Parental Leave

✨ Eligibility

All regular, full-time employees are eligible for paid leave under this policy after six (6) months of active employment with Orchestra. Part-time, temporary employees, including interns, are not eligible.

To be eligible, you must meet one of the following criteria:

• Have given birth to or are the parent of a newly born child.

• Have adopted a child or been placed with a foster child (in either case, the child must be age 17 or younger).

• Refer to our employee handbook for more info on paid leave

Details

Leave may be taken at any time during the 12 months immediately following the birth, adoption, or placement of a child. With the exception of the optional 2 and 4 weeks detailed below, paid parental leave under this policy must be taken in one continuous period.

• As an overview, how this will work is: 

  1. For birthing parents: During the first 6–8 weeks of leave 60% of salary will be You may take up to 4 weeks of paid parental leave before the birth, adoption, or placement of your child to prepare for the child’s birth, adoption, or foster placement. This time will count toward your 20 weeks of paid leave. 

  2. You may also take 2 weeks of paid parental leave immediately upon the birth, adoption, or placement of your child and reserve any remaining paid parental leave to be taken in a later continuous period, as long as it is used within 12 months of the child’s birth, adoption or foster placement.

  3. An employee can utilize up to 20 weeks of parental leave under this policy during any rolling 12-month period, unless additional time is provided for under applicable law. 

  4. Parental leave taken under this policy runs concurrently with the Family Medical Act 

  5. (FMLA) leave and any other disability or family/parental leave under applicable state law if the employee is eligible for such leaves. You may find additional information here. Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Policy. If an employee is eligible for state or insurance family or disability leave benefits during a paid parental leave under this policy, the employee must first apply for such payments with the insurance carrier and/or directly with the state in order to be eligible for paid parental leave under this policy.

  6. Any salary continuation payments the employee receives under this policy will either be offset by any state or insurance disability or family leave benefits the employee receives from the state or insurance carrier, or depending on the state program, the Company will pay the employee in full and seek reimbursement from the Leave payments.

  7. Please note: If you receive any additional check(s) from an insurance company or state plan then you should contact HR immediately to coordinate salary continuation payment under this policy and to ensure employees are not overpaid or receiving more than 100% of their pay during a leave. In the event of an overpayment, funds should be returned to the Company or the insurance company, depending on your situation, and any such repayments to the Company will be made in accordance with applicable law.

Vacation

• As noted in the Company’s Flexible Vacation policy, such time off does not apply to any extended leaves that are covered by other Company policies, including Paid Parental Leave. Accordingly, employees cannot use flexible vacation during a parental leave nor can such employees extend their parental leave beyond what they are entitled to under this policy or applicable law.

• Unless otherwise prohibited by applicable law, employees cannot extend their Parental Leave time with vacation time, holiday time or any other paid company time out.

Holidays

• If a company holiday occurs while you are on paid parental leave, it will be paid as noted above; however, it will not extend the total paid parental leave period available under this policy.

Continuation of Health Benefits During Leave

• Your health and dental plan and/or the health care flexible spending account (FSA) plan coverage will continue while you are out.

• You will continue to pay your regular employee contribution for benefits coverage, 401k, and other regular deductions through your Orchestra paycheck while you are out on paid leave.

Notification

• Please notify your reporting manager and Human Resources at least 30 days before the arrival of your child. You'll need to provide the dates you anticipate being out on leave and notify us as soon as possible if those dates change.

• We will send you an email confirmation that your parental leave is approved before your leave starts, with a Parental Leave document outlining your time out and your payment schedule.

Transition Month

• Depending on your needs during your first month back, Orchestra may also consider Additional work-from-home days, flexible work schedules, and other accommodations as requested and determined on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the employee’s responsibilities and business needs. Please reach out to HR to discuss the transition month before you return.

Parental Leave Policy – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

• Depending on your needs during your first month back, Orchestra may 

• also consider Additional work-from-home days, flexible work schedules, and other accommodations as requested and determined on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the employee’s responsibilities and business needs. Please reach out to HR to discuss the transition month before you return.

Transition Month

Supporting clarity, confidence, and peace of mind as you plan for leave.

Eligibility & Family Structure

1. Does this policy apply equally to birthing and non-birthing parents?

• Yes. All new parents—including birthing parents, non-birthing parents, adoptive parents, foster parents, and parents in same-sex partnerships—are eligible.

2. What types of family formation are covered?

• 1. This policy applies to:

  2. Birth

  3. Adoption

  4. Foster care placement

  5. Surrogacy/gestational carrier arrangements

  6. Legal guardianship placements where the child is 17 or younger

3. What if I have twins or multiple children placed at once?

• Multiple children arriving at the same time count as one qualifying event, so the maximum leave remains 20 weeks.

Using Your Leave

4. Can I take all 20 weeks after the birth/placement and skip the pre-birth option?

• Yes. The pre-birth option is entirely optional.

5. Can I take 2 weeks immediately after birth and then take the remaining 18 weeks later?

• Yes. You may take 2 weeks immediately and take the remaining leave in one later continuous block, as long as all leave is used within 12 months of birth/placement.

6. Can I extend parental leave by tacking on PTO, holidays, or other paid time?

• No. Vacation, holidays, and other paid time off cannot extend the total duration of parental leave.

Timing Requirements (the 12-Month Window)

7. How long do I have to use my parental leave?

• All parental leave must be taken within 12 months of the birth, adoption, or foster placement.

8. What if my 12 months overlaps with the next calendar or fiscal year?

• The 12-month window is tied to the child’s arrival date, not the calendar year.

State Leave & FMLA Coordination

9. Does parental leave run concurrently with state programs (like New York Paid Family Leave)?

• Yes. If you are eligible for state family leave benefits, those weeks run at the same time as your Orchestra parental leave.

10. Who helps me apply for state or insurance benefits?

• HR will guide you through the application steps and timing for:

• Short-term disability (STD)

• State Paid Family Leave (PFL)

• Any applicable insurance benefits

11. What if the state denies or delays my claim?

• Orchestra will ensure you are paid correctly under our policy, and HR will help resolve any discrepancies or next steps.

Pay & Overpayments

12. How will my paycheck work during leave?

• You will receive:

  1. One check from Orchestra (full pay for non-birthing parents; 40% top-up + full pay after STD for birthing parents)

  2. If applicable, a separate check from the state or insurance program

  3. Orchestra ensures you do not exceed 100% of your regular pay.

13. What if I accidentally receive an overpayment?

• Notify HR immediately. Repayment will be arranged fairly and in accordance with applicable law.

Job Protection & Returning to Work

14. Is my job protected while I am on parental leave?

• Yes. Parental leave runs concurrently with FMLA (if eligible), which provides job protection. Orchestra will return you to your role or a comparable role consistent with law and business needs.

15. Can my clients or responsibilities change while I’m out?

• Normal business changes may occur, but parental leave will not be used adversely in staffing decisions.

16. Will leave affect promotions, performance reviews, or bonus eligibility?

• No. Employees on leave remain eligible for performance and compensation programs.

17. How does the “Transition Month” work?

• Your first month back can include:

  1. Additional WFH days

  2. Adjusted schedules

  3. Temporary flexibility

  4. You’ll discuss specifics with HR and your manager based on role and business needs.

Benefits & Tenure

18. Do I continue to accrue service time while on leave?

• Yes. Time on paid parental leave counts toward tenure-based benefits (e.g., sabbatical eligibility).

19. Will my health benefits continue?

• Yes. Your benefits remain active, and your normal payroll deductions continue.

Special Circumstances

20. What if the pregnancy ends in miscarriage or stillbirth?

• Employees may be eligible for Short-Term Disability and/or applicable state leave benefits. Orchestra encourages employees to contact HR to understand their options with compassion and confidentiality.

21. What if I don’t return to work after my leave?

• There is no repayment requirement for parental leave pay, but you should follow normal resignation notice procedures.

Multiple Births or Events

22. If I have two qualifying events within 12 months (e.g., birth + adoption), do I receive another 20 weeks?

• No. The maximum is 20 weeks total during any rolling 12-month period, unless otherwise required by law