Parental Leave: A House Officer who becomes a parent on or after their employment start date, including birth mothers who take maternity (childbirth) leave, are eligible for up to six (6) consecutive weeks of paid time off to bond with a newborn, newly adopted or newly fostered child, or minor child for whom legal guardianship has been newly appointed. Parental leave is available for use within one (1) year of the event. Requests for Parental Leave must be made to the Program Director at least three (3) months in advance of the expected start date of the parental leave. If three (3) months advance notice is not possible due to emergency or reasonably unanticipated circumstances, the request for Parental Leave shall be submitted as soon as practicable. Program Directors will make every effort to honor the requested start date for the Parental Leave, but patient care and other critical operational needs may be taken into account when scheduling parental leave. Parental Leave shall be taken as a single, continuous block of time. A House Officer may request to take their Parental Leave on a non-continuous basis, but the Program Director retains sole discretion to determine whether such non-continuous leave can be accommodated. A House Officer shall not alter Parental Leave dates when taken in a continuous block or non-continuous Parental Leave dates that have been approved by the Program Director, unless the requested change is prospectively approved by the Program Director.