Paid Parental Leave Expansion

In 2020, Governor Brad Little signed the Families First Act, establishing an eight-week paid parental leave benefit for State of Idaho employees upon the birth or adoption of a child. This summer, Governor Little announced that the State of Idaho is expanding the Paid Parental Leave policy to include foster care and kinship placement for eligible employees.

In collaboration with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, ISU is pleased to extend the paid parental leave program to include foster care or kinship placement. Effective October 1, 2024, eligible State of Idaho employees will be eligible for up to eight weeks of paid parental leave when they are actively approved to provide foster care or kinship placement, and have an active ongoing role in parenting the child in their care. 

"Idaho State is proud to support Governor Little's leadership in expanding paid parental leave to foster and kinship caregivers," said President Robert Wagner. “I also commend Director Alex Adams and the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare for their dedication to strengthening families across our state. This policy and program expansion reflects our shared commitment to providing support for employees and creating safe, nurturing and loving environments for Idaho's children."

To implement this expanded benefit, ISU has updated ISUPP 3070 Leave of Absence for Faculty and Staff (which is currently in 30-day review). More information, including FAQs, is available at https://www.isu.edu/hr/benefits/leave-options/ under “Paid Parental Leave.”  

With over 1,400 children in foster care, our state faces a critical shortage of safe, nurturing homes. If you are interested in learning more about foster care:

• Call the Idaho 211 CareLine
• Attend one of Fostering Idaho’s information meetings
• Explore the DHW foster care website.

Thank you for the important role you play in serving ISU and the State of Idaho!