources at least two (2) weeks in advance, or as soon as practicable if the delay is for reasons beyond the employee’s control.  Parental leave under this policy will be without pay, except that if an employee has accrued unused paid time off or available paid time off under any other policy, an employee may choose to use such time concurrently with all or part of the leave.  Thus, if an employee is eligible for both FMLA, PFMLA leave and parental leave under this policy, the employee may (but is not required to) use accrued paid time off for the period of leave covered by this policy. 

At the conclusion of a parental leave, the employee will be reinstated to his or her previous position or a similar position with the same rate of pay they received at the commencement of the leave.  The MBL, however, may not reinstate an employee on parental leave to the previous position or a similar position if other employees of equal seniority or status in the same or similar position(s) have been laid off due to economic conditions or have been otherwise affected by changes in employment conditions during the period of leave.  While parental leave may be extended, unless otherwise provided by applicable law, reinstatement may not be guaranteed at the conclusion of a parental leave that was more than eight (8) weeks in duration. 

A parental leave will not affect an employee’s ability to receive paid time off, bonuses, advancement, seniority or other benefits for which the employee was eligible on the date leave began, however, the leave period will not be included in the computation of such benefits.  Parental leave runs concurrently with leave provided under any other applicable policy including, without limitation, leave under the FMLA policy, if applicable.  Parental leave also runs concurrently with any time period qualifying an employee for receipt of monetary benefits, including benefits received under any short-term disability policy.  The receipt of such monetary benefits or use of paid time off during any period of parental leave does not extend the length of the leave.

Guidelines

Employees do not accrue sick leave, vacation, and personal holidays during an unpaid leave.

Employees on a leave are expected to be reasonably responsive to and to communicate with the Human Resources Department during the leave.

If an employee does not return to work when the leave ends and has not been approved for an additional leave of absence or other reasonable accommodation as required by law, employment will be terminated as of the last day of the approved leave of absence.

Policy clarifications and updates are available from the Human Resources office.

MBL reserves the right to amend this policy at any time.