University of Iowa Parental Leave Survey...

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March 2017Survey Report

University of Iowa Parental Leave Survey ReportDr. Sarah K. BruchDirector of Social and Education Policy Research Program, Public Policy Center Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology

Hansini MunasingheGraduate Student, Department of Sociology

Yujia LyuGraduate Student, Department of Sociology

University of Iowa Public Policy Center •209 South Quadrangle, Iowa City, IA 52242-1192 O - 319.335.6800 • F - 319.335.6801 • www.ppc.uiowa.edu

Author BiosSarah K. Bruch, PhD. MPASarah K. Bruch is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology and Director of the Social and Education Policy Research Program at the Public Policy Center at the University of Iowa. Her research focuses on social inequality broadly, focusing on educational, racial and citizenship inequalities in particular. She is also the principle investigator leading a research-practice partnership with the Iowa City Community School District. Using a research-practice model, this partnership leverages social science and education policy research and practitioner knowledge to more effectively address persistent problems of policy and practice and improve students’ educational opportunities and outcomes.

Hansini MunasingheHansini Munasinghe is a PhD student in the Department of Sociology. Her research interests are in social stratification, with a focus on race, immigration, and education. Hansini received her M.A. from the University of Iowa, and her B.S. from Iowa State University.

Yujia LyuYujia Lyu is a PhD student in the Department of Sociology. Her research interests are broadly focused on social stratification and personality, childrearing and gender inequality. Yujia received a Bachelor degree from CCNU School of Sociology, and worked as the student director of Bowen Survey Center at Central China Normal University.

ContentsTables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Figures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Section 1: Survey Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Goal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Content . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Response rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Representativeness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Section 2: Survey Sample Demographics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Race . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Gender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Parental Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Staff/Faculty Employment Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Tenure Track/Non-Tenure Track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

College and Organizational Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Section 3: Experiences and Satisfaction with Parental Leave . . . 16

Parental Leave Experience Subsample. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Types of Leave Requested and Received . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Section 4: Satisfaction with Parental Leave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Satisfaction with Leave and/or Accommodations Received . . . . . . 20

Satisfaction with Process of Requesting and Negotiating Leave 24

Satisfaction with Return . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Satisfaction with Working While Pregnant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Section 5: Overall Assessments of Parental Leave Experience 37

Suggestions for Improvement from Parents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Section 6: Climate around Parental Leave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Colleague Supportiveness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Chair Supportiveness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

General Climate of Department or Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

General University Climate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

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Perceptions of Unfair or Differential Treatment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Section 7: Career-Related Concerns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

PolicyInfluenceonRecruitment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

PolicyInfluenceonRetention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Section 8: Recommended Changes at University Level . . . . . . . . . 65

Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Recommendations for Future Data Collection and Analysis . . . . . . 67

Appendix Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

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Tables

Figures

Table 1 Survey Respondent Representativeness by Demographics . . . . . . . . . . .10Table 2 Gender and Race Differences between Staff and Faculty . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Table 3 Amount of Leave Taken Through Family Medical Leave Act . . . . . . . . . . .17

Table 4 Types of Leave Requested and Received . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Table 5 Common Issues with Parental Leave Received and Percentage of Mentions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Table 6 Common Issues with Parental Leave Request and Percentage of Mentions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Table 7 Common Issues with Return to Work and Percentage of Mentions . . . . . .30

Table 8 Common Issues with Pregnancy on the Job and Percentage of Mentions. .35

Table 9 Common Overall Assessments of Parental Leave Experience and Percentage of Mentions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

Table 10 Common Suggestions for Improvement from Parents and Percentage of Mentions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

Table 11 Common Topics with Poor Department/Unit Climate and Percentage of Mentions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49

Table 12 Common Topics with Poor University Climate and Percentage of Mentions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53

Table 13 Common Issues with Unfair Practice and Percentage of Mentions . . . . . .57

Table 14 Common Topics with University Improvements and Percentage of Mentions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65

Figure 1 Race/Ethnicity of Respondents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Figure 2 Collapsed Racial/Ethnic Identity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Figure 3 Gender of Respondents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Figure 4 Parental Status of Respondents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Figure 5 Employment Status of Respondents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Figure 6 Faculty Status of Respondents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Figure 7 College and Organization Distribution of Respondents . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Figure 8 Criteria used to Limit Sample to Parents Employed at UI Who Requested Parental Leave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Figure 9 Satisfaction with Leave and/or Accommodations Received by Gender, Race, Employment and Faculty Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Figure 10 Satisfaction with Leave and/or Accommodations Received by College or Organizational Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Figure 11 Satisfaction with Process of Requesting and Negotiating Leave by Gender, Race, Employment and Faculty Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

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Figure 12 Satisfaction with Process of Requesting and Negotiating Leave by College or Organization Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Figure 13 Satisfaction with Return to Work by Gender, Race, Employment and Faculty Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Figure 14 Satisfaction with Return by College or Organization Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Figure 15 Satisfaction with Working While Pregnant by Gender, Race, Employment and Faculty Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

Figure 16 Satisfaction with Working While Pregnant by College or Organization Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

Figure 17 Colleague Supportiveness by Gender, Race, Employment and Faculty Status. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44

Figure 18 Colleague Supportiveness by College or Organization Unit . . . . . . . . . . .44

Figure 19 Chair Supportiveness by Gender, Race, Employment and Faculty Status. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

Figure 20 Chair Supportiveness by College or Organization Unit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

Figure 21 General Climate of Department or Unit by Gender, Race, Employment and Faculty Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Figure 22 General Climate of Department or Unit by College or Organization Unit . .48

Figure 23 General Climate of University by Gender, Race, Employment and Faculty Status. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52

Figure 24 General Climate of University by College or Organization Unit . . . . . . . .52

Figure 25 Perceptions of Unfair or Differential Treatment by Gender, Race, Employment and Faculty Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

Figure 26 Perceptions of Unfair or Differential Treatment by College or Organization Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

Figure 27 Career Pressures by Gender, Race, Employment and Faculty Status. . . . .60

Figure 28 Career Pressures by College or Organization Unit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60

Figure 29 Influence on Recruitment by Gender, Race, Employment and Faculty Status. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62

Figure 30 Influence on Recruitment by College or Organization Unit . . . . . . . . . . . .62

Figure 31 Influence on Retention by Gender, Race, Employment and Faculty Status. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

Figure 32 Influence on Retention by College or Organization Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

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Executive SummaryIn spring 2016, a survey was administered to all faculty and staff at the University of Iowa. A total of 2,512 responded to the survey, representing an overall response rate of 14 percent. The sample of survey respondents has roughly similar demographic characteristics to that of the faculty and staff overall, however women and whites were over-represented.

The goal of the survey was to obtain information about the experiences and perceptions of parental leave among faculty and staff at the University of Iowa. This report summarizes the results from this survey.

Key Findings for Experiences of Leave and/or Accommodations at the University of Iowa among the Parental Leave Experience Subsample

• Most parents reported using a combination of accrued sick leave, vacation time, and unpaid leave, making up about nine weeks of total leave, on average.

• The two types of leave and/or accommodations most often requested were leave mandated by the Family Medical Leave Act and paid leave (including accrued sick or vacation time). Over 90 percent of those requesting these leaves received them.

• Whereas nearly 65 percent of staff members reported being satisfied with the leave received, only 46 percent of faculty members felt the same way.

• The leading cause of dissatisfaction mentioned by 30 percent of parents was that the amount of time they received was not adequate.

• Parent respondents from Central Administration reported higher satisfaction with the process of requesting and negotiating parental leave (70 percent) compared to only 58 percent reporting satisfaction from Healthcare Units, 51 percent from the Colleges, and only 31 percent from Other Academic units.

• The most commonly reported reason for dissatisfaction with the process of requesting and negotiating leave, mentioned by 40 percent of respondents, was difficulty obtaining reliable and consistent information.

• Staff respondents were more likely to report being satisfied with their return to work compared to faculty respondents (62 versus 51 percent).

• White birth mothers expressed more satisfaction with their experience on the job during pregnancy (74 percent) compared to only 55 percent of non-white birth mothers.

Common Overall Assessments of Parental Leave Experience and Percentage of Mentions

PercentageSatisfaction

42%• Good combination of options and enough time (12 weeks)• Flexible working schedule• Informative HR or supervisor• Supportive HR, supervisors and colleagues

Dissatisfaction

58%

• Leave was not long enough (usually less than 12 weeks)• Inflexible working schedules• Information about policy was not clear or consistent• Pressure from work and other people• Unfair treatment for different groups (fathers, adoption family, half-time

workers, etc.)

Key Findings for Climate around Parental Leave• Overall, nearly 78 percent of respondents agreed that their colleagues were supportive. There

were significant differences in perceptions of colleague supportiveness whereby men and

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parent respondents perceived greater supportiveness from their colleagues than women and non-parents.

• Only 52 percent of respondents agreed that their department or unit chair was willing to accommodate family needs. Men and parent respondents perceived greater chair supportiveness, while those in Health Care Units perceived significantly lower chair supportiveness.

• Overall, 64 percent of respondents perceived the climate surrounding parental leave in their department or unit as “good.” Non-white respondents were less likely to perceive the climate as “good,” while staff were more likely.

• Only 48 percent of respondents perceived the overall university climate as “good.” Non-white respondents were significantly less likely to perceive the overall university climate as “good,” while staff and tenure-track faculty were more likely.

• Overall one quarter (25 percent) of respondents perceived that other people in their department or unit have been treated more favorably than others with regard to parental leave. Women are less likely than men, but parents are more likely than non-parents to perceive fair or impartial treatment within their unit or department with regard to parental leave.

Key Findings for Career-Related Concerns• Faculty and respondents working in Health Care Units are significantly more likely to report

feeling career pressures related to their family and personal life. • Men, white, and non-parent respondents were all significantly more likely to report that

parental leave policies did not influence their decision to begin working at the University of Iowa.

• Women, Non-white, parent, and staff respondents were all significantly more likely to report that parental leave policies influenced their decision to continue working at the University of Iowa.

Key Findings for Recommended Changes at the University Level

Common Topics with University Improvements and Percentage of Mentions

PercentagePolicy Improvements

40%• Offer paid leave• Offer short-term disability• Secure 12-week parental leave for each person, not shared by family• Standardized implementation

Information Disclosure Improvements

17%• Provide more accurate, clear information and easy access to it• Offer information sessions for parents, HR and supervisors• Provide uniform interpretation of the policy

Before and After Leave Accommodation Improvements

34%

• Provide accommodation during and after pregnancy and other parents (help with lifting, breastfeeding, parking, on-site day care, etc.)

• Provide more flexible working schedule (half-time, 75% time, etc.)• Provide job coverage (e.g. hire temporary workers)• Let people donate time to those who need

Climate Improvements9%• Achieve better and more inclusive environment

• No parenthood penalty

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Section 1: Survey Overview

Goal

The goal of the survey was to gain information about the experiences and perceptions of parental leave among faculty and staff members at the University of Iowa. The survey was implemented in response to concerns about parental leave policies and practices received by the Council on the Status of Women at the University of Iowa.

Content

Respondents were asked to provide information about their current employment status, rank, appointment, and length of employment. Demographic information including race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality were asked at the end of the survey.

The survey contained several survey items about perceptions of parental leave including supportiveness, fairness, and general climate.

If the respondent identified as a parent (either through birth or adoption), they were asked about their most recent experience of requesting parental leave (including the types of leave and/or accommodations requested and received), and their satisfaction with the process and outcome of requesting parental leave.

The survey contained ten open-ended questions that allow for a qualitative analysis of experiences and perceptions about parental leave among faculty and staff at the University of Iowa. These questions were asked as follow-up questions only if a respondent indicated dissatisfaction with or perceived a poor climate towards parental leave policies and practices. Similar opportunities were not provided to respondents who reported satisfaction or positive assessments of climate. Therefore, the interpretation of these responses is limited to experiences of dissatisfaction or perceptions of poor climate. These follow-up questions with the open-ended response fields were provided in several sections of the survey. The number of responses for these questions varied between 55 and 787, with an average number of responses at 256. These responses were generally short, with the majority being about 2-3 sentences in length. These data were analyzed to identify themes emerging from the responses. Once themes were identified, the coding scheme was used to calculate how frequently each theme was mentioned.

Administration

The survey was administered electronically using Qualtrics. An invitation to complete the survey was sent out to all University of Iowa faculty and staff members in the spring of 2016.

Response rate

A total of 2,512 people responded to the survey, a 14 percent overall response rate.1 However, some respondents chose to skip items and not all respondents completed the entire survey, leading to some missing information for some questions. In total, 1978 individuals reached the final set of questions of the survey.

Representativeness

The sample of survey respondents has roughly similar demographic characteristics to that of the faculty and staff overall (for more details, please see survey demographics). However, women and whites were overrepresented, which may affect the representativeness of this survey (see Table 1).2

1 The University of Iowa is made up of 2,556 faculty members and 15,293 staff members. “Report to the Board of Regents: State of Iowa - Annual Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Workforce Report, November 2016” See Table 1 on page 9 https://diversity.uiowa.edu/sites/diversity.uiowa.edu/files/wysiwyg_uploads/bor_2016_report.pdf

2 It also important to note that the report cited above uses federal guidelines prescribed by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, whereas the information in the survey was self-reported. These differences in data sources and definitions should be taken into consideration when considering the representativeness of the survey sample and overall survey results.

https://diversity.uiowa.edu/sites/diversity.uiowa.edu/files/wysiwyg_uploads/bor_2016_report.pdf

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Table 1: Survey Respondent Representativeness by Demographics

University Population Survey Sample

Employment StatusStaff

86%

15,293

81%

2,025

Faculty14%

2,556

19%

470

GenderMen

36%

6357

19%

368

Women64%

11,492

81%

1,536

Race/EthnicityWhite

88%

15,004

92%

1,696

Non-White12%

1,977

8%

144

Note: The survey sample statistics in this table use only non-missing survey responses.

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Section 2: Survey Sample Demographics

Race

The survey asked respondents to identify their racial and ethnic identities. Fully 25 percent of respondents chose not to answer the racial identity question. Of the respondents who answered, approximately 94 percent of the respondents identified as White. The remaining 6 percent comprised of respondents who identified as Asian, African American/Black, American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, or Multiracial.

Respondents were asked separately whether they identify as Latino/a or Hispanic. Only 2 percent of the sample identified as Latino/a or Hispanic, while over 26 percent of respondents chose not to answer this question. 3

The questions asking respondents to identify their racial and ethnic identities were combined to create the following seven mutually exclusive race/ethnicity categories:

• African American or Black, not of Latino/a or Hispanic ethnicity• Asian, not of Latino/a or Hispanic ethnicity • American Indian or Alaska Native, not of Latino/a or Hispanic ethnicity• White or Caucasian, not of Latino/a or Hispanic ethnicity• Multiracial, not of Latino/a or Hispanic ethnicity• Latino/a or Hispanic, regardless of racial identity

The racial and ethnic composition of sample members along these seven categories is shown below in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Race/Ethnicity of Respondents

Although understanding the experiences of those who identify with each of these racial/ethnic categories is extremely important, the small sample sizes of the current data do not allow for reliable analysis. Given that all the race/ethnic groups other than White have such small sample sizes, they have been combined into a single category indicating “Non-White.” This group comprises 7.8 percent of all respondents (see Figure 2).

3 Among those who identified as Latino/a or Hispanic, two respondents identified as Asian, 26 as White, and 19 as multiracial.

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Figure 2: Collapsed Racial/Ethnic Identity

Gender

The vast majority of survey respondents identified as women (approximately 80 percent), 15 percent of respondents were men, and less than 1 percent identified as transgender and “other”, respectively (see Figure 3). Overall, 24 percent of respondents chose not to answer the question on gender identity. While understanding the experiences of those who identify as transgender or other is crucial, the small sample sizes of the current data do not allow for reliable analysis and risks (please see Recommendations for Future Data Collection and Analysis). Therefore, the analysis in this report includes only comparisons between only those who identify as women (81 percent) and men (19 percent).

Figure 3: Gender of Respondents

Parental Status

In order to understand experiences of parental leave, the survey asked respondents if they were the parent of a child who joined their family, either through birth or adoption, since 1993 (following the enactment of the Family Medical Leave Act). This question was used to distinguish between parents and non-parents for comparative analyses. Just over 53 percent of respondents identified as parents, whereas nearly 47 percent did not (see Figure 4).

Figure 4: Parental Status of Respondents

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Staff/Faculty Employment Status

Fully 81 percent of respondents were employed as staff members, and 19 percent as faculty (see Figure 5). Among staff member respondents, a majority (nearly 84 percent) were women, and only about 16 percent were men (see Table 2). In contrast, among faculty respondents, only 67 percent were women, and 33 percent were men. The majority of both staff and faculty member respondents identified as White – about 93 and 90 percent respectively. Non-white respondents only made up 7 percent of staff, and 10 percent of faculty respondents.

Figure 5: Employment Status of Respondents

Table 2: Gender and Race Differences between Staff and Faculty

Staff FacultyNo. of

Respondents % of Sample No. of Respondents % of Sample

Overall 2,025 81% 470 19%Gender

Women 1,297 84% 235 67%Men 252 16% 116 33%

Race/EthnicityWhite 1,397 93% 296 90%

Non-white 109 7% 34 10%

Note: These percentages are based on non-missing responses. Overall, 17 respondents (0.68 percent of the sample) chose not to answer the survey question on faculty or staff employment status. The comparisons of gender and race between staff and faculty respondents is further limited by non-response to questions on gender, and race and ethnicity.

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Tenure Track/Non-Tenure Track

Among all 460 faculty members, the majority were tenure-track (79 percent), 14 percent were non-tenure track, and the remaining 8 percent include emeritus and visiting faculty members (see Figure 6).4

Figure 6: Faculty Status of Respondents

College and Organizational Unit

Respondents were asked to pick their primary college or organizational unit from among 40 choices. These choices were then categorized into the five categories used by Accounting and Financial Reporting:5

• Central Administration (including the Office of the President, Office of the Provost, VP Medical Affairs, VP Research, VP Finances and Operation, VP General Council, VP Strategic Communication, and Division of Student Life)

• Colleges (including the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Tippie College of Business, College of Dentistry, College of Education, College of Engineering, College of Law, Carver College of Medicine, College of Nursing, College of Pharmacy, College of Public Health, Institute for Clinical and Translational Science, and the Graduate College)

• Other Academic (including Summer Session, Library, University College, and Continuing Education)• Auxiliary and Related Organizations (including Athletics, Oakdale Campus, Information

Technology Service, University-Related Organizations, and the University Hygienic Lab)• Health Care Units (Iowa River Landing, University Hospitals, Psychiatric Hospital, Center

for Disabilities and Development, Child Health Specialty Clinics, Student Health and Wellness, UIHC Affiliates, and Health Care Enterprises)

The majority of respondents were from Colleges (44 percent), and Health Care Units (34 percent). The remaining 22 percent were from Central Administration (14 percent), Auxiliary and Related Organization (5 percent) and Other Academic Organizations (3 percent).

4 The survey asked respondents to report their faculty rank and the question had 5 categories, namely ‘Lecturer’, ‘Assistant Professor’, ‘Associate Professor’, ‘Professor’, and ‘other’. For the analysis, ‘Assistant Professor’, ‘Associate Professor’, and ‘Professor’ into “Tenured and tenure-track”; and ‘Lecturer’ and some ‘other’ responses such as “adjunct” and “visiting” professors into “Non-Tenure”. The remaining responses in the “other” category were not included in group difference analyses that follow.

5 Detailed unit breakdown information followed can be found here: https://apps.bo.uiowa.edu/glaccman/index.cfm?action=glaccman.orglist&print=yes

https://apps.bo.uiowa.edu/glaccman/index.cfm?action=glaccman.orglist&print=yes

https://apps.bo.uiowa.edu/glaccman/index.cfm?action=glaccman.orglist&print=yes

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Figure 7: College and Organization Distribution of Respondents

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Section 3: Experiences and Satisfaction with Parental LeaveThis section of the report describes the types of parental leave and accommodation policies utilized by parents employed at the University of Iowa, and their experience and satisfaction with these experiences. This portion of the survey was only answered by a restricted sample of respondents, based on three criteria, as describe below and illustrated in Figure 8.

Parental Leave Experience Subsample

The first restriction criteria asked if the respondent was the parent of a child who joined their family, either through birth or adoption, since 1993 (following the enactment of the Family Medical Leave Act). Of the 2,512 respondents, 1,280 respondents (50.96 percent) identified as parents of children born or adopted since 1993.

The second restriction criteria was having been employed at the University of Iowa at the time of the most recent birth or adoption. Of those who identified as parents of children born or adopted since 1993, 906 respondents (70.78 percent) reported that they were employed at the University of Iowa at the time of the most recent birth or adoption, while the rest said they were not employed at the University of Iowa at the time.

The final question used to restrict the sample asked whether respondents requested parental leave during their time at the University of Iowa. A majority, 758 (83.89 percent) reported that they did request parental leave as an employee of the University of Iowa.

Figure 8: Criteria used to Limit Sample to Parents Employed at UI Who Requested Parental Leave

Areyoutheparentofachildwhojoinedyour familythorughbirthoradoptionsince1993(theyeartheFMLAwasenacted)?N=1,280

WereyouemployedattheUniversityofIowaatthetimeofthemostrecentbirthorarrival?N=906

Didyou requestparentalleaveduringyour timeasaUniversityofIowaemployee?N=760

These restrictions resulted in a subsample of 760 respondents who identify as parents, with children born or adopted since 1993, who were employed at the University of Iowa at the time of their most recent birth or adoption, and who requested parental leave as a University of Iowa employee (hereinafter referred to as the “Parental Leave Experience Subsample.”

The Parental Leave Experience Subsample was primarily women (89 percent), and white (95 percent); and 85 percent were employed as staff versus 15 percent as faculty.

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Types of Leave Requested and Received

Survey Item

“How many weeks of FMLA did you take?”

On average respondents in the Parental Leave Experience Subsample report taking nine weeks of total leave. Fully 46 percent of respondents report taking 12 week of leave through the Family Medical Leave Act (see Table 3). In follow-up questions, respondents reported using a combination of accrued sick leave, vacation time, and unpaid leave.6

Table 3: Amount of Leave Taken Through Family Medical Leave Act

Number of Weeks No. of Respondents Percentage of Respondents0-3 79 13%4-7 86 15%8-11 152 26%12 272 46%

Note: N=589.

Types of Leave

The survey asked the Parental Leave Experience Subsample about several different types of leave and accommodations, which have been compiled into the following ten main types (see Table 3).7

Respondents were asked three sets of questions about these types of leave:

1) Did they want to use any of these parental leave policies and accommodations, but did not request it?8

2) Did they request any of these parental leave policies and accommodations?3) Did they receive any of these parental leave policies and accommodations?

Described below is the proportion of the Parental Leave Experience Subsample who requested each type of leave, and of those requesting it, the proportion that report receiving each type of leave (see Table 3).9

6 Detailed analysis of the questions asking respondents to describe the composition of their leave were not able to be formally analyzed due to the widely varying answers provided to these open-ended questions.

7 Different questions in the survey used slightly different lists or arrangements of possible policies and accommodations. These have been recoded to allow for consistency across questions.

8 Unfortunately, the question about wanting an accommodation and not requesting it has a large amount of missing data and instances where respondents did not appropriately distinguish between the response categories available for this series of questions and the others – leading to inconsistencies with the other two questions. Therefore, the responses to this question are excluded from the following analysis.

9 Due to the construction of these survey items, we are unable to distinguish between those who did not request and/or receive a certain type of leave and those who merely chose to skip each question. Therefore, this analysis is limited only to those who responded affirmatively to the two questions about the types of leave requested and received.

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Table 4: Types of Leave Requested and Received

Type of Leave

Percent of Respondents

Requesting This Type of Leave

Percent of Those Who Requested

This Type of Leave Who Received It

Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) 67% 92%Paid leave (accrued sick or vacation leave) 73% 96%Unpaid leave 10% 85%Adaptation to employment duties and/or schedule 5% 71%

Automatic tenure-clock extension 3% 85%Reduced appointment 3% 81%Flexible work arrangements 8% 87%Catastrophic leave 4% 80%Family caregiving leave 13% 79%Other forms of leave 2% *

* Respondents were not consistent in selecting that they requested some “other” form of leave and reporting whether they received this “other form of leave so a percent was not calculated.

Two types of leave were requested by the majority of the Parental Leave Experience Subsample: leave mandated by the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and paid leave. For FMLA, 505 respondents (67 percent of the Parental Leave Experience Subsample) reported requesting it, and among them 465 (92 percent) report receiving it. Respondents were also asked whether they were eligible for FMLA during their most recent parental leave, and 81 percent reported that they were eligible. Among those who reported that they were eligible, 44 percent reported taking 12 weeks of FMLA, with an overall average of 9 weeks. Fully 73 percent (555 respondents) requested various types of paid leave, including accrued sick leave and vacation time, and 96 percent of those who requested it received it.

In contrast, very few respondents, less than 15 percent of the Parental Leave Experience Subsample, requested the remaining types of leave. About 13 percent requested family caregiving leave, and 10 percent requested unpaid leave. Even smaller percentages of the Parental Leave Experience Subsample requested flexible work arrangements, adaptation to employment duties and/or schedule, catastrophic leave, automatic tenure-clock extension, reduced appointment, or other forms of leave. In all cases a large majority of those requesting various types of leave received the type of leave they requested, ranging from a low of 71 percent (for adaptation to employment duties and/or schedule) to 96 percent (for paid leave including accrued sick or vacation time).

The two types of leave and/or accommodations most often requested were leave mandated by the Family Medical Leave Act and paid leave (including accrued sick or vacation time). Over 90 percent of those requesting these leaves received them.

Most parents reported using a combination of accrued sick leave, vacation time, and unpaid leave, making up about nine weeks of leave, on average.

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Section 4: Satisfaction with Parental LeaveThis section analyzes the Parental Leave Experience Subsample’s satisfaction with their experiences around parental leave at the University of Iowa. Respondents were asked four questions gauging the level of satisfaction with the leave and/or accommodations received, the process, their return, and working while pregnant. Differences in satisfaction are examined for gender, race, parental status, staff/faculty employee status, faculty tenure status, and by college or organizational unit.

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Satisfaction with Leave and/or Accommodations Received

Survey Item

“How satisfied are you with the leave and/or accommodations that you received?”

Overall, the majority of respondents (62 percent) expressed satisfaction with the leave and/or accommodations they received, while 29 percent reported that they were not satisfied, and less than 10 percent reported being neither satisfied nor dissatisfied (see Figure 9).

Differences in Satisfaction with Leave and/or Accommodations ReceivedThere were only two significant difference in satisfaction with leave and/or accommodations received by the Parental Leave Experience Subsample.

1) Staff members reported higher satisfaction in comparison to faculty members (see Figure 9). Whereas nearly 65 percent of staff members reported being satisfied with the leave received, only 46 percent of faculty members felt the same way.

2) There were significant differences across colleges and organizational units at the university. Respondents from Central Administration reported higher levels of satisfaction in comparison to respondents from colleges, and from health care units (see Figure 10). Nearly 65 percent of respondents from Central Administration reported satisfaction with the leave they received, in comparison to only 59 percent and 62 percent of respondents from Colleges and Health Care Units, respectively.

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Figure 9: Satisfaction with Leave and/or Accommodations Received by Gender, Race, Employment and Faculty Status

Women Men Non-white White Staff Faculty Tenure Non-

Tenure

Overall Gender Race EmploymentStatus

FacultyStatus

Dissatisfied 29% 28% 31% 32% 28% 26% 45% 40% 67%

Neutral 9% 8% 13% 13% 9% 10% 9% 10% 0%

Satisfied 62% 63% 56% 55% 63% 65% 46% 50% 33%

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

Note: N=643. Darker blue bars indicate statistically significant differences. See Appendix Table A1 for significance test results and more detailed breakdown of responses to this question. This item was not answered by 15 percent of the Parental Leave Experience Subsample.

Figure 10: Satisfaction with Leave and/or Accommodations Received by College or Organizational Unit

CentralAdministration Colleges Other

Academic Auxiliary HealthCareUnits

Overall CollegesandOrganizationsDissatisfied 29% 17% 33% 32% 32% 27%

Neutral 9% 7% 8% 11% 11% 12%

Satisfied 62% 76% 59% 58% 57% 62%

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%


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Respondents in the Parental Leave Experience Subsample who reported being dissatisfied with the leave and/or accommodation they received were provided with an opportunity to further explain their experience. Fully 90 percent of those who reported being dissatisfied described their experience. From their answers, several key issues emerged (see Table 4).

Table 5: Common Issues with Parental Leave Received and Percentage of Mentions

PercentageParental leave was not long enough 30%Hope the university can provide paid leave 24%Information about parental policy was not clear, standardized and hard to access

19%

The climate was not supportive 14%Adoption family or fathers were either denied leave or had little leave 11%

Note: N=165. Only respondents reporting dissatisfaction were asked to provide further explanation.

The leading cause of dissatisfaction mentioned by 30 percent of the Parental Leave Experience Subsample was that the amount of time they received was not adequate. Many parents complained that they did not have enough time to recover from birth, to get accustomed to changes in their family, to bond with their child, and to plan for child care for their return to work. Among the reasons for shortened leave reported by many respondents were financial difficulties of unpaid leave, especially in single-income households. The impact of unpaid leave was felt by many respondents, who stressed their hope for more paid leave provided by the university, in addition to types of accrued leave. The use of accrued sick leave and vacation time left out workers who were new to the university and did not have enough sick leave or vacation time accumulated. The following quote from one mother describes how these problems are intertwined:

“I would have liked to have more time with my baby, especially given the extra issues, but I had only been here 18 months and hadn’t accrued enough sick/vacation to cover a longer leave, and unfortunately unpaid leave wasn’t an option due to my sole family income. It’s time I’ll never get back with my baby, let alone the stress of it all, and working with lack of sleep.”

Using sick leave and vacation time during child birth also meant that these options could not be used when needed, for example for pre- and post-natal care appointments, and when the child was sick. As one mother describes,

“I had to use all of my accrued sick and vacation time for my maternity leave and then still had to take some of the time unpaid. Using up all of my paid time off meant that I then had to take unpaid time off for follow up doctor appointments for myself and my child as well as any time she was sick.”

Another common theme that emerged from the responses was the lack of consistent and reliable information. Almost 20 percent of respondents reported that they were not informed about all possible options, and that they had a difficulty obtaining consistent information, with different people receiving different options. A few respondents reported that they were given false or misleading information, or that they did not receive the leave options or pay that they were told they would receive.

Another cause for dissatisfaction reported by many parents (about 14 percent) was the unsupportive and non-inclusive climate around parental leave. A few respondents described experiences of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation they faced due to taking parental leave. Some reported their supervisors or HR staff were not supportive, even hostile, during the process. Some men also reported that their work climate discouraged or stigmatized fathers for taking time off, with one respondent reporting that, “maybe your wife is gonna have to suck it up a bit.”

The treatment of biological fathers and adoptive families was also an issue brought up by about 10 percent of respondents. Many reported FMLA was given as a leave shared by family members, so in cases where both parents were employees of the University of Iowa, one parent would either be denied their leave request or receive little time off. Fathers also reported that the climate among

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colleagues and supervisors discouraged them from taking parental leave. Adoptive families also faced difficulties in obtaining parental leave because medical leave is not an option provided for them, and many received little leave or no leave at all. Other issues like unfair treatment and inefficient paper work were mentioned by about 2 percent of respondents.

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Satisfaction with Process of Requesting and Negotiating Leave

Survey Item

“How satisfied are you with the process of requesting and negotiating parental leave?”

When asked about the process of requesting and negotiating leave, just over half of respondents (56 percent) expressed satisfaction, whereas 28 percent of respondents said they were dissatisfied, and 16 percent were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied with the process (see Figure 11).

Differences in Satisfaction with the Process of Requesting and Negotiating LeaveTwo significant differences were found in satisfaction with the process of requesting and negotiating leave.

1) Non-tenure track faculty reported a slightly higher level of satisfaction with the process of requesting and negotiating leave than their tenured colleagues. However, this difference is based on very small sample of non-tenure track faculty (N=6) compared to the larger sample of tenure-track faculty (N=82).

2) Respondents from Central Administration reported higher satisfaction (70 percent were satisfied) in comparison to respondents from Healthcare Units (58 percent were satisfied), Colleges (51 percent were satisfied), and Other Academic units (31 percent were satisfied) (see Figure 12).

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Figure 11: Satisfaction with Process of Requesting and Negotiating Leave by Gender, Race, Employment and Faculty Status


Tenure


FacultyStatus

Dissatisfied 28% 28% 28% 26% 28% 24% 53% 49% 50%

Neutral 16% 15% 25% 26% 15% 17% 8% 10% 0%

Satisfied 56% 57% 47% 48% 57% 59% 39% 41% 50%

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%


Figure 12: Satisfaction with Process of Requesting and Negotiating Leave by College or Organization Unit




Neutral 16% 17% 14% 29% 18% 17%

Satisfied 56% 70% 51% 46% 54% 58%

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%


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Respondents in the Parental Leave Experience Subsample who reported being dissatisfied with the process of requesting or negotiating leave were provided with an opportunity to further explain their experience. 78 percent of those who reported being dissatisfied described their experience. From their answers, several key issues emerged (see Table 5).

Table 6: Common Issues with Parental Leave Request and Percentage of Mentions

PercentageThe information about policy was confusing and inconsistent 40%No negotiation or unpleasant negotiation process (inefficientpaperwork,etc.) 23%

The climate was not supportive 17%Unfair treatment for some groups 6%Should not have to negotiate 4%


The most commonly reported reason for dissatisfaction, mentioned by 40 percent of respondents, was difficulty obtaining reliable and consistent information. Many indicated that they were unclear about all potential options, which made it difficult for them to make the best choice for them and their family. As one respondent put it,

“I wish that my supervisor and/or HR rep had taken a more active approach to explaining all of the options available to me so that I could make a fully informed choice. I had no idea what was available and what would work best for me: no advocate on my behalf.”

Some respondents reported that information was difficult to obtain in an efficient and timely manner, recalling the need to contact multiple people for information and clarification. Many reported experiencing frustration and stress due to this. As one parent described,

“I sent numerous emails which were never responded to, given the run around and told to contact various other people, also none of whom were able to answer my simple questions about how much leave I was eligible for.”

Others reported that the information they received was inconsistent, with some parents finding out during or following their parental leave that they could not have the leave or accommodations they had been informed they could receive. Below are two such experiences:

“I asked for 1 week off… but was called at home in the middle of the week and told I need to come to work because I had insufficient leave. I had no child care at that time.”

“I was told by [Person A] when I was hired along with spouse that I could use his accrued sick leave and vacation but this was not true according to [Person B]. It was a bigger financial burden on my family than expected.”

About 23 percent of respondents reported problems with the actual process of negotiating leave. Some respondents experienced an unsatisfactory negotiating process, describing the negotiation process and the paperwork involved as “slow”, “inefficient” and “not responsive”. Others reported receiving little to no opportunity for negotiating, and simply “told this is how it has to be done”. As one parent put it, “There was no negotiating, you had time or you didn’t. It was paid, or it wasn’t. There was no flexibility.”

Some parents (about 6 percent of respondents) also reported that they perceived unfair outcomes in the negotiating process, with some colleagues receiving better parental leave and accommodations than others, depending on your superiors’ “willingness ‘go to bat’ for you”, and your department or unit. One parent described these feelings as follows:

“It is very frustrating to be in a department with someone who has little to not under-standing or empathy for a woman who has recently given birth. It is even more challeng-

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ing to hear of the large support given to women in other offices on our campus by their superiors in negotiating leave, flexible work schedule, etc.”

Along with unsatisfactory negotiating experiences, some respondents (about 17 percent) reported problems around an unsupportive, intolerant, or non-inclusive climate during the process. Respondents reported unsupportive supervisors and HR staff, and a few respondents reported that they were lied to, misled, harassed, made to feel guilty when trying to negotiate parental leave. Here are a couple examples of such experiences as reported by parents:

“Did not feel like boss was very good at talking about options, or lied and had no intention on trying to make accommodations.”

“I am afraid to ask as I will look like I don’t want to do my work.”

“…judgmental comments were made about my commitment to science.”

“I felt the Human Resources Office was being dishonest in their negotiations with me. However, the administrator in my department was wonderful and helped overcome the problems.”

Approximately 6 percent of respondents described unfair treatment of certain groups such as fathers, adoptive parents, and new employees.

Finally, some respondents (about 4 percent) indicated that they believe that parental leave policies should not be negotiated at all, but provided automatically. According to these respondents, the current process is laborious, complicated, and not satisfactory. Several respondents reported frustrations with having to negotiate leave with superiors while having to maintain their commitment to work.

“Too much was left to negotiation; it was nerve-wracking to want to please my supervi-sors but also want to request support from them during childbirth and the ‘fourth trimes-ter, etc.”

“…just thrown in to negotiation with direct superiors who would decide my tenure.”

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Satisfaction with Return

Survey Item

“How satisfied were you with your return to work after you parental leave?”

Respondents were asked how satisfied they were with returning to work following parental leave. The majority of respondents were satisfied with their experience (60 percent), 21 percent reported dissatisfaction, and 18 percent reported being neither satisfied nor dissatisfied (see Figure 13).

Differences in Satisfaction with ReturnThere is only one significant difference in satisfaction with the respondent’s return to work after their parental leave.

1) Among the Parental Leave Experience Subsample there was only one significant difference in satisfaction with return to work: staff members reported higher levels of satisfaction than faculty. While 62 percent of staff reported being satisfied, only 51 percent of faculty respondents reported being satisfied with their return to work.

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Figure 13: Satisfaction with Return to Work by Gender, Race, Employment and Faculty Status


Tenure


FacultyStatus

Dissatisfied 21% 22% 18% 16% 21% 20% 27% 26% 60%

Neutral 18% 18% 18% 23% 19% 18% 23% 22% 0%

Satisfied 60% 60% 65% 61% 60% 62% 51% 52% 40%

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%


Figure 14: Satisfaction with Return by College or Organization Unit




Neutral 18% 11% 18% 16% 7% 24%

Satisfied 60% 71% 60% 63% 68% 57%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%


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Respondents in the Parental Leave Experience Subsample who reported being dissatisfied with their experience of returning to work following parental leave were provided with an opportunity to further explain their experience. Fully 81 percent of those who reported being dissatisfied described their experience. From their answers, several key issues emerged (see Table 6).

Table 7: Common Issues with Return to Work and Percentage of Mentions

PercentageEarly return or interruptions from work during leave 40%Lack of accommodation for breastfeeding and transition 31%Penalty for taking parental leave 23%Other experiences 6%


The majority (about 40 percent) mentioned issues related to returning to work too early following parental leave, which echoed respondents’ experience mentioned in the previous section. Many parents, especially birth mothers, did not feel that they were physically and emotionally ready to return to work when they did, and complained that they did not have adequate time to bond with their newborns and adjust to the changes in their family. Many returning parents, especially birth mothers reported having inadequate accommodations and increased work pressure and long hours. These issues are highlighted by the experience described below:

“I returned too early, felt pressured not to talk about the baby, felt I needed to work twice as hard as everyone else to “catch up”.... Like I had been on a vacation or something. Was still pumping, not adequate protections for lactation, was still recovering from surgery. It was just too early. I thought we were better than that.”

Some parents said that their early return was due to financial difficulties with unpaid leave, parallel to experiences described in earlier sections. The following experiences portray this issue well:

“I needed a longer leave, but couldn’t afford it, so I wasn’t really ready to return to work.”

“It sucks to come back because you can’t afford to stay home anymore and are weighed down by the bills coming in and a smaller check. I only took 7 weeks, 1 unpaid.”

“I would have loved to take more time to recover personally and also spend time with my child, but because I had run through all my sick and vacation time, did not feel that I could take unpaid leave.”

Others explained that their early return was due to pressure from work, from colleagues or from their supervisors. A few respondents reported receiving emails and calls, and being expected to complete work while on leave.

“Concerns about colleagues’ response and workload made me return earlier than ready - health-wise and other.”

“I felt pushed into coming back to work full time instead of having the option to reduce my hours and pay, which I requested but was denied.”

As mentioned above, many returning parents reported dissatisfaction with the lack of accommodations, especially for breastfeeding. Many respondents pointed out that they had no access to private and sanitary lactation rooms within a reasonable distance from their workplace. Some respondents also reported that they were under strict, and at times intrusive, supervision when pumping (for example, strict 15-minute time limit; requirement to post note on office door saying that they were taking a break to pump etc.). Some mothers who wanted to pump at work also faced ridicule and harassment from co-workers. The following quotes describe this experience.

“Aside from being slower being back and not having the stamina to stand up longer, I was

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ridiculed for pumping. Something I felt I shouldn’t have to stand up for.”

“I didn’t have support from some coworkers for pumping breastmilk and they seemed to resent the accommodations for my break time. The stress made it difficult to pump.”

Some respondents reported that, due to adequate arrangements not being made while they were away, they returned to an increased work load. Some also reported that their supervisors were not considerate in allocation of work and scheduling, forcing them to return to long and unaccommodating work hours. A few respondents mentioned that they continued to feel the effect of missed work even years after they returned from parental leave.

“My tasks were not covered by others on my team as I expected, leaving me with a large amount of work to catch up on.”

Those who were not offered a flexible schedule returned to a regular 8-hour schedule or even 12-hour shifts. Respondents complained that rigid scheduling made childcare burdensome and hindered their physical recovery. As one parent described,

“I also wish that I would have been able to slowly merge back into work by working either a couple 8 hour shifts first before working full 12 hour shifts. It made the transition back to work extremely difficult.”

Some respondents (about 23 percent) reported penalties for taking time off in the form of lost promotion opportunities, reduced raises etc.

“I felt as though I was being punished for having been gone. I was left out of opportunities a few times, or it was assumed I wouldn’t be interested because I was ‘catching up’.”

“Raise was lower because ‘I did not work the entire year’.”

A number of parents reported an unsupportive work environment and hostile work interactions, with respondents facing ridicule, harassment, and judgement from HR, supervisors, and colleagues. A few examples are given below:

“Due to some specific interactions I had with the HR rep for my department, I felt as if I had done something wrong by taking the full 12 weeks. My return to work therefore was filled with additional anxiety and stress.”

“I decreased from full time to 50%; other fulltime colleagues frequently made comments about my lack of dedication to the patients because I had chosen to spend time with my family”

“I also was disappointed with the way I was treated by my supervisor, who asked me how my “vacation” was after I returned. This comment was highly insensitive, and let me know she had no clue about the struggles that new mothers face during the post-partum period. My maternity leave was most certainly not a vacation, and was one of the hardest times of my life for me personally.”

While some of these negative interactions seemed directly tied to parental leave, other experiences reflect an unsupportive attitude the family responsibilities of parents more generally, as exemplified below:

“My supervisor made and still makes me feel guilty when I need to take time off to be with my child (if she’s sick, needs to go to a doctor’s appointment, etc.).”

“I have suffered many micro-aggressions related to my parental status and the fear they have that I will have another child.”

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“My supervisor wrote on my performance review that she hoped the changes in my family didn’t distract me from my duties at work. I felt unsupported.”

Other respondents (about 6 percent) shared similar experience mentioned in previous sections, but not directly related to this question, including inconsistent information concerning length of leave, requesting paid leave, and dissatisfaction with their plan of leave which mainly focused on how to use accrued leave efficiently. A few examples of this include:

“My leave hours were changed.”

“I wish I could use more sick leave hours as parental leave.”

“Some amount of maternity and paternity leave with pay should be offered without the parent having exhaust all leave options.”

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Satisfaction with Working While Pregnant

Survey Item

“If you are a birthmother, how satisfied were you with your experience on the job during your pregnancy?”

The final question in this section asked whether birth mothers were satisfied with their experience on the job during pregnancy. Almost three-fourths of respondents expressed satisfaction (73 percent), 13 percent were dissatisfied, and 14 percent reported neither satisfaction nor dissatisfaction.

Differences in Satisfaction with Working While PregnantOnly one significant difference was found in the experience of working while pregnant.

1) White birth mothers expressed more satisfaction with their experience on the job during pregnancy (74 percent reporting that they were satisfied) compared to only 55 percent of non-white birth mothers (see Figure 15).

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Figure 15: Satisfaction with Working While Pregnant by Gender, Race, Employment and Faculty Status

Non-white White Staff Faculty Tenure Non-

Tenure

Overall Race EmploymentStatus FacultyStatus

Dissatisfied 13% 28% 12% 13% 10% 11% 0%

Neutral 14% 17% 14% 14% 17% 17% 33%

Satisfied 73% 55% 74% 73% 73% 72% 67%

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%


Figure 16: Satisfaction with Working While Pregnant by College or Organization Unit




Neutral 14% 10% 13% 13% 15% 20%

Satisfied 73% 79% 75% 81% 75% 68%

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%


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Respondents in the Parental Leave Experience Subsample who reported being dissatisfied with their experience of being pregnant on the job were provided with an opportunity to further explain their experience. Three fourths of birth mothers who reported being dissatisfied described their experience. From their answers, several key issues emerged (see Table 7).

Table 8: Common Issues with Pregnancy on the Job and Percentage of Mentions

PercentageThe climate was not supportive 49%Physicaldifficulties(fatigue,discomfort,contractionsandotherpain,etc.) 26%Lack of accommodation for different needs (breastfeeding, work, etc.) 23%


The most common issue mentioned was an unsupportive working environment for pregnant women (nearly 50 percent). Many respondents reported that their supervisors and co-workers were not supportive, and some reported facing ridicule, blame, guilt, and harassment. A few examples of these experiences are given below:

“I needed work accomodations due to pregnancy complications. My supervisor helped me achieve them, however my colleagues were disgruntled and made innapropriate comments. Nothing was done about this by my supervisor.”

“Supervisor called me ‘huge’ and compared me to another woman who was also pregnant but ‘you are so much bigger than she is.’”

“My immediate supervisor ostracized me on a number of occasions because I was pregnant.”

Some also mentioned unfavorable change in colleagues’ attitudes or treatment after they claimed to parental leave or accomodations. A few respondents mentioned they were made to feel guilty for taking leave.

“All during being pregnancy I was constantly being asked, ‘Your not going to take more than 6 weeks off for maternity leave, right?’”

Another main reason for dissatisfactory experiences during pregnancy was associated with various physical difficulties faced by women during pregnancy (mentioned by 26 percent of respondents). Some respondents mentioned fatigue, inability to concentrate, and even experiencing contractions during work or after work.

“I was sick for most of my pregnancy, including blacking out, but asking for time off with-out losing my job seemed impossible.”

“[My supervisor] didn’t accomodate for any lifting as I got further along – told me if I couldn’t do the work, I would have to start my leave early.”

A fouth of respondents (about 23 percent) complained that despite physical difficulties and medical complications, their workload remained the same and that appropriate accomodations were not made. Some respondents mentioned that they did not receive appropriate changes to duties, scheduling (including not being able to make time for prenatal appointments), and accomodations for parking and comfortable working conditions.

“I was expected to work until the day I gave birth. I had high blood pressure and a compli-cated pregnancy and I could not get any leave. I was timing contractions during faculty meetings. This was all completely against my will.”

“My nurse manager at the time was extremely unaccomodating. Notes from my doctor about duties and breaks to sit were not met and as a matter of fact, laughed at. Requests for help in busy clinics went unanswered. Those experiences led me to leave my job…”

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“While pregnant, I would often find myself having contractions by the end of the day because we were so busy and I could not take a break.”

A few birth mothers working in health related fields also reported that they were exposed to equipment and illnesses that posed a danger while pregnant, and that adequate steps were not taken by supervisors and colleagues to prevent this.

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Section 5: Overall Assessments of Parental Leave Experience

Survey Item

“Is there anything else you would like to share about your experience with requesting parental leave for any birth or

adoption while employed at the University of Iowa?”

The final two question in this section of the survey asked respondents from the Parental Leave Experience Subsample if they had anything else they would like to share about their experience with requesting parental leave and whether they had any suggestions for improvements.

Importantly, these questions were asked of the entire Parental Leave Experience Subsample unlike the other open-ended questions which were asked of only those reporting dissatisfaction with their experiences.

Overall, 36 percent of the Parental Leave Experience Subsample responded to this question, with about half of them (127 responses) taking this opportunity to further express their satisfaction or dissatisfaction with their parental leave experience. The other half of respondents used this question to address potential improvements they wanted to see in the university. The main reasons provided for satisfaction and dissatisfaction are summarized in Table 8 and described below.

Table 9: Common Overall Assessments of Parental Leave Experience and Percentage of Mentions

PercentageSatisfaction

42%• Good combination of options and enough time (12 weeks)• Flexible working schedule• Informative HR or supervisor• Supportive HR, supervisors and colleagues

Dissatisfaction

58%

• Leave was not long enough (usually less than 12 weeks)• Inflexible working schedules• Information about policy was not clear or consistent• Pressure from work and other people• Unfair treatment for different groups (fathers, adoption family, half-time

workers, etc.)

Note: N=127.

About 42 percent of respondents who discussed their level of satisfaction were content with their parental leave experience. Those who were satisfied reported that they were able to get the optimal combination of sick leave and FMLA leave, and that they received the help of informative and supportive HR staff, supervisors, and colleagues before, during and after parental leave. Many of these respondents reported receiving full 12-week leave, and were not pressured to come back earlier. Upon returning, some of them were either offered or able to request flexible working schedule to make a smoother transition back to work. For these respondents, parental leave was a satisfying experience.

On the contrary, nearly 60 percent of respondents used this question to express their dissatisfaction. The common problems they reported were similar to those mentioned in previous sections. Some respondents pointed out that they were denied full 12-week leave due to various reasons (not qualified for FMLA, not enough sick leave accrued, pressure from work, financial difficulties etc.). The responses also indicated information was not clearly and consistently presented to some people

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which caused confusion. Following their return, these parents faced inflexible working schedules and did not receive needed accomodations. Others expressed dissatisfaction about pressure from work and unfair treatment towards fathers, adoptive family and other groups, who were either denied the opportunity to take leave or offered little time off.

Overall, we found that both respondents who were satisfied and those who were not satisfied focused on very similar issues, highlighting the importance of these key issues for experiences around parental leave.

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Suggestions for Improvement from Parents

Survey Item

“What could have been done better at the departmental, collegiate, or unit level during your experience of requesting,

receiving, and returning from parental leave?”

Overall, 53 percent of the Parental Leave Experience Subsample made suggestion and recommendations for potential improvements in four main categories – policy improvements, information disclosure improvements, accommodation improvements, and climate improvements (see Table 9).

Table 10: Common Suggestions for Improvement from Parents and Percentage of Mentions

Improvements at Departmental, Collegiate, or Unit Level PercentagePolicy Improvements

19%

• Offer paid leave• Separate parental leave from sick leave, vacation• Secure 12-week leave• The policy should be fairly applied to different groups (fathers, adoption fam-

ily, new workers, etc.)Information Disclosure Improvements

47%• Provide more accurate, clear information and easy access to it• Offer information sessions for parents, HR and supervisors• Provide negotiation opportunity for people to optimize their decisions• Provide central implementation of the policy

Before and After leave Accommodation Improvements

20%

• Provide accommodation for physical difficulties during and after pregnancy (help with lifting, breastfeeding, parking, etc.)

• Provide on-site day care• Provide more flexible working schedule (half-time, 75% time, etc.)• Provide job coverage (e.g. hire temporary workers)

Climate Improvements

14%• Achieve better understanding of parents’ responsibility• Create better, more tolerant and inclusive environment for pregnant women

and family

Note: N=376.

About 20 percent of respondents offered suggestions for policy changes they hoped to see. One of the main needs brought up repeatedly was to provide adequate paid parental leave for all parents, making sure that they have the opportunity to recover from childbirth, bond with their child, and be financially secure. As one respondent put it, “paid leave is necessary for both parents. 12 weeks of leave is not long enough.”

Many respondents felt that it would be best to have parental leave independent of accrued sick leave and vacation time, allowing parents to take time off without the need to “burn out” their sick leave or vacation for child birth.

“I didn’t realize that all sick time is used before any vacation time is used… I am now struggling to build my sick time back up since I now have a child who is occasionally sick in addition to myself. Offering 12 weeks paid maternity leave to all full-time employees would help alleviate the above.”

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“…I have not been at the UI long enough (1.5 years) to build up the necessary sick/va-cation time to cover a full 12 weeks of leave. I also did not want to come back with zero hours of sick/vacation, nor can I afford to take unpaid leave. Therefore, I came back after 8 weeks. For as wonderful as the UI benefits are, it is a shame there is not a specific pool of paid time off for maternity leave separate from sick/vacation time.”

Others also suggested not placing caps on how much accrued sick leave could be used for parental leave, as well as not applying FMLA as a family policy in instances where both parents are employees at the university. One parent describes their family’s experience as follows:

“My husband and I are both University employees. In fact, we both moved to Iowa City specifically for our jobs, taking us away from family and friends. Given that my husband is my only support in this place, I was extremely angered to learn that any FMLA time that he took would be taken out of my promised 12 weeks of maternity leave. I had exactly 5 days of help from my husband (thankfully his department let him take some vacation) before I was left alone to care for a newborn child with absolutely no additional assistance. While we survived, I am still astounded by the lack of support the University has for fam-ilies who work here. FMLA should be for each individual employee, not shared amongst a family.”

A couple of respondents hoped parental leave policy at the University of Iowa could be competitive with what is offered at peer institutions.

“The college needs a more competitive leave policy for mothers and fathers. The current policies are not supportive of new parents, and are not in line with policies at many other Big 10 universities.”

Nearly half of respondents in this section made suggestions for improvements in information disclosure. Many hoped that supervisors and HR staff could provide more accurate, clear, and easy to access information. Some suggested offering information sessions for parents, and training sessions for HR as well as for supervisors. Others requested brochures or online resources with comprehensive, easy-to-navigate information on various parental leave and accommodation options.

“I think the University needs to better educate supervisors in the policies available to em-ployees. The HR website could be updated to better display the information. I felt like I had to navigate too many different areas to find the information.”

A few respondents believed that central implementation of parental leave policies would help eliminate inconsistent information and practice.

Another common suggestion that emerged among about 20 percent of respondents was accommodation for parents before and after parental leave. Respondents hoped that the university could provide more accommodations for parents, especially for birth mothers, including changes in duties that are physically demanding or dangerous, parking accommodations etc. Many respondents reported the need for more easily accessible, private, and sanitary lactation facilities. Many said that the availability of lactation rooms would improve their job performance, create a smoother transition to work, and benefit their newborns.

“There are lactation rooms across campus but I would like to see one in every UI building as currently I have to go to another building to use one, this would save time for me.”

Some respondents also indicated a need for “affordable, on-site childcare available for all shifts”, which would also greatly help with parents’ transition to work as well as their financial situation. In addition, some people expressed the need for more flexible and more accommodating working schedules, hours, shifts, or options for half-time or 75% time appointments.

“It was completely unreasonable to expect me to come back to work to 12 hour days 6 days per week. It was my second month of work when I delivered my first child. I did not know

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that 6 weeks was too little time off, and what it would be like to come back to work to that intense of schedule. I should have been able to return to work to a less intense schedule, and have the option to take a longer leave.”

Another suggestion made by a few respondents was improvements to adequately cover their job while on leave. They hoped that their department or unit could hire temporary workers and/or allocate duties appropriately, so that they would not have to work while on leave and not return to large amounts of unfinished work. Respondents indicated that making appropriate arrangements would make them feel less guilty as they would not feel like they “dump work on their colleagues”, and make for a smoother return to work.

Lastly, about 14 percent of respondents mentioned the need for improvements in climate around parental leave. Respondents mentioned unfriendly and unsupportive work environments for new parents and pregnant women. They hoped that their department or unit could achieve better understanding about parents’ responsibility, experiences of pregnancy and child birth, and family needs in general. One parent reported the following interaction:

“…When I did have her (a month early – she was a preemie) I had to use all of my vaca-tion and sick time to spend time with her. Because she was a preemie, at least two weeks of that time was spent in the hospital with her. The whole pregnancy and first year was a struggle for me and I didn’t feel like my department was willing to flex my schedule or was very understanding of this stress. At one point my supervisor asked me when I returned to work how my vacation was… It was very clear that she didn’t know what kind of work went into having a child, let alone a preemie, and the stress associated with that… The whole first year and the departments lack of being family friendly has made me want to leave the university on multiple occasions. I feel like the department’s attitude contributed to me feeling unable to bond with my daughter...”

Another respondent described the need for advocating on behalf of parents:

“…The climate has changed - when I have recently used family caregiving to take me kids to doctor or dental appointments, I often get an email asking why I needed to take an hour. They don’t notice that I have worked an additional 9 hours that week for free, so the use of an hour for a medical appointment shouldn’t have been an issue. So....as a department, HR should consider being an advocate for the employees, not just protecting the institu-tion’s pocketbook.”

Overall, many respondents answering this question hoped the overall climate at the University of Iowa could be changed into a more inclusive and family-friendly one.

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Section 6: Climate around Parental LeaveThis section investigates overall perceptions of supportiveness of their working environment for parental leave related policies and practices, and satisfaction about current climate, among University of Iowa employees, including both parents and non-parents. Differences in perceptions are examined for gender, race, parental status, staff/faculty employee status, faculty tenure status, and by college or organizational unit.

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Colleague Supportiveness

Survey Item

“Overall, my colleagues are very supportive when I have a family issue to take care of.”

Overall, nearly 78 percent of respondents agreed that their colleagues were supportive, only 11 percent reported that their colleagues were not supportive, and another 11 percent perceived their colleagues as neutral (see Figure 17).

Differences in Colleague SupportivenessThere were three significant differences in perceptions of colleague supportiveness.

1) Men were more likely than women to think their colleagues are supportive (82 percent compared to 78 percent).

2) Parents were more likely to perceive their colleagues as supportive with 82 percent perceiving supportiveness compared to 73 percent of non-parents.

3) The final significant difference in perceptions of colleague support was between respondents in different organizational units (see Figure 18). Respondents in Health Care Units reported significantly lower levels of colleague supportiveness (74 percent) than those in the Central Administration, Colleges and Other Academic Organizations (79-83 percent). There were no significant differences by race, staff/faculty employment status, or faculty tenure status.

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Figure 17: Colleague Supportiveness by Gender, Race, Employment and Faculty Status

Staff Faculty Men Women Non-WWhite TenuredNon-T ParentNon-P

Overall Status Gender Race FacultyStatus

ParentalStatus

Agree 11% 11% 10% 6% 12% 15% 11% 10% 11% 10% 12%

Neutral 11% 10% 17% 12% 10% 12% 10% 16% 17% 8% 16%

Disagree 78% 79% 72% 82% 78% 73% 79% 74% 72% 82% 73%

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Note: N=2,107. Darker blue bars indicate statistically significant differences. See Appendix Table A9 and A10 for significance test results and more detailed breakdown of responses to this question.

Figure 18: Colleague Supportiveness by College or Organization Unit



Overall CollegesandOrganizationsDisagree 11% 6% 10% 6% 9% 14%

Neutral 11% 11% 11% 11% 11% 12%

Agree 78% 83% 79% 83% 80% 74%

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Note: N=2,107. Darker blue bars indicate statistically significant differences. See Appendix Table A11 for significance test results and more detailed breakdown of responses to this question.

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Chair Supportiveness

Survey Item

“My department or unit chair is mindful of scheduling courses and meetings to accommodate employees with child

care responsibilities.”

Over half of respondents (nearly 52 percent) agreed that their department or unit chair was willing to accommodate family needs, while 19 percent disagreed, and 29 percent provided a more neutral response, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with this statement (see Figure 19).

Differences in Chair SupportivenessThere are three significant differences in perceptions of chair supportiveness.

1) Men were more likely to report chair supportiveness (57 percent) compared to women (51 percent).

2) Parents were more likely to report chair supportiveness than non-parents (57 and 45 percent respectively).

3) There were significant differences across organizational units. Health Care Units reported significantly lower approval of chair’s supportiveness than those in Central Administration, Colleges and Other academic organizations (47 percent compared to 54-63 percent).

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Figure 19: Chair Supportiveness by Gender, Race, Employment and Faculty Status



ParentalStatus

Disagree 19% 18% 25% 12% 21% 18% 19% 25% 27% 20% 18%

Neutral 29% 31% 21% 31% 28% 31% 28% 17% 31% 22% 38%

Agree 51% 51% 54% 57% 51% 51% 53% 58% 42% 57% 45%

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Figure 20: Chair Supportiveness by College or Organization Unit



Overall CollegesandOrgnizationsDisagree 19% 12% 18% 11% 18% 23%

Neutral 29% 34% 27% 26% 25% 30%

Agree 52% 54% 55% 64% 57% 47%

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General Climate of Department or Unit

Survey Item

“How would you describe the climate surrounding parental leave in your department or unit?”

Overall 64 percent of respondents perceived the climate surrounding parental leave in their department or unit as “good,” while 24 percent perceived it as “fair,” and the remaining 12 percent reported the climate as “poor” (see Figure 21).

Differences in General Climate of Department or UnitThere are three significant differences in perceptions of unit or department climate surrounding parental leave.

1) Only 52 percent on Non-white respondents perceived their unit or department climate as “good” compared to 66 percent of white respondents.

2) Staff were more likely to perceive their unit or department climate as “good” compared to faculty (65 percent compared to 57 percent).

3) There were significant differences across organizational units. Over three-quarters of respondents in Central Administration perceived a positive climate surrounding parental leave compared to 63 percent of respondents in Colleges, and 60 percent in Health Care Units (see Figure 22).

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Figure 21: General Climate of Department or Unit by Gender, Race, Employment and Faculty Status



ParentalStatus

Poor 12% 12% 16% 11% 12% 17% 11% 15% 19% 12% 12%

Fair 24% 21% 27% 23% 24% 31% 23% 25% 33% 23% 26%

Good 64% 68% 57% 66% 64% 52% 66% 59% 48% 65% 62%

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Figure 22: General Climate of Department or Unit by College or Organization Unit



Overall CollegesandOrgnizationsPoor 12% 8% 13% 6% 15% 12%

Fair 24% 17% 24% 23% 25% 27%

Good 64% 76% 63% 71% 60% 60%

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Respondents who reported that their department or unit climate surrounding parental leave was “poor” were asked to further explain their experience. Of the 259 respondents who reported “poor” climate, 164 provided answers to this question (63 percent).

Table 11: Common Topics with Poor Department/Unit Climate and Percentage of Mentions

PercentageExpectation of choosing work over family 43%Colleagues’ pressure or lack of awareness 23%Current policy was bad or badly implemented 20%Some departments/units were supportive while others were not 9%Objective reasons for negative climate concerning having baby 5%


Forty three percent of respondents reported negative climate perceptions were driven by an expectation of “work first, family second.” Many respondents reported feeling unsupported in their role as parents. The following experience describes the perceived cultural norms among faculty to keep their home and work lives separate:

“… For faculty and graduate students, though, it looks terrible. It seems to me that women faculty are still not supposed to inconvenience anyone by having children (and men are still somethow not really in the picture when it comes to children). That sense that Chil-dren are not part of Serious Important Working is pervasive -- the department is full of parents with little ones and school-aged children, and yet our children don’t know each other, you don’t see kids around. I think in any normal setting we’d be talking all the time about our kids with each other and becoming closer friends as our children grow up to-gether. Even when our children are in the same class in school, though, there’s little or no conversation about them – even if we’re otherwise friendly. I think it says something about the culture of the department, maybe the college or university: for faculty and students, children are supposed to be someone else’s business to look after. Wives are invisible, too – they’re off somewhere with children, like it’s 1978. Spouses generally, come to think of it, I seldom see them and am hazy on what they do. The whole thing seems very ‘Second-Shift’, where staff have kid pictures, but women on faculty have babies and you hear about it months later and never see the babies, there’s no cards sent, it’s all invisible. I don’t think there are explicit rules about it, but the cultural pressures are that strong.”

Some respondents said that even when parental leave was available, they were discouraged from taking it. In the words of one respondent:

“I think it’s still looked upon negatively whether you have parental leave for the birth or adoption of a child or for a sick child. It’s more of an unspoken attitude.”

A few respondents even reported being harassed by supervisors, and feared losing their job if they asked for family-related leave and accommodations.

“I’ve been thinking about having another baby, but it makes me worried to think about what would be said/done about requesting time off. I have two children. The first time I was back after 7 weeks, and the second time I took 9 weeks. I never heard the end of it that I was taking 9 weeks. We are a unit of many people without children, and leadership with-out children. Family isn’t always considered. My husband was once told by his supervisor, ‘Don’t expect me to change my expectations because of your personal life choices.’”

“…my supervisor makes me feel uneasy and makes me worry about losing my job if I need to take time off last minute to take my child to the doctor if she is ill.”

Another aspect of poor department/unit climate reported by some respondents was pressure from

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their colleagues who did not understand or respect family responsibilities.

“I am surrounded by single and child free coworkers. Though they think they are support-ive, they simply make certain assumptions that make me feel pressure to not take time to care for my child.”

“Conversation regarding family and parent leave do not occur. Employees are expected to be available 8-5 for work unless agreements have been made with supervisors. Evening hours for events and after hour emails/work are a requirement for many P&S positions in the unit.”

About 20 percent people agreed that the poor climate was reflected by unsatisfactory parental leave policy and practices, and their poor implementation. A few respondents pointed out that the climate around parental leave and the implementation of policies varied across departments/units, with some departments being very supportive and accommodating, while others were not.

“The maternity leave policy here is terrible and makes me hesitant to have children before tenure. While your tenure clock can be set back, you aren’t guaranteed anything else like paid time off or a course release. Practices and accommodations also seem to vary widely by department.”

In addition, about 5 percent of respondents attributed problems with departmental/unit climate to other reasons, including worker shortage and the lack of women in leadership positions. One respondents indicated that current shortage of workers led to department/unit’s inability to afford people taking leave, which drove department/unit to pressure people to put work before family. Other answers indicated that the poor climate resulted from the deficiency of women in leadership positions, who were perceived to be more understanding towards family responsibilities and more supportive for parents.

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General University Climate

Survey Item

“How would you describe the climate surrounding parental leave in the university more generally?”

While 64 percent of respondents perceived their unit or department climate surrounding parental leave as “good,” only 48 percent of respondents perceived the overall university climate as “good” (see Figure 23). Another 35 percent of respondents perceive the university climate surrounding parental leave as “fair,” and the remaining 17 percent perceive the climate as “poor.”

Differences in General Climate of University There are four significant differences in perceptions of unit or department climate surrounding parental leave.

1) Non-white respondents were less likely to perceive the university climate surrounding parental leave as “good” (36 percent compared to 49 percent).

2) Staff were much more likely to perceive the university climate as “good” compared to faculty (50 percent compared to 40 percent).

3) Tenure-track faculty were more likely to perceive the university climate as “good” compared to non-tenure track faculty (43 percent compared to 26 percent).

4) Respondents from Central Administration and Auxiliary Units had higher rates of perceiving university climate surrounding parental leave as “good” (57 percent), compared to respondents in Colleges (45 percent), Other Academic (35 percent), and Health Care Units (48 percent). University auxiliary organizations also had significantly more people agree that university climate was good (56 percent) (see Figure 24).

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Figure 23: General Climate of University by Gender, Race, Employment and Faculty Status



ParentalStatus

Poor 17% 15% 28% 17% 17% 22% 17% 25% 40% 18% 17%

Fair 35% 35% 32% 31% 36% 43% 34% 32% 34% 33% 37%

Good 48% 49% 40% 52% 47% 36% 49% 43% 26% 50% 45%

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Figure 24: General Climate of University by College or Organization Unit



Overall CollegesandOrgnizationsPoor 17% 11% 21% 26% 14% 15%

Fair 35% 32% 34% 39% 29% 37%

Good 48% 57% 45% 35% 57% 48%

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Respondents who reported that the university climate surrounding parental leave was “poor” were asked to further explain their experience. Of the 357 respondents who reported “poor” climate, 202 provided answers to this question (57 percent).

Table 12: Common Topics with Poor University Climate and Percentage of Mentions

PercentageExpectation of choosing work over family 13%Lack of understanding of family and pregnancy 15%Current policy was unsatisfying or badly implemented 59%Negative impression from anecdotes 13%

N=202. Only respondents reporting dissatisfaction were asked to provide further explanation.

Many of the themes that emerged from answers to this question were similar to issues around departmental/unit climate discussed in the previous section.

About 13 percent of respondents said that the university’s negative climate was driven by an expectation to choose work over family. Respondents reported constant pressure or obligation to work. As one respondent put it,

“I have been pressured and bullied into not taking vacation days and have even changed positions due to the office culture surrounding time off. Taking time off was seen as unreli-able and caused certain coworkers to give me the silent treatment for days.”

“I think every woman feels the pressure to not miss too much work. And when my male faculty colleagues have a new baby, they take a day or two off. When my youngest child was born (I was not here at Iowa), my husband took a month off, no questions asked.”

Some responses (about 15 percent) reflected a lack of understanding of pregnancy, childbirth, pre- and post-natal care, and family responsibilities at the university.

“The university in general seems to view birth/adoption as something you quickly recover from, something that’s easy to schedule around, etc.”

A majority of respondents (nearly 60 percent) were unsatisfied with current parental leave policies at the university. These concerns are echoed in the following response:

“The idea of using sick leave in order to have paid maternity leave is absurd. First, preg-nancy is not a disability, and should not be categorized as such. Second, using sick leave gives new parents no buffer in case they are actually sick. Second, newer faculty like my-self have not yet accrued 6 weeks of sick leave to use as paid leave. Lastly, 6 weeks of paid leave is very short overall.”

“…Our system here is an absolute disgrace. Most/all of our peer institutions automatically grant a semester of teaching. The fact that we have no such allowance here – that we have to use up “sick leave” first, then draw up back-door deals to figure out ways to get any course releases or shifting of responsibilities is a joke and makes us highly unsupportive of families. I understand that this is a problem with the Regents, but that doesn’t make it any less of a disgraceful situation.”

Many respondents were also unhappy about how these policies and practices were implemented, with a wide range of variation between departments/units.

“There is no leave policy beyond FMLA, so few people get the leave that all new parents deserve, and there is inequity between individuals based on who has a chair that is sympa-thetic AND good at negotiating on their faculty’s behalf.”

Lastly, some respondents reflected on a university-wide problem of a perceived lack of support for

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parents, based on the experiences of others:

“With regards to my position, I often interact with many different clinics and areas, and I have not heard anything supportive of parental leave.”

“I don’t know of anyone who was satisfied with the leave policy...”

“I have heard stories from others even within my same college that gives me the impres-sion that not all units take into consideration family obligations may arise and cause staff to miss.”

In addition, a few non-parent workers also expressed dissatisfaction around having to take on their co-workers’ responsibilities and work load.

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Perceptions of Unfair or Differential Treatment

Survey Item

“Do you perceive that other people in your department or unit have been treated more favorably than others with

regard to parental leave?”

Overall one quarter (25 percent) of respondents perceived that other people in their department or unit have been treated more favorably than others with regard to parental leave. Fully 75 percent of respondents did not perceive unfair treatment with regard to parental leave (see Figure 25).

Differences in Perceptions of Unfair or Differential TreatmentThere are three significant differences in perceptions of unfair or differential treatment in their unit or department.

1) Women are less likely than men to perceive fair or impartial treatment within their unit or department with regard to parental leave (73 percent compared to 81 percent).

2) Parent are more likely than non-parents to perceive fair or impartial treatment within their unit or department with regard to parental leave (79 percent compared to 70 percent).

3) Respondents in Central Administration and Other Academic Units perceive are more likely to perceive fair or impartial treatment (81 and 89 percent respectively), compared to respondents in Colleges and Health Care Units (74 and 73 percent respectively).

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Figure 25: Perceptions of Unfair or Differential Treatment by Gender, Race, Employment and Faculty Status



ParentalStatus

NotFair 25% 25% 28% 19% 27% 27% 25% 28% 30% 21% 30%

Fair 75% 75% 72% 81% 73% 73% 75% 72% 70% 79% 70%

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Figure 26: Perceptions of Unfair or Differential Treatment by College or Organization Unit



Overall CollegesandOrgnizationsNotFair 25% 19% 26% 11% 21% 27%

Fair 75% 81% 74% 89% 79% 73%

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Respondents who perceived that there was unfair or differential treatment in their unit or department were asked to further explain their perceptions. Of the 522 respondents who reported unfair or differential treatment, 200 provided answers to this question (38 percent).

Table 13: Common Issues with Unfair Practice and Percentage of Mentions

Common Issues with Unfair Practice PercentageFavoritism and unfair treatment 27%Policy implementation was dependent on supervisor 31%Some groups were treated differently or discriminated against

42%(Fathers, adoptive families, new and young employees, single parents, etc.)

N=200. Only respondents reporting dissatisfaction were asked to provide further explanation.

Nearly one third of the respondents reported perceptions of favoritism and unfair treatment in the implementation of policies around parental leave and accommodations. For example, respondents reported that supervisors and those “higher up the totem pole” or “higher in the ‘food chain’” were given longer parental leave and more flexible accommodations and work schedules. Others perceived unfair treatment based on popularity, with some employees receiving more tolerance and assistance. On the other hand, some employees received stricter treatment from supervisors.

“One women in our department isn’t well-liked by our unit leader. She went into labor early and was also a fairly new employee so she didn’t have much time saved up to stay home. She was given much higher expectations than I was when I was on leave. She was also contacted while on leave numerous times about when she was coming back to work even though she’d given them a tentative date.”

Many respondents (30 percent) also pointed out that the implementation of parental leave policy was largely dependent on the supervisor, their relationship with the employee, their attitude towards parental leave, as well as their negotiation skills. Many perceived the process and decision making to be arbitrary, leaving room for unfair outcomes. In the quote below, one mother describes a similar issue:

“I know that there was a woman who had a child before me in the unit. She couldn’t make a decision on whether she wanted to come back after she had her child. She came back after for a short time, but then decided to leave. This seemed to set the tone for how I was treated… my supervisor, I think she thought all moms would be like the example she had seen. So, this first mom was allowed to come back part-time. I was never given this chance – even though (as my boss says) I ‘begged for it’.”

Some respondents also reported that those who were assertive received better parental leave and accommodations. As one respondent put it, “If you are an assertive personality and simply demand the time off it is granted.”

Many respondents (42 percent) identified several groups that routinely received unfavorable outcomes, including fathers, adoptive families, new and young faculty members and staff, certain types of staff employees (merit vs. professional and scientific staff), and single parents.

“Fathers are shamed for taking time off with their newborns because their workload has to be handled by others. I was the first female in the department to have a child but was encouraged to take as much time off as I could.”

“As a single parent of a chronically ill child, you are evaluated lower because of your absences.”

“That unit seemed to treat merit staff differently than P&S when it came to childbirth, as well as other things.”

Several non-parent workers reported feeling treated unfairly due to the extra work they were asked to cover for those who took leave.

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Section 7: Career-Related ConcernsThis section investigates overall perceptions of career pressure, and the degree to which parental leave policies have affected the respondent’s employment-related decisions (recruitment and retention). Differences are examined for gender, race, parental status, staff/faculty employee status, faculty tenure status, and by college or organizational unit.

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Career Pressures

Survey Item

“The career pressures I experience here have caused me to miss many important events in my family and personal life.”

Overall 38 percent of respondents report feeling career pressures that have caused them to miss important events in their family and personal life, 43 percent do not report having these kinds of career pressures, and 19 percent provided a neutral (neither agree nor disagree) response to this question (see Figure 27).

Differences in Career PressuresThere are three significant differences in reports of feeling career pressures.

1) Faculty are more likely to report feeling career pressures (45 percent) compared to staff (36 percent).

2) Tenure-track faculty are more likely to report feeling career pressures (48 percent) compared to non-tenure track faculty (31 percent).

3) Respondents in the Health Care Units are the most likely to report feeling career pressures (43 percent), compared to respondents in Colleges (37 percent), Auxiliary Units (32 percent), and Central Administration (28 percent) (see Figure 28).

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Figure 27: Career Pressures by Gender, Race, Employment and Faculty Status



ParentalStatus

Disagree 43% 44% 35% 45% 43% 41% 44% 33% 48% 43% 42%

Neutral 16% 19% 20% 22% 18% 19% 19% 19% 21% 19% 20%

Agree 38% 36% 45% 33% 39% 40% 37% 48% 31% 38% 38%

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Figure 28: Career Pressures by College or Organization Unit



Overall CollegesandOrgnizationsDisagree 43% 54% 42% 47% 56% 37%

Neutral 19% 18% 20% 14% 12% 20%

Agree 38% 28% 37% 39% 32% 43%

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PolicyInfluenceonRecruitment

Survey Item:

“To what extent did your college’s policies or department’s practices around parental leave affect your recruitment to

your department or unit?”

Overall 64 percent of respondents report that parental leave practices and policies did not influence their decision to begin working at the University of Iowa (see Figure 29). Only 11 percent of respon-dents said that it influenced their decision “extremely” or “significantly.”

DifferencesinPolicyInfluenceonRecruitmentThere are three significant differences in the extent to which parental leave policies have influenced respondent’s decision to begin working at the University of Iowa.

1) Men were more likely than women to report that parental leave policies did not influence their decision to begin working at the University of Iowa (67 percent compared to 63 percent).

2) White respondents were more likely than Non-white respondents to report that parental leave policies did not influence their decision to begin working at the University of Iowa (65 percent compared to 52 percent).

3) Non-parent respondents were more likely than parent respondents to report that parental leave policies did not influence their decision to begin working at the University of Iowa (68 percent compared to 60 percent).

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Figure29:InfluenceonRecruitmentbyGender,Race,EmploymentandFacultyStatus

Staff Faculty MenWomen Non-WWhite TenuredNon-T ParentNon-P


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Extremely 3% 3% 2% 1% 3% 4% 3% 2% 0% 3% 2%

Significantly 8% 8% 6% 7% 8% 16% 7% 6% 10% 10% 6%

Somewhat 16% 16% 16% 15% 16% 18% 16% 17% 12% 17% 14%

Alittle 9% 9% 9% 11% 9% 10% 10% 10% 5% 10% 9%

Noinfluence 64% 63% 66% 67% 63% 52% 68% 65% 73% 60% 68%

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100%


Figure30:InfluenceonRecruitmentbyCollegeorOrganizationUnit



Overall CollegesandOrgnizationsExtremely 3% 2% 2% 0% 2% 4%

Significantly 8% 8% 9% 10% 11% 7%

Somewhat 16% 13% 17% 13% 13% 15%

Alittle 9% 7% 9% 6% 11% 11%

Noinfluence 64% 70% 63% 71% 64% 63%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%


Return to TOC

PolicyInfluenceonRetention

Survey Item

“To what extent did your college’s policies or department’s practices around parental leave affect your retention in your

department or unit?”

Overall 54 percent of respondents report that parental leave practices and policies do influence their decision to continue working at the University of Iowa (see Figure 29). While 22 percent report that it influenced their decision “extremely” or “significantly,” 20 percent report it influenced their decision “somewhat,” and 11 percent report it influenced their decision “a little.”

DifferencesinPolicyInfluenceonRetentionThere are four significant differences in the extent to which parental leave policies influence the decision of respondent’s to continue working at the University of Iowa.

1) Women were more likely than men to report that parental leave policies influenced their decision to continue working at the University of Iowa (55 percent compared to 47 percent).

2) Non-white respondents were more likely than white respondents to report that parental leave policies influenced their decision to continue working at the University of Iowa (60 percent compared to 52 percent).

3) Parent respondents were more likely than non-parent respondents to report that parental leave policies influenced their decision to continue working at the University of Iowa (60 percent compared to 46 percent).

4) Staff respondents were more likely than faculty respondents to report that parental leave policies influenced their decision to continue working at the University of Iowa (55 percent compared to 49 percent).

Return to TOC

Figure31:InfluenceonRetentionbyGender,Race,EmploymentandFacultyStatus

Staff Faculty MenWomen Non-WWhite TenuredNon-T ParentNon-P


ParentalStatus

Extremely 6% 5% 2% 7% 3% 6% 6% 3% 5% 8% 4%

Significantly 16% 13% 10% 17% 13% 19% 16% 13% 12% 20% 12%

Somewhat 20% 15% 17% 20% 21% 31% 19% 22% 24% 21% 19%

Alittle 11% 8% 9% 11% 10% 4% 11% 11% 10% 11% 11%

Noinfluence 46% 35% 39% 45% 53% 40% 48% 51% 50% 40% 54%

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%


Figure32:InfluenceonRetentionbyCollegeorOrganizationUnit



Overall CollegesandOrgnizationsExtremely 6% 10% 5% 5% 10% 6%

Significantly 16% 17% 16% 13% 16% 16%

Somewhat 20% 15% 22% 19% 22% 20%

Alittle 11% 10% 10% 16% 11% 12%

Noinfluence 46% 48% 46% 47% 42% 46%

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%


Return to TOC

Section 8: Recommended Changes at University Level

Survey Item

“Is there anything you would want to see change at the university level regarding parental leave?”

All respondents were asked a final question regarding changes they would like to see at the university in regard to parental leave. Responses were received from 31 percent of the sample.

This question is very similar to the question that was asked of the Parental Leave Experience Subsample. “What could have been done better at the departmental, collegiate, or unit level during your experience of requesting, receiving, and returning from parental leave?”

As with the previous question, responses have been categorized into four major categories along with the percentage of respondents mentioning this type of improvement (see Table 13).

Table 14: Common Topics with University Improvements and Percentage of Mentions

PercentagePolicy Improvements

40%• Offer paid leave• Offer short-term disability• Secure 12-week parental leave for each person, not shared by family• Standardized implementation

Information Disclosure Improvements

17%• Provide more accurate, clear information and easy access to it• Offer information sessions for parents, HR and supervisors• Provide uniform interpretation of the policy

Before and After Leave Accommodation Improvements

34%

• Provide accommodation during and after pregnancy and other parents (help with lifting, breastfeeding, parking, on-site day care, etc.)

• Provide more flexible working schedule (half-time, 75% time, etc.)• Provide job coverage (e.g. hire temporary workers)• Let people donate time to those who need

Climate Improvements9%• Achieve better and more inclusive environment

• No parenthood penalty

N=711.

About 40 percent of respondents mentioned potential improvements in parental leave policy, among which “paid leave” was the most popular. Around 25 percent of all respondents hoped that the university could provide paid leave, and some respondents (about 4 percent) wanted the university to incorporate short-term disability insurance into parental leave policy, allowing parents to retain some of their sick leave and vacation time for after parental leave.

Addressing the issue of limited time for parental leave, some respondents (about 5 percent) hoped they could have full 12-week leave when needed. It was also important to respondents that FMLA leave is not shared within a family, which usually left fathers with little to no leave.

An additional 6 percent of respondents mentioned standardized implementation of parental leave policy instead of leaving it to the discretion supervisors and other superiors.

Return to TOC

Echoing suggestions made by parents (discussed in a previous section of this report), some respondents (about 5 percent) stressed the need for better information disclosure, urging the university to provide clear guidelines and access to reliable information. Some respondents suggested holding information sessions for parents as well as HR staff and supervisors to help with achieving consistent implementation of policy.

As for accommodation improvements, respondents mentioned making appropriate adjustments to duties, including physically demanding tasks; better access to private and sanitary lactation rooms; providing affordable, on-site daycare, etc. Overall, about 20 percent of respondents hoped to see such facility improvements for pregnant women and parents. Moreover, 12 percent of respondents hoped to have flexible work schedule (half-time, 75% time, etc.) after returning from parental leave, which would help with their transition. Some respondents (about 2 percent) also suggested a more flexible implementation of leave policy, i.e. allowing people to donate time to those who need it. Another suggestion made by some respondents (about 1 percent) was to provide proper job coverage for those who take leave.

Finally, some respondents (about 9 percent) also discussed improvements to university climate around parental leave. Generally, about 7 percent of respondents hoped that the university could create a better and more inclusive environment for all parents and non-parents by adopting fair practice and altering the “work before family” expectation. In addition, about 2 percent of respondents stressed the need to end practices that penalized parents for taking leave and prioritizing their family.

Return to TOC

ConclusionThis survey offers a broad overview of parental leave utilization, practices, and policies at the University of Iowa. Through both tabulated responses and open-ended follow-up questions, respondents (a demographically-representative sample of faculty and staff) detail their experience of parental leave, their assessment of that experience, and their assessment of the campus climate surrounding family leave.

As detailed above, the survey results suggest both broad patterns and significant experiential or perceptual differences across demographic groups and University units. Despite common institutional and statutory commitments, a significant share of respondents reported confusion surrounding leave policies, inconsistent treatment across units, and unsupportive (and in some instances) punitive climates faced by parents requesting leave, taking leave, or returning from leave. Indeed, while many respondents expressed satisfaction with their own experience, fewer than half felt that the University climate overall was a positive one for working parents.

Recommendations for Future Data Collection and Analysis

This survey provides important insight into how parental leave is experienced at the University of Iowa. We offer the following recommendations for improvements in future data collection and analysis efforts.

• Our ability to understand the experiences of certain groups (including non-white racial and ethnic groups, and trans and other gender identities) were limited by small sample sizes. We recommend reaching out to and encouraging the participation of underrepresented populations. For example, existing campus resources and organizations may be used to distribute the survey to a more diverse audience.

• This survey was aimed at understanding the experiences of parents, as well as the perceptions and climate surrounding parental leave among university employees. We recommend making this clear in the survey distribution, highlighting that both parents and non-parents are eligible to participate.

• In the current survey, many open-ended questions were only available to those who reported having a negative experience. However, allowing detailed responses from people with both positive and negative experiences would lead to more detailed qualitative analysis.

• Even though the current survey contained a battery of questions on the types of leave respondents knew about, wanted, requested, and received, several data collection issues made these responses difficult to interpret.

▪ We recommend reordering these questions, for example, asking about the types of leave respondents wanted before asking about the leave they received.

▪ Some questions on the types of leave requested and received only collected affirmative responses, which meant that it was not possible to distinguish between respondents who did not request or receive a certain type of leave and those who merely skipped that question.

• Greater uniformity in response options and their ordering would also improve both the experience of survey taker as well as ease data analysis.

• We also recommend shortening and simplifying survey questions where possible to avoid survey fatigue and non-response.

• Finally, many themes emerging in the current qualitative analysis may be important to specifically assess in future surveys. For example, questions around experiences of discrimination and retaliation, access to lactation facilities and other accommodations, experiences of fathers and adoptive parents may warrant further exploration.

Return to TOC

Appendix TablesTable A1: Differences in Satisfaction with Leave Received, by Gender, Race, Employment and Faculty Status

Satisfaction with Leave Overall

Gender Race Employment Status Faculty Status

Women Men Non-white White Staff Faculty Tenure Non-Tenure

Satisfied61.74%

(397)

63.35%

(337)

55.88%

(38)

54.84%

(17)

62.96%

(345)

64.61%

(356)

46.32%

(44)50.00%

(41)33.33%

(2)

Neutral9.49%

(61)

8.27%

(44)

13.24%

(9)

12.9%

(4)

8.58%

(47)

9.64%

(53)9.38%

(9)9.76%

(8)0.00%

(0)

Dissatisfied28.77%

(185)

28.38%

(151)

30.88%

(21)

32.26%

(10)

28.47%

(156)

25.77%

(142)

44.79%

(43)

40.24%

(33)

66.67%

(4)Mean 2.33 2.35 2.25 2.23 2.34 2.38 2.01 2.10 1.67t-test - t = -0.865, n.s. t = -0.72, n.s. t = 3.83, p < .001 t = 1.07, n.s.% missing 15.13% 20.92% 23.68% 15.13% 85.92%

Table A2: Differences in Satisfaction with Leave, by College or Organizational Unit

Satisfaction with Leave Overall

Colleges and OrganizationsCentral

Administration Colleges Other Academic Auxiliary Health Care Units

Satisfied61.74%

(397)

75.58%

(65)

58.75%

(151)

57.89%

(11)

57.14%

(16)

61.50%

(139)

Neutral9.49%

(61)

6.98%

(6)

8.17%

(21)

10.53%

(2)

10.71%

(3)

11.95%

(27)

Dissatisfied28.77%

(185)

17.44%

(15)

33.07%

(85)

31.58%

(6)

32.14%

(9)

26.55%

(60)Mean 2.33 2.58 2.25 2.26 2.25 2.35

Comparison -> colleges

> health care< cent admin n.s. n.s. < cent admin

% missing 15.13% 18.95%

Table A3: Differences in Satisfaction with Process of Requesting and Negotiating Leave

Satisfaction with Process Overall



Satisfied55.83%

(359)57.17% (303)

47.06% (32)

48.39%

(15)

56.59%

(309)58.76% (322)

38.95% (37)

41.46%

(34)

50.00%

(3)

Neutral16.02%

(103)

14.72%

(78)

25.00%

(25)

25.81%

(8)

15.38%

(84)17.34%

(95)8.42%

(8)9.76%

(8)0.00%

(0)

Dissatisfied28.2%

(181)

28.11%

(149)

27.94%

(19)

25.81%

(8)

28.02%

(153)23.91% (131)

52.63% (50)

48.78% (40)

50.00%

(3)Mean 2.28 2.29 2.19 2.23 2.29 2.35 1.86 1.93 2.00t-test - t = -0.88, n.s. t = -0.371, n. s. t = 0.18, n.s. t = 5.09, p<.001% missing 15.39% 21.32% 24.08% 15.39% 88.42%

Return to TOC

Table A4: Differences in Satisfaction with Process by College or Organizational Unit

Satisfaction with Process Overall



Satisfied55.83%

(359)

69.77%

(60)

51.36%

(132)

57.89%

(11)

53.57%

(15)

58.04%

(130)

Neutral16.02%

(103)

17.44%

(15)

14.01%

(36)

29.10%

(7)

17.86%

(5)

16.52%

(37)

Dissatisfied28.2%

(181)

12.79%

(11)

34.63%

(89)

25.00%

(6)

28.57%

(8)

25.45%

(57)Mean 2.28 2.57 2.17 2.00 2.25 2.33

Comparison -

> other acadmic

> colleges

> health care

< cent admin

< health care< cent admin n.s.

< cent admin

> colleges

% missing 15.39% 19.21%

Table A5: Differences in Satisfaction with Return to Work

Satisfaction with Return Overall



Satisfied 60.37% (387)

60.38%

(320)

64.71%

(44)61.29%

(19)59.96%

(328)

62.04%

(340)50.54%

(47)52.44%

(43)40.00%

(2)

Neutral 18.25% (117)

18.11%

(96)

17.65%

(12)

22.58%

(7)18.65% (102)

17.52% (96)

22.58%

(21)21.95%

(18)0.00%

(0)

Dissatisfied 21.37% (137)

21.51%

(114)

17.65%

(12)

16.13%

(5)21.39% (117)

20.44% (112)

26.88% (25)

25.61%

(21)60.00%

(3)

Mean 2.39 2.39 2.47 2.45 2.39 2.42 2.24 2.27 1.8t-test - t = 0.78, n.s. t = 0.44, n.s. t = 1.96, p < .05 t = -1.18, n.s.% missing 15.66% 21.32% 23.95% 15.66% 88.55%

Table A6: Differences in Satisfaction with Return, by College or Organizational Unit

Satisfaction with Return Overall



Satisfied 60.37% (387)

71.43%

(60)

60.16%

(154)

63.16%

(12)

67.86%

(19)

56.64%

(128)

Neutral 18.25% (117)

10.71%

(9)

17.58%

(45)

15.79%

(3)

7.14%

(2)

24.34%

(55)

Dissatisfied 21.37% (137)

17.86%

(15)

22.27%

(57)

21.05%

(4)

25.00%

(7)

19.03%

(43)Mean 2.39 2.54 2.38 2.42 2.43 2.38Comparison - n.s. n.s. n.s. n.s. n.s.

% missing 15.66% 19.34%

Return to TOC

Table A7: Differences in Satisfaction with Pregnancy and Work

Satisfaction with Pregnancy

OverallRace Employment Status Faculty Status

Non-white White Staff Faculty Tenure Non-Tenure

Satisfied72.81%

(407)

55.17%

(16)

73.91%

(357)

72.80%

(348)

72.84%

(59)71.83%

(51)66.67%

(4)

Neutral14.49%

(81)

17.24%

(5)14.29%

(69)14.02%

(67)

17.28%

(14)

16.90%

(12)

33.33%

(2)

Dissatisfied12.70%

(71)

27.59%

(8)11.80%

(57)13.18%

(63)9.88%

(8)

11.27%

(8)

0.00%

(0)Mean 2.60 2.28 2.62 2.60 2.63 2.61 2.67t-test - t = -2.58, p <.05 t = -0.39, n.s. t = 0.21, n.s.% missing 26.45% 32.63% 26.45% 89.87%

Table A8: Differences in Satisfaction with Pregnancy and Work by College or Organizational Unit

Satisfaction with Pregnancy

OverallColleges and Organizations

Central Administration Colleges Other Academic Auxiliary Health Care Units

Satisfied72.81%

(407)

79.45%

(58)

75.00%

(171)

81.25%

(13)

75.00%

(15)

67.84%

(135)

Neutral14.49%

(81)

9.59%

(7)

12.72%

(29)

12.50%

(2)15.00%

(3)19.60%

(39)

Dissatisfied12.70%

(71)

10.96%

(8)

12.28%

(28)

6.25%

(1)

10.00%

(2)

12.56%

(25)Mean 2.60 2.68 2.63 2.75 2.65 2.55Comparison - n.s. n.s. n.s. n.s. n.s.% missing 26.45% 29.47%

Table A9: Differences in Colleague Supportiveness by Gender, Race, and Parental Status

OverallGender Race Parental Status

Women Men Non-White White Parent Non-Parent

Agree77.65%

(1636)

77.89%

(1184)

81.97%

(300)

73.43%

(105)

78.94%

(1327)

82.08%

(925)

72.63%

(711)

Neutral11.39%

(240)

10.20%

(155)

11.75%

(43)

11.89%

(17)

10.23%

(172)

7.54%

(85)15.83% (155)

Disagree10.96%

(231)

11.91%

(181)

6.28%

(23)

14.69%

(21)

10.83%

(182)10.38% (117)

11.54%

(113)Mean 2.67 2.76 2.66 2.59 2.68 2.72 2.61Comparison - t = 2.53, p < 0.05 t = -1.62, n.s. t = -3.67, p < .001% missing 16.12% 24.92% 27.39% 16.16%

Note: For gender, due to small sample sizes, we only compare responses from men and women, not including those who identified as transgender or other, which together make up 0.5 percent of respondents.

Return to TOC

Table A10: Differences in Colleague Supportiveness by Employment Status and Faculty Tenure Status

Colleague Supportiveness Overall

Employment Status Faculty StatusStaff Faculty Tenure Non-Tenure

Agree77.65%

(1636)

78.90%

(1,354)72.35% (280)

73.72%

(230)

71.70%

(38)

Neutral11.39%

(240)

10.08%

(173)

17.31%

(67)

16.35%

(51)

16.98%

(9)

Disagree10.96%

(231)11.01% (189)

10.34%

(40)

9.94%

(31)

11.32%

(6)Mean 2.67 2.68 2.62 2.64 2.60Comparison - t = 1.57, n.s. t = -0.35, n.s.% missing 16.12% 16.28% 85.47%

Table A11: Differences in Colleague Supportiveness by College or Organizational Unit

Colleague Supportiveness Overall



Satisfied77.65%

(1636)

83.09%

(226)

79.44%

(684)

83.08%

(54)

80.00%

(80)

74.12%

(507)

Neutral11.39%

(240)

11.03%

(30)

10.80%

(93)

10.77%

(7)11.00%

(11)11.84%

(81)

Dissatisfied10.96%

(231)

5.88%

(16)

9.76%

(84)

6.15%

(4)

9.00%

(9)

14.04%

(96)Mean 2.67 2.77 2.70 2.77 2.71 2.60

Comparison - > health care > health care > health care

< cent admin

< other acdm

< colleges% missing 16.12% 21.10%

Table A12: Differences in Chair Supportiveness by Gender, Race, and Parental Status

Chair Supportiveness Overall

Gender Race Parental StatusWomen Men Non-White White Parent Non-Parent

Agree51.53%

(1079)

51.32%

(778)

56.91%

(206)

50.70%

(72)

52.51%

(879)

57.42%

(642)

44.82%

(437)

Neutral29.37%

(615)

27.90%

(423)

30.94%

(112)

30.99%

(44)

28.02%

(469)

22.18%

(248)

37.54%

366

Disagree19.10%

(400)

20.78%

(315)

12.15%

(44)

18.31%

(26)

19.47%

(326)

20.39%

(228)

17.64%

172Mean 2.32 2.31 2.45 2.32 2.33 2.37 2.27Comparison - t = 3.13, p < 0.05 t = -0.09, n.s. t = -2.90, p < 0.01% missing 16.64% 25.24% 27.71% 16.68%

Return to TOC

Table A13: Differences in Chair Supportiveness by Employment Status and Faculty Tenure Status



Agree51.53%

(1079)

51.20%

(873)

53.51%

(206)

57.88%

(180)

42.31%

(22)

Neutral29.37%

(615)

31.08%

(530)

21.30%

(82)

17.36%

(54)

30.77%

(16)

Disagree19.10%

(400)

17.78%

(302)

25.19%

(97)

24.76%

(77)

26.92%


Table A14: Differences in Chair Supportiveness by College or Organizational Unit




Agree51.53%

(1079)

54.44%

(147)

54.74%

(468)

63.64%

(42)

57.00%

(57)

47.05%

(319)

Neutral29.37%

(615)

33.70%

(91)

27.49%

(235)

25.76%

(17)

25.00%

(25)

29.94%

(203)

Disagree19.10%

(400)

11.85%

(32)

17.78%

(152)

10.61%

(7)

18.00%

(18)

23.01%

(156)Mean 2.32 2.43 2.37 2.53 2.39 2.24

Comparison - > health > health > health

< other ac.

< cent. adm.

< colleges% missing 16.64% 21.62%

Table A15: Differences in Department or Unit Climate by Gender, Race, and Parental Status

Dept./Unit Climate Overall


Good63.62%

1331

64.21%

974

66.30%

240

52.45%

75

65.77%

1101

64.91%

727

62.10%

603

Fair 24.00%

502

23.93%

363

22.65%

82

30.77%

44

22.76%

381

22.68%

254

25.54%

248

Poor12.38%

259

11.87%

180

11.05%

40

16.78%

24

11.47%

192

12.41%

139

12.36%

120Mean 2.51 2.55 2.52 2.36 2.54 2.53 2.50Comparison - t = 0.71, n.s. t = -3.0, p < .01 t = -0.89, n.s.% missing 16.72% 25.20% 27.67% 16.76%

Return to TOC

Table A16: Differences in Department or Unit Climate by Employment or Faculty Tenure Status



Good63.62%

1331

65.18%

1114

56.73%

215

59.35%

184

47.92%

23

Fair24.00%

502

23.35%

(399)

26.91%

102

25.16%

78

33.33%

16

Poor12.38%

259

11.47%

(196)

16.36%

62

15.48%

48

18.75%

9Mean 2.51 2.54 2.40 2.44 2.29Comparison - t = 3.34, p < .001 t = -1.26, n.s.% missing 16.72% 16.88% 85.75%

Table A17: Differences in Department or Unit Climate by College or Organizational Unit




Good63.62%

1331

75.74%

206

63.05%

534

70.77%

46

60.49%

49

60.41%

412

Fair 24.00%

502

16.54%

45

23.61%

200

23.08%

15

24.69%

20

27.42%

187

Poor12.38%

259

7.72%

21

13.34%

113

6.15%

4

14.81%

12

12.17%

83Mean 2.51 2.68 2.50 2.65 2.56 2.48

Comparison -> health

> colleges< cnt admin n.s. n.s. < cnt admin

% missing 16.72% 21.70%

Table A18: Differences in University Climate by Gender, Race, and Parental Status

University Climate Overall


Good47.70%

975

47.33%

708

51.54%

184

35.66%

51

49.36%

813

49.59%

543

45.46%

431

Fair 34.83%

712

35.68%

533

31.37%

112

42.66%

61

34.06%

561

32.88%

360

37.13%

352

Poor17.47%

357

17.05%

255

17.09%

61

21.68%

31

16.58%

273

17.53%

192

17.41%

165Mean 2.30 2.34 2.30 2.14 2.33 2.32 2.28Comparison - t = 0.95, n.s. t = -2.90, p < .01 t = -1.20, n.s.% missing 18.63% 26.23% 28.74% 18.67%

Return to TOC

Table A19: Differences in University Climate by Employment and Faculty Tenure Status



Good47.70%

975

49.46%

826

39.73%

147

43.23%

131

25.53%

12

Fair34.83%

712

35.45%

592

32.16%

119

31.68%

96

34.04%

16

Poor17.47%

357

15.09%

252

28.11%

104

25.08%

76

40.43%

19Mean 2.30 2.34 2.11 2.18 1.85Comparison - t = 5.32, p < .001 t = -2.61, p < .01% missing 18.63% 18.79% 86.07%

Table A20: Differences in University Climate by College and Organizational Unit




Good47.70%

975

56.98%

151

44.81%

371

34.85%

23

56.84%

54

48.29%

324

Fair 34.83%

712

31.70%

84

34.06%

282

39.39%

26

29.47%

28

36.66%

246

Poor17.47%

357

11.32%

30

21.14%

175

25.76%

17

13.68%

13

15.05%

101Mean 2.30 2.46 2.24 2.09 2.43 2.33

Comparison -

> other acad

> colleges

> health

< cnt admin< health

< auxiliary

< cnt admin< health

< auxiliary

> college

> other acd

< cnt admin> colleges

> other acd% missing 18.63% 23.37%

Table A21: Differences in Perceived Fairness by Gender, Race, and Parental Status

Fairness OverallGender Race Parental Status


Unfair25.34%

(522)

26.52%

(401)19.01%

(69)26.76%

(38)24.85%

(415)21.44% (236)

29.85% (286)

Fair74.66%

(1538)

73.48%

(1111)

80.99%

(294)

73.24%

(104)

75.15%

(1255)

78.56%

(865)70.15% (627)

Mean 0.25 0.73 0.81 0.73 0.75 0.79 0.71Comparison - t = -2.97, p < 0.01 t = 0.50, n.s. t = 4.40, p <.001% missing 17.99% 25.36% 27.87% 18.03%

Return to TOC

Table A22: Differences in Perceived Fairness by Employment Status and Faculty Tenure Status

Fairness OverallEmployment Status Faculty Status

Staff Faculty Tenure Non-Tenure

Unfair25.34%

(522)

75.25%

(1268)71.97% (267)

71.80%

(219)

69.57%

(32)

Fair74.66%

(1538)24.75 %

(417)28.03%

(104)28.20%

(86)

30.43%

(14)Mean 0.25 0.75 0.72 0.72 0.70Comparison - t = -1.32, n.s. t = -0.31, n.s.% missing 17.99% 18.15% 86.03%

Table A23: Differences in Perceived Fairness by College or Organizational Unit

Fairness OverallColleges and Organizations

Central Administration Colleges Other Academic Auxiliary Health Care

Units

Fair74.66%

(1538)

80.74%

218

73.51%

616

89.06%

57

78.57%

77

72.84%

488

Unfair25.34%

(522)

19.26%

52

26.49%

222

10.94%

7

21.43%

21

27.16%

182Mean 0.25 0.81 0.74 0.89 0.79 0.73

Comparison ->colleges

> health

<cnt admin

< other acd

> health

> collegesn.s.

< other acd.

< cnt admin% missing 17.99% 22.77%

Table A24: Differences in Career Pressure by Gender, Race, and Parental Status

Career Pressure OverallGender Race Parental Status


Agree38.01%

(802)

38.74%

(590)

33.33%

(122)

39.86%

(57)

37.08%

(624)

37.78%

(425)

38.31%

(377)

Neutral19.38%

(409)

17.86%

(272)

22.13%

(81)

18.88%

(27)18.66% (314)

19.11%

(215)

19.72%

(194)

Disagree42.61%

(899)

43.40%

(661)44.54%

(163)41.26%

(59)

44.27%

(745)

43.11%

(485)

41.97%

(413)Mean 1.95 1.95 1.89 1.99 1.93 1.95 1.96Comparison - t = -1.24, n.s. t = 0.74, n.s. t = 0.43, n.s.% missing 16.00% 24.80% 27.31% 16.04%

Table A25: Differences in Career Pressure by Employment and Faculty Tenure Status

Career Pressure OverallEmployment Status Faculty Status

Staff Faculty Tenure Non-Tenure

Agree38.01%

(802)

36.32%

(624)45.36%

(176)47.92%

150

30.77%

16

Neutral19.38%

(409)

19.27%

(331)20.10%

(78)19.49%

61

21.15%

11

Disagree42.61%

(899)

44.41%

(763)

34.54%

(134)

32.59%

102

48.08%

25Mean 1.95 1.92 2.11 2.15 1.83Comparison - t = -3.76, p < .001 t = -2.46, p < .05% missing 16.00% 16.16% 85.47%

Return to TOC

Table A26: Differences in Career Pressure by College or Organizational Unit




Agree38.01%

(802)

28.31%

77

37.38%

323

39.39%

26

31.68%

32

42.67%

291

Neutral19.38%

(409)

18.01%

49

20.25%

175

13.64%

9

11.88%

12

20.38%

139

Disagree42.61%

(899)

53.68%

146

42.36%

366

46.97%

31

56.44%

57

36.95%

252Mean 1.95 1.75 1.95 1.92 1.75 2.06

Comparison - < colleges < health

> auxiliary > ct admin

< healthn.s.

< colleges > ct admin

< health

> colleges > auxiliary > ct admin

% missing 16.00% 20.98%

Table A27: Differences in Influence on Recruitment

Influence on Recruitment Overall


Extremely2.74%

(53)

3.20%

(48)

0.56%

(2)

4.29%

(6)

2.71%

(45)

3.22%

(34)

2.17%

(19)

Significantly 8.13%

(157)

8.26%

(124)

7.22%

(26)

15.71%

(22)

7.28%

(121)

9.56%

(101)

6.40%

(56)

Somewhat15.74%

(304)

16.38%

(246)14.72%

(53)17.86%

(25)

15.76%

(262)

16.86%

(178)

14.40%

(126)

A little9.43%

(182)

9.32%

(140)

10.56%

(38)

10.00%

(14)9.51% (158)

9.94%

(105)

8.80%

(77)

Not at all63.96%

(1235)62.85% (944)

66.94%

(241)

52.14%

(73)

64.74%

(1076)60.42% (638)

68.23%

(597)Mean 1.76 1.80 1.64 2.10 1.74 1.85 1.65Comparison - t = -2.35, p < .05 t = 3.61, p< .001 t = -3.78, p<.001% missing 23.13% 25.88% 28.26% 23.13%

Table A28: Differences in Influence on Recruitment by Employment and Faculty Tenure Status



Extremely2.74%

(53)

3.00%

(47)

1.67%

(6)

1.67%

(5)

0.00%

(0)

Significantly 8.13%

(157)

8.48%

(133)

6.41%

(23)

6.02%

(18)

9.76%

(4)

Somewhat15.74%

(304)

15.63%

(245)

16.43%

(59)

17.06%

(51)

12.20%

(5)

A little9.43%

(182)

9.44%

(148)9.47% (34)

10.03%

(30)

4.88%

(2)

Not at all63.96%

(1235)

63.46%

(995)

66.02%

(237)

65.22%

(195)

73.17%


Return to TOC

Table A29: Differences in Influence on Recruitment by College or Organizational Unit




Extremely2.74%

(53)

2.34%

6

2.38%

19

0.00%

0

2.13%

2

3.75%

23

Significantly 8.13%

(157)

8.20%

21

8.53%

68

9.68%

6

10.64%

10

7.33%

45

Somewhat15.74%

(304)

12.89%

33

17.19%

137

12.90%

8

12.77%

12

14.50%

89

A little9.43%

(182)

7.03%

18

9.16%

73

6.45%

4

10.64%

10

11.07%

68

Not at all63.96%

(1235)

69.53%

178

62.74%

500

70.97%

44

63.83%

60

63.36%

389Mean 1.76 1.67 1.79 1.61 1.77 1.77Comparison - n.s. n.s. n.s. n.s. n.s.% missing 23.13% 27.43%

Table A30: Differences in Influence on Retention by Gender, Race, and Parental Status

Influence on Retention Overall


Extremely6.15%

118

6.67%

101

3.35%

12

5.71%

8

5.87%

97

8.10%

85

3.80%

33

Significantly 16.06%

308

17.06%

255

13.41%

48

19.29%

27

15.98%

264

19.71%

207

11.64%

101

Somewhat20.49%

393

20.07%

300

20.95%

75

30.71%

43

19.31%

319

21.43%

225

19.35%

168

A little11.11%

213

11.30%

169

9.78%

35

4.29%

6

11.32%

187

11.24%

118

10.94%

95

Not at all46.19%

886

44.82%

670

52.51%

188

40.00%

56

47.52%

785

39.52%

415

54.26%

471Mean 2.25 2.30 2.05 2.46 2.21 2.46 2.00Comparison - t = -3.0, p < 0.01 t = 2.12, p< .05 t = -7.55, p < .001% missing 23.65% 26.23% 28.66% 23.65%

Return to TOC

Table A31: Differences in Influence on Retention by Employment and Faculty Tenure Status



Extremely6.15%

118

6.89%

(107)

3.06%

(11)

2.68%

(8)

4.76%

2


308

16.80%

(261)12.78%

(46)12.71%

38

11.90%

5

Somewhat20.49%

39320.08%

(312)22.22%

(80)

22.41%

67

23.81%

10

A little11.11%

213

11.00%

(171)

11.39%

(41)

11.04%

33

9.52%

4

Not at all46.19%

886

45.24%

(703)50.56%

(182)51.17%

153

50.00%

21Mean 2.25 2.29 2.06 2.05 2.12Comparison - t = 2.90, p < .01 t = 0.36, n.s.% missing 23.65% 23.81% 86.43%

Table A32: Differences in Influence on Recruitment by College or Organizational Unit




Extremely6.15%

118

9.84%

25

5.28%

42

4.84%

3

9.68%

9

5.58%

34


308

17.32%

44

15.95%

127

12.90%

8

16.13%

15

16.26%

99

Somewhat20.49%

393

14.96%

38

22.49%

179

19.35%

12

21.51%

20

19.87%

121

A little11.11%

213

9.84%

25

10.18%

81

16.13%

10

10.75%

10

12.15%

74

Not at all46.19%

886

48.03%

122

46.11%

367

46.77%

29

41.94%

39

46.14%

281Mean 2.25 2.31 2.24 2.13 2.41 2.23Comparison - n.s. n.s. n.s. n.s. n.s.% missing 23.65% 27.79%

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