V.G.9. Extended Medical, Parental, Caregiver Leave

The ACGME passed an Institutional Requirement in 2022 allowing for up to six (6) weeks of approved paid leave for extended medical, parental and/or caregiver leave(s) of absence for qualifying reasons that are consistent with applicable laws during each ACGME-accredited program, starting the day the resident/fellow is required to report. It may be an aggregate of noncontinuous or continuous leave. Any available sick or vacation leave will be exhausted concurrently to this leave designation.

In addition to the 6 weeks of Extended Medical, Parental and/or Caregiver Leave, the ACGME requires one (1) additional week or seven (7) days (inclusive of weekends) of paid personal leave to be used outside the 6 weeks of medical, parental, and/or caregiver leave. Like all other leave this special leave does not carry across academic years. LSUHSC provides PGY1 House Officers with twenty-one (21) days (including weekends) and PGYII House Officers with twenty-right (28) days (including weekends) of non-cumulative vacation leave that can be counted toward this additional week of required leave as required by the ACGME.  If the week of vacation leave is used prior to the exhaustion of six weeks of the required ACGME leave, an additional week will not be granted. House Officers will only be granted the additional week of personal leave if all LSUHSC provided leave is exhausted for extended medical, parental and/or caregiver purposes.

Process for Requesting Extended Medical, Parental, Caregiver Leave

A House Officer anticipating the need for noncontinuous or continuous Extended Medical, Parental and/or Caregiver Leave should reach out to HRMFMLA@lsuhsc.edu. The process for requesting the additional ACGME required leave will coincide with the FMLA request process. Certification documents will be provided to the House Officers for completion by the House Officer/the House Officers’ family member’s treating physician. Completed certification must be returned to the office of Human Resource Management (HRM) at HRMFMLA@lsuhsc.edu within fifteen (15) days. The determination of whether the ACGME required leave will apply to the House Officer’s request will be made by HRM. If approved, the leave will run concurrently with FMLA (if House Officer meets FMLA eligibility requirements). More information about the process and qualifying events can be found on the HRM FMLA website.

A coordinator with knowledge of a potential ACGME qualifying event can reach out to HRMFMLA@lsuhsc.edu on behalf of the House Officer. Based on the information provided by the coordinator, HRM will determine if the House Officer qualifies for the additional leave provided by ACGME and coinciding FMLA (if eligible), or if additional medical information is needed. Human Resources Management (HRM) will have the ability to designate eligible leave taken towards the ACGME required leave if applicable.

Once the determination of ACGME and FMLA qualification is made, HRM will notify the House Officers coordinator of the determination and the anticipated dates leave will be needed. If approved, the coordinator will determine the amount of applicable extended medical, parental or caregiver ACGME leave the House Officer has available to them and will apply that leave to the House Officers time out of work. All leave is administered at the program level. Leave should be approved by and coordinated with the program.  Consult with the training program regarding questions or issues with this or any other leave policy. If this doesn’t resolve the matter, please contact the GME office at 504-568-4006.