Paid Parental Leave Policy

It is The Hartford's policy to provide a paid leave of absence to employees who desire to bond with and care for a new child following a birth, adoption, placement for adoption, foster care, or surrogacy. 

 

The Hartford recognizes that the birth, adoption or foster care of a child is a life-changing event. It, therefore, encourages eligible employees to take a leave of absence from work to care for their new family member(s).

 

This policy applies to all active employees of The Hartford and its participating subsidiaries based in U.S. locations who work at least 20 hours per week and have completed at least 180 days of service at the time of the qualifying event. The updated policy applies to births, adoptions or foster care that are incurred on January 1, 2024, and after.

 

Note: This policy does not apply to temporary employees of The Hartford.

 

Covered employees will be provided with a leave of up to eight weeks per event. Multiple live births or adoptions are considered to be a single event.  Employees are allowed one Paid Parental Leave per rolling calendar year for foster care.  Paid Parental Leave is paid at a rate of 100 percent of the employee's base pay in effect on the day before the start of the leave.

 

Eligibility for Paid Parental Leave expires 12 months after the birth, foster care placement, or adoption of a child.  The leave must be continuous and not taken intermittently.

 

Birth mothers who qualify for short term disability benefits will be eligible to take the Paid Parental Leave following the conclusion of the short term disability benefit period, or anytime within the 12 months following the birth.

 

If a new parent is eligible for any paid family leave benefits under applicable state law, Paid Parental Leave must be taken concurrently with any applicable state benefit.  For Paid Parental Leaves that are concurrent with any state leave benefits, the state benefit is paid first and then benefits under Paid Parental Leave will be paid to total 100 percent of the employee's base pay. 

 

The Paid Parental Leave will run concurrently with any approved Family or Medical Leave (FML) or Pregnant and New Parent Leave (PNPL). Employees who qualify for a leave of absence under the FML or PNPL policy should refer to those policies for further details.

 

HartLeave will administer leaves of absences under this policy. Employees applying for a leave under this Policy must submit medical and/or legal certifications to HartLeave to substantiate births, adoptions or foster care and relationship status.

 

Impact to paid time off (PTO)/Holiday time
Employees will not accrue PTO while on a Paid Parental Leave.

 

Employees will not be paid for any holidays that occur during a Paid Parental Leave.  You will receive credit for holiday time while on leave, and will be able to take that time when you return to work.  Holiday time, upon your return to work, must be taken in the same calendar year.  Holiday hours are not paid out to employees at termination of employment and cannot be carried into the next year.