The following information refers to practical questions that members have asked regarding benefits for parents and caregivers enshrined in our contract. JHU has published benefits information on the main PhD benefits website and the JHU Child Care website. Please feel free to contact a union steward if you have additional questions or difficulty accessing these benefits.
- Dependent health insurance
This is fully covered by JHU during the years you receive guaranteed funding, but you have to pay for it up front and then submit for reimbursement.
Step 1 – Enroll your dependent here: https://students.care26.com/login
Step 2 – Submit for reimbursement here: https://jhushpe.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bI6C0mVNkCHohyS
Don’t forget to upload dependent verification document at the link at the end of the reimbursement form.
- Dependent stipend supplement
This is a cash subsidy that is paid out in your paycheck over the rest of the fiscal year. The subsidy is $4,500/yr for each child under 6, $3,000/yr for each child over 6, up to a maximum of $12,000/yr.- Apply for this benefit here: https://jhushpe.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4NO6fhPB3Df2Ezc
- Submit documentation to verify dependent (e.g. birth certificate) here: https://livejohnshopkins-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/personal/cstclai4_jh_edu/EvC_8fBrnVZJn-iJOyelrjoBMWMyce0SP_mEgarRdp2zuw
- In the CBA, Article 25, Section 17, the definition of adult dependent is different for this benefit than for the health insurance reimbursement benefit: “Employees with adult dependents as defined by Section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code will qualify for this benefit at a rate of $3,000 per dependent per fiscal year.” If you have an adult dependent that meets this definition, you can follow the above steps to claim your dependent stipend supplement.
- Child care vouchers or scholarships
This is in some way the most complicated, but it remains unchanged by the CBA except for some improved access based on more equitable prioritization. See the above linked resources or reach out to a steward if you have questions about accessing this benefit.- Article 25, Section 17: “Employees in full-time resident status will be eligible for access to scholarships to JHU Child Care Centers, under the same terms offered to other benefits-eligible University employees. Employees will be granted equal priority with staff in JHU Child Care admissions.”
- Article 25, Section 17: “Employees in full-time resident status will be eligible for access to scholarships to JHU Child Care Centers, under the same terms offered to other benefits-eligible University employees. Employees will be granted equal priority with staff in JHU Child Care admissions.”
- Paid parental leave and academic accommodations
- All PhD workers are entitled to at least 8 weeks of paid leave upon the arrival of a child.
- Article 24, Section 9:
- “Employees in full-time resident status who become parents (including through birth, adoption, foster care placement, court order, or surrogacy) are eligible for up to eight (8) weeks of parental leave following the birth or adoption/placement event if any. Employees in full-time resident status who give birth are eligible for an additional four (4) weeks of parental leave following the birth of their child.”
- Extension of guaranteed funding: “Employees who take parental leave should be offered an appointment that covers an additional term/semester of funding, if available.”
- The academic accommodations policy is still in effect in parallel to the paid parental leave policy.
- Check with your department admin regarding procedures to notify JHU of your intention to take paid parental leave.
- Article 24, Section 9:
- All PhD workers are entitled to at least 8 weeks of paid leave upon the arrival of a child.
- Accommodations for parents (including lactation space, milk storage, remote work)
- Children in work spaces and lactation
Article 18, Section 5: “The University will make reasonable efforts to create an environment that is flexible and supportive of the needs of parents and caregivers as practicable and consistent with providing a safe working environment. Consistent with applicable law, the University will provide a reasonable amount of break time for an employee to express breastmilk or for breastfeeding a nursing child upon an employee’s request and provide a space, other than a public restroom, that is clean, shielded from view, and free from intrusion from co-workers and the public, in reasonable proximity to the nursing parent’s work location, which may be used for lactation or to breastfeed. Employees may access existing refrigerator storage space in breakrooms. Locations of registered lactation rooms and their ADA accessibility will be listed on the campus website.” - Work from home
Article 15, Section 3: “Employees may request remote/hybrid work and/or remote access to meeting and conference room spaces by submitting a written proposal to the appropriate supervisor. Such requests by employees will not be unreasonably denied.”
- Children in work spaces and lactation
- Which benefits are we eligible for if we are outside of the guaranteed funding period?
- Dependent stipend supplement
- Child care vouchers and scholarships
- Accommodations for parents
- What does “full time resident status” mean in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA)?
- From CBA: “Full-time resident status refers to a student covered by this Agreement who is (1) registered full-time, (2) actively working on fulfilling the requirements for their degree, and (3) receiving monetary compensation from the University in the form of wages and/or stipend.”
- Your status as a full time resident is not impacted or altered in any way by your International or visa status.
- Still have questions?
Contact a union steward!