CALS Academic Parental Workload Relief 

updated May 2024

Parental Tenure Clock Extensions and Cornell Academic Parental Workload Relief are programs for primary or coequal care-giving parents who have significant responsibility for the care of a child. 

Tenure Clock Extension

For a parent of a newborn or during an adopted or foster child’s first year in the household, when duties as primary or coequal caregiving parent call tenure-track faculty members away from their work, Cornell will provide, on notification, an automatic extension of the tenure clock for two semesters. 

It is the responsibility of the academic department/unit to notify HR via email of the change in the faculty member’s tenure clock status at the time Parental Leave is requested. The change in the term date will be updated by HR. Faculty members who filed for a tenure extension but later choose not to use the extension may do so in consultation with their mentoring committee and Department Chair.

Partial Workload Relief 

 Workload relief may be used during the semester when a child is born or an adopted or foster child joins the household, or during a subsequent contiguous academic semester within 12 months of the child's birth, adoption, or foster placement. If the child is adopted or placed for foster care, the child must be younger than five years old for the parent to qualify per Human Resources Policy 6.2.1 Leaves for Professors and Academic Staff.

Consultation with Department Chair or other academic manager is necessary for Parental Workload Relief.

Cornell provides up to one academic semester of partial relief after a birth, adoption, or foster placement. Partial relief means typically less than 50% relief from assigned work responsibilities, with full pay, for a primary or coequal caregiving parent. The workload relief window is bound by the academic semesters: 

• Spring Semester: January 1 - May 15
• Summer Semester: May 16 - August 15
• Fall Semester: August 16 - December 31

HR must be notified via the Parental Workload Relief Form

Academic appointees should be advised that Parental Workload Relief during the Summer semester is shorter than the Spring/Fall semesters. If academic appointees wish to use Parental Workload Relief during the Summer semester, they must check the box on the Parental Workload Relief Form attesting they understand and accept this difference. 

General Policy Information

Family and Medical Leave for academic appointees, including Cornell Academic Parental Workload Relief, are described in the Human Resources Policy 6.2.1 Leaves for Professors and Academic Staff. Please consult the policy for precise language. The highlights are paraphrased below, and information is added specifically for employees of CALS.

Cornell University provides Family and Medical Leave to assist faculty and academic staff in balancing the demands of work with personal needs and family responsibilities. Cornell’s Family and Medical Leave implements and supplements the regulations established by the federal Family and Medical Leave Act; the Act mandates up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave in any one-year period. Cornell allows some forms of paid or partially paid academic leave including Cornell Academic Parental Workload Relief, Academic Short-term Medical Leave, and Long-term Disability Leave. Parental Workload Relief and Medical Leave, though paid, meet the federal requirements of the Family and Medical Leave Act and therefore, count in meeting the 12-week mandate. Medical leave is initiated with a note from your medical provider indicating the first day of your leave and an estimated duration. Please contact CALS Leave Management (cals-leavemgmt [at] cornell.edu) with any questions.

Consultation with the Department Chair is necessary for any type of leave.