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Birth Recovery Leave

Johns Hopkins University recognizes the importance of balancing family, professional, and academic responsibilities faced by new parents and promotes the well-being of their families through various leave policies.

Eligibility

Full-time and part-time faculty, visiting faculty, staff and bargaining unit employees who have been employed in an eligible status with continuous service for at least one year at the time of birth are eligible for Birth Recovery Leave. Limited and casual faculty and staff are not eligible.

Graduate students and postdoctoral trainees are not covered under this policy and should consult the New Child Accommodations for Full-Time Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Trainees for information on family leave benefits.

About Birth Recovery Leave

Parents who give birth and who meet the eligibility requirements are entitled to six weeks of fully-paid leave following the birth of a child. This leave may be extended based on medical necessity as determined by Lincoln Financial, and will run concurrently with the 12-weeks of job protection under FML, if still available to the employee. Birth Recovery Leave applies only to parents who give birth, and must be taken immediately upon the birth of a child. Short-term disability benefits paid by Lincoln Financial run concurrently with Birth Recovery Leave.

View the Family Leave for New Parents Policy for more information.

How to Request Birth Recovery Leave

Effective January 1, 2025, Lincoln Financial administers leave for all faculty, staff, and LiUNA bargaining unit members. Requests for leave prior to January 1 should go through your HR Business Partner.

  1. Before the baby is born, contact your supervisor or HR Business Partner to notify them of your leave.
  2. Contact Lincoln Financial Group, the plan administrator for the university at 888-246-4483 or visit MyLincolnPortal.com (registration code JHUEE) to request Birth Recovery Leave (and Family Medical Leave if applicable). If you have elected Short-Term Disability (STD) coverage, this one entry point is where you can apply for STD, FML, and request Birth Recovery Leave.
  3. Download a copy of the authorization form and give it to your treating physician. This will enable your physician to communicate with Lincoln.
  4. When the baby is born, contact Lincoln Financial Group again at 888-246-4483 to confirm the birth.

Returning to Work

It is important to prepare for a smooth return to work. You should contact your supervisor or department HR representative as soon as possible to inform them of your intent to return to work. You must provide a minimum of 2 days notice of your readiness to return. Additionally, if you are returning to work from a continuous leave for your own health condition, you must be cleared by Occupational Health Services (OHS) and provide a copy of your clearance form to your supervisor.

If you are unable to return to work after 12 weeks of approved FML leave, you must contact the Office of Institutional Equity (OIE) to request an extension or accommodation at least 15 days prior to the expiration of your approved FML. You can reach the OIE at 410-516-8075 or [email protected].

Additional resources that may be helpful to prepare for your return to work: