Medical Leave

Please Be Advised: Effective May 18, 2026, PSU transitioned

to a new leaves reporting software and Employee Self Service (ESS) interface,

which is different from prior electronic interactions. To learn more, visit the AbsenceTracker Resource Center.

To request protected leave you or a family member must have a serious health condition. Family and medical leave laws provide job protection and benefits during this time. Benefits are covered during protective leave and through the end of the month, your leave ends. The employee’s cost share may be covered by paid leave or collected upon return of employment.

Qualifications

You must meet minimum qualifications to be eligible:

FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act):

worked for that employer for at least 12 months; and
have worked at least 1,250 hours during the 12 months prior to the start of the FMLA leave; and,

OFLA (Oregon Family Leave Act):

have worked for that employer for at least 180 days immediately prior to the beginning of the leave; and
have worked a minimum of 25 hours per week during the 180 days immediately prior to the beginning of the leave (exception: parental leave does not require the minimum weekly hours worked)

You must also have a reason that qualifies:

For pregnancy disability or prenatal care (pregnancy disability leave).
To care for a sick child who requires home care, known as sick child leave (OFLA only).
To care for a seriously ill or injured service member or veteran (26 weeks) (FMLA only).
Because of a “qualifying exigency” arising out of a family member being on or called to active military duty (FMLA only).
Because of a spouse or same-gender domestic partner being called to or on leave from active military duty (OFLA only).
Bereavement leave is two weeks of leave to make funeral arrangements, attend the funeral or alternative to a funeral, or to grieve a family member who has passed away (OFLA only).

How to Apply

Submit a request through AbsenceTracker at least 30 days before your leave begins unless it is an emergency situation.
Have your documents ready. You'll need at least one of the following for each Leave Request:

Bonding leave related to birth

Your child’s official state-issued birth certificate
A Consular Report of Birth Abroad
A court-issued document establishing paternity or guardianship
A voluntary acknowledgment of paternity signed and witnessed by a hospital representative and issued within five days of your child’s birth
A document from your child’s or the parent’s (who was pregnant) health care provider
A hospital admission form related to your child’s delivery

The document supporting your leave must include the following:

Your first and last name as parent or guardian of the child after birth
Date or expected date of the child’s birth
Health care provider’s name, signature, and contact information
Important: If you are applying for leave before the birth of your child, the document must be dated and signed within 60 days before the expected date of birth.

Bonding leave related to placement through adoption or foster care

A copy of a court order that verifies your child’s initial placement
A letter signed by the attorney representing you as the foster or adoptive parent that confirms your child’s placement
A document from the foster care, adoption agency, or social worker involved in your child’s placement that confirms the placement
A document for your child from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
Your verification documents must include the following information:
Your first and last name as parent or guardian of the child after the placement of your child in your home through foster care or adoption
Your child’s first and last name
Date of your child’s placement
Your document must also include the following information (if it was not issued by a government agency) for the person issuing the document:
First and last name
Title or specialization
Contact information
Handwritten or electronic signature
The date the document was signed or issued

Pre-placement leave for activities necessary to complete a child’s adoption or foster care placement

You can use any of the following forms of verification that confirm the intended adoption or foster care placement:
A copy of a court order
A letter signed by the attorney representing you as the foster care or adoptive parent
A document from the foster care, adoption agency, or social worker involved in your child’s placement
A document for the child from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
Your verification documents must be dated within 180 days (six months) before the start date of the requested leave for pre-placement activities and must include the following information:
Your first and last name as the intended foster or adoptive parent
Information that identifies the foster care or adoptive child, such as the child's first and last name or the child's date of birth
Your document must also include the following information (if it was not issued by a government agency) for the person issuing the document:
First and last name
Title or specialization
Contact information
Handwritten or electronic signature
The date the document was signed or issued

Leave to care for yourself or a family member

Employer-issued medical certification for a serious health condition

Track Your Time While on Protected Leave

Taking a protected leave of absence allows you to focus on your health or family while securing your position at Portland State University. To ensure your job protection and benefits are maintained, all time away must be managed through our leave portal, AbsenceTracker.

Please keep the following reporting requirements in mind:

Scope: AbsenceTracker is used exclusively to track your protected leave entitlement.
Timesheets: You must continue to complete your regular monthly timesheets or leave reports in addition to using the portal.
Departmental Policy: You must follow your department’s standard call-out procedures in addition to reporting leave in AbsenceTracker.
PFML Claims: If you have a Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) claim administered by The Standard, you are required to report your time away to both The Standard and AbsenceTracker.

Leave Tracking Requirements

Employees are required to ensure their leave usage is accurately reflected in the portal based on the type of leave approved:

Continuous Leave
- Tracking is required for the entire duration of the uninterrupted block of time.
- Your leave hours are pre-scheduled in AbsenceTracker based on your approved medical certification.
- You are required to notify HR and update the portal if your actual return-to-work date differs from the originally scheduled date.
Reduced Schedule Leave
- Tracking is required for the specific hours or days you are absent from your normal work schedule.
- Your approved reduced schedule is pre-loaded into AbsenceTracker to automatically account for these protected hours.
- You are required to report any additional time taken off that falls outside of your approved reduced schedule.
Intermittent Leave
- Tracking is mandatory for every instance of time away related to your leave reason.
- You are required to report each absence in AbsenceTracker to ensure it is deducted from your protected entitlement (e.g., FMLA or State leave).
- Reporting in the portal is a legal requirement to secure job protection for each specific absence.
- Please see: How to Submit an Intermittent Time off Request

AbsenceTracker ESS User Guide