The Wiley Handbook of Gender Equity in Higher Education

20Work–Life Integration for University Faculty: Overcoming Immunities to Change

Maike Ingrid Philipsen

Let me begin the exploration of work–life integration in higher education with two stories, recent and true.

Story 1: I give the key to Elizabeth, and she takes it with a sigh of relief. Elizabeth works full‐time as support staff, and she is pregnant, her baby due in a few weeks. “I will work until my water breaks” she said, because fully paid child leave is not available to her. FMLA will provide 12 weeks of unpaid leave, and for half of this time Elizabeth will use short‐term disability and receive partial pay for six weeks. In any case, she wants to spend all available leave with her baby, and so there is no leave left to enable her to stay home prior to the birth. She is visibly uncomfortable, sitting at a desk for eight hours daily. The key I give her is to my office; I brought in a yoga mat, pillow and blanket so Elizabeth can get some rest every day when she needs it. If Elizabeth lived in Germany, things would be different.

Paid maternity leave is from six weeks before until eight weeks after giving birth, and parental leave can last up to three years for one parent within the first eight years of a child's life. After taking parental leave, the employee has the right to return to work – not necessarily to the same but to an equivalent workplace – and to work part‐time. During pregnancy and for four months after giving birth, an employee cannot be terminated. A partnership ...