Frequently Asked Questions

For general questions about the University’s family and medical leave policy, you can contact Boston University Human Resources at leaves@bu.edu or 617-353-2380. If you have questions regarding an active claim, the status of your medical documentation, or specific claim details, please contact the leaves administrator, Sedgwick, at 877-708-0037 or by sending a message in the mySedgwick Portal.

All University leave policies, including PFML, run concurrently with applicable state and federal leave laws. If you are eligible for the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and/or the Massachusetts Parental Leave Act (MPLA), your PFML leave will count toward your entitlement under those laws simultaneously.

Currently, Boston University pays the full cost of the PFML benefit for all eligible employees. Unlike many other employers in the Commonwealth, there are no payroll deductions taken from employee wages to fund this program.

No, you apply for your leave through Sedgwick.

You may take leave for the dates approved for your leave, which can be found in your leave approval letter.  Intermittent parental bonding leave may be taken for up to 12 months from birth or placement of an eligible child.  Intermittent leave schedules should be arranged in advance with your supervisor.

To ensure you get help when you need it, Sedgwick provides guaranteed live agent phone support upon outreach.

Additionally, a QR Code is included within the intake packet that is sent to you shortly sent after claim filing. This code is clickable and allows you to schedule a time to speak with your examiner. It will be accessible throughout the duration of your open leave.

If you cannot get a timely response through these channels, contact the HR Leaves team by emailing leaves@bu.edu. They serve as your primary escalation point and will coordinate with Sedgwick to ensure your concerns are addressed.

For birth parents, your leave will typically consist of two parts. First, you will apply for Medical Leave for the period of physical recovery from childbirth. Your doctor’s certification is needed for this claim’s approval. Second, once your medical recovery is complete, you can transition to Family Leave for the purpose of bonding with your new child. Sedgwick requires a statement of birth or birth certificate for this claim’s approval. Both leaves combined cannot exceed 26 weeks of leave. Please note you will need to file a separate claim for your bonding leave in addition to the Medical Leave application for childbirth.

MA FML law defines medical leave as leave taken by an eligible employee due to their own serious health condition, including recovery from childbirth that is certified by a physician as a serious health condition.

A serious health condition is defined as an illness, injury, impairment or physical or mental condition that involves: (a) inpatient care in a hospital, hospice or residential medical facility; or (b) continuing treatment by a health care provider. This may include normal birth recovery as certified by a physician.

MA PFML law defines family leave as leave taken: 1) to care for a family member with a serious health condition; 2) for a parent to bond with the parent’s child during the first 12 months after the child’s birth, adoption, or foster care placement; 3) to care for a family member who is a covered service member, or 4) because of a qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that a family member is on active duty overseas or has been notified of an impending call or order to active duty overseas in the Armed Forces.

For the purpose of family leave used to care for a family member, family members include your spouse, domestic partner, child, parent, grandchild, grandparent or sibling; the parent of your spouse or domestic partner; and guardians who legally acted as a parent when you were a minor. Where your family member lives does not affect their eligibility.

Paid family and medical leave benefits are administered by Sedgwick. You may apply to Sedgwick to request family or medical leave online through your mySedgwick portal or by phone at 877-708-0037.

Special Note for Faculty Members: To initiate your leave, you must complete the Faculty Request for Non-Academic Leave of Absence Form and submit it to the chair of your department. Your chair is responsible for forwarding the form to the dean’s office. When you receive the response from the chair of your department you should contact Sedgwick online via the mySedgwick portal or by phone to initiate the leave process:

    mySedgwick Portal
    877-708-0037

Please note – this additional form does not apply to faculty members who are part of the BU Medical Group.

You may take family and/or medical leave more than once during the year if you have more than one qualifying event.  The maximum duration of paid family and medical leave you may take per benefit year, in general, is 26 weeks.

Once Sedgwick receives your completed application and all required medical certifications from your healthcare provider, they will notify you of the decision (Approval, Denial, or Request for More Information) within 2 business days.

If your claim is denied, you will receive a letter from Sedgwick explaining the reason for the denial. You have the right to appeal the decision by contacting Sedgwick online or by phone at 877-708-0037. Instructions for the appeal process will be included in your denial letter.

You will continue to receive a Boston University paycheck while you are on approved Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML). BU administers your pay through its regular payroll processes, based on your approved PFML benefit and your employee group.

Accrued sick time should be used for incidental absences lasting one week or less, while the Paid Family and Medical Leave benefit is intended for continuous absences of a week or more or intermittent absences lasting longer than three times in one month.

Your leave pay is calculated based on your total compensation, which is defined as your average pay based on your last 4 completed quarter earnings leading up to the start of your leave. This includes salary, bonus and incentives. For specific questions regarding productivity (wRVU) adjustments during leave, please contact your department’s administrative director directly.

All benefits you are enrolled in will continue and you will continue to contribute your share of the cost of coverage via payroll deductions. 

• If you are enrolled in the Group Life Insurance Plan, your participation will continue based on the coverage you had at the time your leave began. This coverage is subject to the age reduction schedule outlined in the Faculty and Staff Benefits Handbook.
• If you are enrolled in the Boston University Retirement Plan and the Supplemental Retirement and Savings Plan, you and the University will continue to contribute to your retirement account while you are being paid on approved PFML.

An employee is eligible for LTD benefits if they are a participant of the BU LTD plan at the time their disability begins. If an employee is not enrolled in the LTD plan at the time their leave begins, they are not eligible to receive LTD benefits for the health condition that initiated the leave. More information on Boston University’s Long Term Disability Plan can be found here.

If you currently accrue sick time, you will continue to do so as per the current policies in place. Accrued sick time should be used for occasional absences lasting one week or less, while the Paid Family and Medical Leave benefit is intended for absences lasting longer than one week.

You are responsible for reporting your “leave hours” to Sedgwick no later than the day your absence occurs to ensure your pay is processed correctly. You must also coordinate your intermittent schedule with your manager to minimize disruption to your department.

If you require more time than initially approved, you must contact Sedgwick as soon as you require an extension. You will be required to provide updated medical documentation from your provider to support the extension within 30 days of your approved leave end date.

If you are returning from a medical leave (excluding childbirth), your healthcare provider must send a Release to Return to Work form to the BU Occupational Health Center (OHC). This should be submitted no later than 14 days before your scheduled return date. You are not authorized to return to the workplace until OHC has reviewed the documentation and cleared you for duty.

You and your manager must confirm your actual return to work date with Sedgwick by responding to their outreach, either by text message or email, depending on your elected communication preference. Your manager’s response is a critical step to ensure your regular pay resumes. Please speak to your manager upon your return to ensure they have responded to Sedgwick’s request for return to work confirmation. In addition, your manager must email leaves@bu.edu to confirm your return to work. If you are not reported as “returned,” you may experience delays in your regular pay.

You must be transitioned back to a regular paid status at the end of your approved PFML leave before using accrued time off. Your manager will confirm your return to regular pay status in the system by emailing leaves@bu.edu to enable this transition.

You are responsible for planning how the employee’s responsibilities will be covered during their absence. You should maintain appropriate professional contact with the employee regarding their expected return date, while avoiding any discussion of the employee’s specific medical condition or diagnosis. If an employee returns with work restrictions, you will work with the BU Occupational Health Center (OHC) and Equal Opportunity Office (EOO) to determine whether those accommodations can be met. Once notified by Sedgwick or HR, you must promptly confirm that the employee has returned to work so their regular pay can be reinstated. If your employee does not return on their expected return to work date and has not been approved for a leave extension, the employee’s pay will be suspended until they return to work or are approved for an extension of the leave.

You are not responsible for determining an employee’s eligibility, reviewing their medical documentation, requesting a medical diagnosis, or calculating their PFML pay. These administrative and regulatory tasks are handled exclusively by Sedgwick and the BU HR Leaves Team to ensure privacy and compliance.

Managers use the Sedgwick portal to track status and return dates. For system issues or portal training, contact the HR Leaves Team as your escalation point. Your most vital task is confirming the employee’s return to work to BU Human Resources (leaves@bu.edu) and Sedgwick immediately upon their return. This moves the employee back to regular payroll and prevents delayed payments.

Treat the Sedgwick portal as your source of truth for the most accurate dates. A status of pending review means the claim has not been fully approved. You should continue planning for the absence until an approval notice is received.

Because PFML is funded centrally, the salary for the employee on leave remains in your departmental budget. Whether these funds can be used for temporary coverage or overbase pay depends on your specific departmental practices. You should contact your departmental Finance & Administration staff to discuss your options and confirm budget availability.

To support an employee without overstepping, focus all communication on logistics and operational transitions rather than personal health or family details. Before leave begins, discuss anticipated leave dates and plans for covering their work while they are out, but avoid asking for medical details or a specific diagnosis. While the employee is on leave, respect their privacy by avoiding any work-related requests or “quick questions,” as they are legally relieved of their duties and should not be performing work. When they prepare to return, support a smooth transition by focusing on re-integration and following any Occupational Health Center (OHC) guidelines for modified duties or phased returns, ensuring the employee feels welcomed back without being pressured to immediately resume a full workload before they are medically cleared to do so.

If an employee is returning from a medical leave (excluding childbirth), their healthcare provider must submit a Release to Return to Work form to the BU Occupational Health Center (OHC). Employees may not return to work until OHC has reviewed the documentation and provided clearance. Managers should ensure appropriate coordination with OHC and follow any guidance provided regarding return-to-work timing or restrictions.

You must still confirm the employee’s “Return to Work” with Sedgwick and the BU Leaves team on the date their approved PFML leave ends, even if they are not physically in the office. This “return” status update is a system requirement that moves the employee back to a regular paid status. Once the employee is back on regular payroll, they can then use their accrued sick or vacation time as they normally would. If you do not confirm the return, it will result in missed or delayed pay for the employee, because the employee will be placed on an unpaid leave of absence which will stop their PFML benefits but will not resume their regular salary and PTO usage.

If you do not work in the state of Massachusetts, your work state may offer a Paid Family and Leave Benefit. Please check with your work state for the availability of such benefits.