Parental Participation in Childcare Duties Support Policy

1. Purpose

An-Najah National University (ANNU) is committed to equality, inclusion, and family support. This policy enables fathers and other non-gestational parents to participate actively in childcare through paid paternity leave, flexible working arrangements, and employment protection.

By supporting shared caregiving, the University seeks to reduce barriers to women’s continued employment, teaching, research, professional development, career progression, and participation in leadership and decision-making.

2. Scope

This policy applies across all University campuses, faculties, departments, and centres to:

• Full-time and part-time academic, administrative, and technical employees.

• Contractual and visiting staff employed by the University.

• Postdoctoral fellows and research assistants employed by the University.

For this policy, a non-gestational parent is a parent who does not carry the pregnancy, including a father or an adoptive parent.

Eligibility shall be administered consistently with the University’s Maternity and Paternity Policy, including its qualifying service requirements. HR shall explain applicable entitlements to employees whose appointments are governed by separate employment arrangements.

3. Guiding Principles

• Gender equality: Shared childcare responsibilities support women’s equal participation in academic and professional life.

• Shared caregiving: Fathers and non-gestational parents shall have meaningful opportunities to undertake childcare duties.

• Work–life balance: Family responsibilities should be compatible with employment and career development.

• Fair access: Eligible employees shall receive equal access to parental support without discrimination.

• Employment protection: Requesting or using parental support shall not result in retaliation or career disadvantage.

• Confidentiality: Personal and family information shall be handled securely and only for legitimate administrative purposes.

4. Policy Objectives

The University shall:

1. Enable fathers and non-gestational parents to share childcare responsibilities following childbirth or adoption.

2. Support women’s retention, return to work, research participation, career progression, and leadership opportunities.

3. Provide clear procedures for accessing leave and flexible working arrangements.

4. Protect employees from discrimination associated with parental leave or caregiving.

5. Advance the University’s commitment to SDG 5: Gender Equality.

5. Policy Provisions

5.1 Paid Paternity / Non-Gestational Parent Leave

• Eligible employees are entitled to ten (10) working days of fully paid paternity or non-gestational parent leave following childbirth or adoption.

• Leave shall be taken within the first two months following birth or the child’s placement through adoption.

• Leave may be taken consecutively or divided into two periods, including five days followed by five days.

• This leave is separate from annual leave and shall not be deducted from the employee’s annual leave balance.

• Departments shall arrange work coverage to enable employees to exercise their entitlement. Operational arrangements shall not be used to deny eligible employees access to paid paternity leave.

5.2 Additional Childcare Support

• Employees may request up to five additional unpaid working days, subject to HR approval, where further childcare support is required.

• HR shall consider circumstances such as premature birth, medical complications, hospitalization, or additional care needs.

• Any further shared parental leave shall be administered under the approved Maternity and Paternity Policy.

5.3 Flexible Working Arrangements

• Employees may request temporary flexible hours, remote work where duties permit, adjusted duties, or other suitable arrangements during the first month following childbirth or adoption.

• Academic employees may request temporary teaching rescheduling or workload adjustments to support childcare.

• Requests shall be considered fairly in relation to caregiving needs and the requirements of the role.

• Decisions shall be communicated in writing. Where the requested arrangement cannot be accommodated, the department and HR shall consider suitable alternatives and explain the reasons.

• Further flexibility may be requested under the Maternity and Paternity Policy.

5.4 Shared Parental Engagement

• Fathers and non-gestational parents are encouraged to participate in daily childcare and support the gestational parent’s recovery and return to work.

• Employees may request appropriate scheduling adjustments to attend relevant prenatal, postnatal, or child-health appointments.

• HR and relevant University units shall promote awareness of shared caregiving and available parental support.

• Departments shall maintain a workplace culture that recognizes caregiving as a shared parental responsibility.

6. Application and Approval Procedures

1. Submission: Employees shall submit a leave request to the Human Resources Department through the University’s established HR application channel, identifying the expected birth or adoption date and proposed leave dates.

2. Notice: Employees should provide at least four weeks’ notice, where practicable. For unexpected births, early delivery, urgent medical circumstances, or changes in adoption arrangements, notice shall be provided as soon as reasonably practicable.

3. Documentation: HR may request a birth certificate, adoption documentation, or appropriate supporting evidence. Where documentation is unavailable immediately, it may be submitted subsequently.

4. Processing: HR shall verify eligibility, coordinate with the department, and communicate the decision and approved dates in writing.

5. Urgent cases: HR and department heads shall facilitate prompt processing so urgent childcare needs are not unnecessarily delayed.

6. Flexible arrangements: Requests shall state the proposed arrangement, duration, and relevant caregiving needs.

7. Review of refusal: Employees may request a written explanation and review by the Head of HR. Unresolved concerns may be referred through the University’s established grievance procedures.

7. Responsibilities

Entity	Responsibilities
Human Resources Department	Explain entitlements; process applications; coordinate approvals; maintain confidential records; support appeals; monitor implementation.
Deans and Department Heads	Arrange work coverage; facilitate leave and reasonable flexibility; prevent discrimination and career disadvantage.
Employees	Provide notice and documentation where practicable; coordinate work handover; notify HR of changes to requested dates.
Relevant Equality and Inclusion Committee	Support awareness, review implementation, and address equality concerns through established University procedures.
University Administration	Ensure consistent implementation and appropriate resources for approved parental benefits.

8. Support for Women’s Participation

The University recognizes that unequal childcare responsibilities can restrict women’s employment, research productivity, professional development, and access to leadership.

By enabling non-gestational parents to share caregiving, this policy supports:

• Women’s continued participation in teaching, research, and administrative work.

• Retention and supported return to work following childbirth.

• Access to training, conferences, research projects, promotion, and leadership opportunities.

• Fair distribution of family responsibilities.

Managers shall ensure that caregiving responsibilities are not treated as evidence of reduced commitment or professional capability.

9. Employment Protection and Non-Discrimination

• During paid paternity leave, employees shall retain salary, contractual benefits, seniority, and applicable service-related rights.

• Employees shall return to their position or an equivalent position with the same employment terms.

• Requesting or taking parental leave shall not be grounds for dismissal, demotion, salary reduction, adverse performance assessment, or exclusion from promotion, training, research, or leadership opportunities.

• Approved leave shall be considered fairly when assessing work completed during the relevant evaluation period.

• Retaliation against employees who request support, appeal a decision, or report discrimination is prohibited.

10. Confidentiality, Complaints, and Appeals

HR shall protect personal, medical, and family information and restrict access to personnel who require it for authorized duties.

Employees may report concerns about leave access, unfair treatment, or retaliation to HR or the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee under the Anti-Discrimination and Fair Employment Policy.

Complaints shall be handled confidentially, fairly, and without retaliation. Where a complaint concerns the employee’s supervisor, it may be submitted directly to HR or the Committee. Unresolved matters may be escalated through the University’s established grievance procedures.

11. Awareness and Communication

HR shall:

• Publish the policy and application guidance through the University website and internal channels.

• Explain parental entitlements during employee induction.

• Provide guidance to managers on leave administration and shared caregiving.

• Make the responsible HR contact and application channel available to employees.

12. Monitoring, Review, and Evaluation

HR, in collaboration with the relevant equality and inclusion committee, shall review this policy at least biennially or sooner where required.

Monitoring shall consider leave uptake, flexible working requests, complaints, and barriers to access using anonymized information.

Reviews shall assess whether the policy effectively supports shared childcare and women’s retention, research participation, career progression, and leadership. Approved amendments shall record their actual review and approval dates and be published on the official policy page.

13. Related Policies

This policy shall be read alongside:

• Maternity and Paternity Policy

• Anti-Discrimination and Fair Employment Policy

• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy

• Employment Matters Policy

• Data Protection and Privacy Policy

HR shall ensure that related policies and application guidance use consistent leave entitlements, eligibility conditions, notice requirements, and procedures. Any discrepancy shall be referred promptly for formal clarification without arbitrarily withholding an employee’s approved entitlement.

Original Effective Date: 1 April 2022
Previously Published Review Date: 1 April 2026