Sometimes, you need extra time away from work to take care of yourself or your loved ones. Lam gives you the time you need to accommodate these planned or unplanned situations—like bonding with a new addition to your family, recovering from an injury, caring for a relative, or serving in the military.
Types of leave
All regular U.S. employees working at least 20 hours per week are eligible for a leave of absence. During your leave, you may be eligible for job protection and for income replacement through your short-term disability insurance (STD or, in California, VDI). You also should be aware that different leaves impact your Lam benefits in different ways.
Following is an overview of each type of leave. Details are in Leave of Absence and Accommodation Practice [PDF] and the Workplace Accommodations Notice [PDF].
Maternity leave
Maternity leave
A typical maternity leave is actually a combination of a medical leave for the period of your pregnancy and recovery, followed by parental bonding leave for bonding with your baby.
Get the guide
The maternity leave guide has everything you need to prepare for your leave, including detailed checklists and timing for all your to-dos.
Your pay while on maternity leave
During your leave, you will receive income-replacement payments from TRISTAR if you are enrolled in short-term disability insurance (or VDI in California).
During your pregnancy disability leave, you receive 75% of your regular pay. This money is not taxed, so the amount you receive may be close to your regular take-home pay.
During your bonding leave, you receive 100% of your regular pay for up to 16 weeks. Federal income tax (but not state tax) will be withheld from your payments. You may owe state tax on these payments when you file your state tax return.
Overtime, shift differentials, retention incentives, and bonuses are not included when calculating your benefit payments. The maximum weekly payment is $4,800. The amount of your benefit payment is calculated on your base pay at the time your leave begins and is fixed for the duration of your leave. Leave taken intermittently for the same reason is considered one leave, so the benefit payment will remain the same as on the initial start date of your leave, even if there is a change in your base pay rate.
For income replacement details, see the disability page.
For a look at how pay and job protection work for maternity leave, review the applicable diagram:
- Maternity Leave for California Employees [PDF]
- Maternity Leave for Oregon Employees [PDF]
- Maternity Leave for Employees Outside California and Oregon [PDF]
Get six months of paid leave
Between pregnancy disability time and 16 weeks of parental bonding time, most new moms at Lam are eligible for 26 weeks of paid leave—and more if your doctor certifies the need.
Your benefits while on maternity leave
You are responsible for paying the employee contributions for these benefits:
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage
- Life insurance
- Accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance
- Accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity insurance
- Group legal services
You will receive instructions from PlanSource, our benefits administrator, for making monthly payments (which will be slightly more than 2 times your regular biweekly paycheck deductions).
Here’s how other benefits will be impacted:
- Lam will continue to pay the cost of the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and long-term disability (LTD) coverage.
- Your contributions for short-term disability (STD) or California Voluntary Disability Insurance (VDI) will stop, but your coverage will continue.
- You stop accruing paid time off (PTO) on the first calendar day of your leave.
- Your bonus, if any, will be prorated if you are on leave for a cumulative total of 30 days or more during the bonus period.
- You are not eligible to contribute to your 401(k) or to participate in the ESPP during your leave.
- If you have a 401(k) loan, your loan payments will stop, and your loan will be re-amortized when you return to work.
- If you are enrolled in the ESPP and your leave extends beyond 90 days, in most cases your participation in the ESPP will cease on the 91st day. You can rejoin the ESPP during the next enrollment period after you return to work.
- You cannot contribute to a Health Care or Dependent Day Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA) while on leave, but you can submit claims for eligible expenses. Contributions resume when you return to work.
- Your payroll contributions and Lam’s contributions to a Health Savings Account (HSA) will stop while you are on leave, but you can submit claims for eligible expenses. Your scheduled contributions resume when you return to work, and Lam will make up any missed company contributions.
If you want to enroll your baby in Lam benefits, you must do so within 60 days of the child’s birth. Log in to PlanSource and use place-holding numbers (such as 000-00-0008) for a child who has not been issued a Social Security number (SSN). Once the actual SSN is received, immediately update the information with PlanSource.
Watch for information from TRISTAR during your leave about how to claim a personalized stroller blanket for your baby—a gift from Lam.
Job protection
Generally, your maternity leave will qualify as an FMLA leave. Refer to Leave of Absence and Accommodation Practice [PDF] for further information.
Under most circumstances, you will be reinstated to the same position you held at the beginning of your leave or to an equivalent position with equivalent pay, benefits, and other employment terms and conditions. Please note, however, that you have no greater right to employment than if you had not taken a leave. For example, if you would have been laid off had you not been on leave, or if your position is eliminated during the leave, you will not be entitled to reinstatement.
Returning to work
Contact TRISTAR one week before you return to work, and follow up with an email to the Benefits Help Desk at benefits@lamresearch.com. Providing this advance notice will help ensure your systems access is restored promptly when you return.
Lactation rooms available
Every Lam building has a designated wellness room, which may be used by lactating mothers. Access to the rooms is described in the Wellness Room Practice.
Parental bonding leave
Parental bonding leave
As a new parent, you can take up to 16 weeks of leave to bond with your new child in the 12 months following the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of the child. You can take the leave all at once or intermittently during that 12-month period.
You must be an active, regular-status employee at the time of the birth or custody of the child to be eligible for parental bonding leave. You can be:
- The birth mother, once you are no longer deemed disabled by your health care provider
- The birth father, regardless of relationship to the birth mother
- A new parent through adoption, foster parenting, surrogacy, or legal guardianship
Get the guide
The new parents LOA guide has everything you need to prepare for your leave, including detailed checklists and timing for all your to-dos.
Your pay while on parental bonding leave
If you are enrolled in short-term disability insurance (or VDI in California), you receive 100% of your regular pay for up to 16 weeks. Federal income tax (but not state tax) will be withheld from your payments. You may owe state tax on these payments when you file your state tax return.
Overtime, shift differentials, retention incentives, and bonuses are not included when calculating your benefit payments. The maximum weekly payment is $4,800. The amount of your benefit payment is calculated on your base pay at the time your leave begins and is fixed for the duration of your leave. Leave taken intermittently for the same reason is considered one leave, so the benefit payment will remain the same as on the initial start date of your leave, even if there is a change in your base pay rate.
For income replacement details, see the disability page.
For a look at how pay and job protection work for parental bonding leave, review the applicable diagram:
- Parental Bonding Leave for California Employees [PDF]
- Parental Bonding Leave for Oregon Employees [PDF]
- Parental Bonding Leave for Employees Outside California and Oregon [PDF]
Don’t opt out of STD
Employees outside California are automatically enrolled in STD as new hires and during Open Enrollment. Be sure you do not opt out of STD if you expect to take a leave in the next year.
Your benefits while on parental bonding leave
You are responsible for paying the employee contributions for these benefits:
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage
- Life insurance
- Accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance
- Accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity insurance
- Group legal services
You will receive instructions from PlanSource, our benefits administrator, for making monthly payments (which will be slightly more than 2 times your regular biweekly paycheck deductions).
Here’s how other benefits will be impacted:
- Lam will continue to pay the cost of the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and long-term disability (LTD) coverage.
- Your contributions for short-term disability (STD) or California Voluntary Disability Insurance (VDI) will stop, but your coverage will continue.
- You stop accruing paid time off (PTO) on the first calendar day of your leave.
- Your bonus, if any, will be prorated if you are on leave for a cumulative total of 30 days or more during the bonus period.
- You are not eligible to contribute to your 401(k) or to participate in the ESPP during your leave.
- If you have a 401(k) loan, your loan payments will stop, and your loan will be re-amortized when you return to work.
- If you are enrolled in the ESPP and your leave extends beyond 90 days, in most cases your participation in the ESPP will cease on the 91st day. You can rejoin the ESPP during the next enrollment period after you return to work.
- You cannot contribute to a Health Care or Dependent Day Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA) while on leave, but you can submit claims for eligible expenses. Contributions resume when you return to work.
- Your payroll contributions and Lam’s contributions to a Health Savings Account (HSA) will stop while you are on leave, but you can submit claims for eligible expenses. Your scheduled contributions resume when you return to work, and Lam will make up any missed company contributions.
If you want to enroll your new child in Lam benefits, you must do so within 60 days of the child’s birth, adoption, or foster care placement. Log in to PlanSource, and use place-holding numbers (such as 000-00-0008) for a child who has not been issued a Social Security number (SSN). Once the actual SSN is received, immediately update the information with PlanSource.
Watch for information from TRISTAR during your leave about how to claim a personalized stroller blanket for your baby—a gift from Lam.
Job protection
Generally, your parental bonding leave will qualify as an FMLA leave. Refer to Leave of Absence and Accommodation Practice [PDF] for further information.
Under most circumstances, you will be reinstated to the same position you held at the beginning of your leave or to an equivalent position with equivalent pay, benefits, and other employment terms and conditions. Please note, however, that you have no greater right to employment than if you had not taken a leave. For example, if you would have been laid off had you not been on leave, or if your position is eliminated during the leave, you will not be entitled to reinstatement.
Returning to work
Contact TRISTAR one week before you return to work, and follow up with an email to the Benefits Help Desk at benefits@lamresearch.com. Providing this advance notice will help ensure your systems access is restored promptly when you return.
Get new-parent help
Looking for resources to help with the challenges of your growing family?
Medical leave
Medical leave
There are many reasons why you may need to take a medical leave: hospitalization, pregnancy or complications due to pregnancy, severe illness, or injury.
If you are using sick time or PTO, and your illness causes you to take time off from work for more than seven calendar days, you must initiate a leave of absence.
Your pay while on medical leave
During your leave, you will receive partial income-replacement payments from TRISTAR if you are enrolled in short-term disability insurance (or VDI in California).
You will receive 75% of your regular pay, up to a maximum weekly payment of $4,800. This money is not taxed, so the amount you receive may be close to your regular take-home pay. Overtime, shift differentials, retention incentives, and bonuses are not included when calculating your benefit payments. The amount of your benefit payment is calculated on your base pay at the time your leave begins and is fixed for the duration of your leave. Leave taken intermittently for the same reason is considered one leave, so the benefit payment will remain the same as on the initial start date of your leave, even if there is a change in your base pay rate.
For income replacement details, see the disability page or the workers’ compensation page (for job-related injuries or illnesses).
For a look at how pay and job protection work for medical leave, review the applicable diagram:
- Medical Leave for California Employees [PDF]
- Medical Leave for Oregon Employees [PDF]
- Medical Leave for Employees Outside California and Oregon [PDF]
Don’t opt out of STD
Employees outside California are automatically enrolled in STD as new hires and during Open Enrollment. Be sure you do not opt out of STD if you think you might need to take a medical leave.
Your benefits while on medical leave
You are responsible for paying the employee contributions for these benefits:
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage
- Life insurance
- Accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance
- Accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity insurance
- Group legal services
You will receive instructions from PlanSource, our benefits administrator, for making monthly payments (which will be slightly more than 2 times your regular biweekly paycheck deductions).
Here’s how other benefits will be impacted:
- Lam will continue to pay the cost of the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and long-term disability (LTD) coverage.
- Your contributions for short-term disability (STD) or California Voluntary Disability Insurance (VDI) will stop, but your coverage will continue.
- You stop accruing paid time off (PTO) on the first calendar day of your leave.
- Your bonus, if any, will be prorated if you are on leave for a cumulative total of 30 days or more during the bonus period.
- You are not eligible to contribute to your 401(k) or to participate in the ESPP during your leave.
- If you have a 401(k) loan, your loan payments will stop, and your loan will be re-amortized when you return to work.
- If you are enrolled in the ESPP and your leave extends beyond 90 days, in most cases your participation in the ESPP will cease on the 91st day. You can rejoin the ESPP during the next enrollment period after you return to work.
- You cannot contribute to a Health Care or Dependent Day Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA) while on leave, but you can submit claims for eligible expenses. Contributions resume when you return to work.
- Your payroll contributions and Lam’s contributions to a Health Savings Account (HSA) will stop while you are on leave, but you can submit claims for eligible expenses. Your scheduled contributions resume when you return to work, and Lam will make up any missed company contributions.
Job protection
Your medical leave may qualify as an FMLA leave. Refer to Leave of Absence and Accommodation Practice [PDF] for further information.
Under most circumstances, you will be reinstated to the same position you held at the beginning of your leave or to an equivalent position with equivalent pay, benefits, and other employment terms and conditions. Please note, however, that you have no greater right to employment than if you had not taken a leave. For example, if you would have been laid off had you not been on leave, or if your position is eliminated during the leave, you will not be entitled to reinstatement.
Returning to work
Contact TRISTAR one week before you return to work, and follow up with an email to the Benefits Help Desk at benefits@lamresearch.com. Providing this advance notice will help ensure your systems access is restored promptly when you return.
You must provide TRISTAR certification from your doctor that you are released to return to work. If you have work restrictions, TRISTAR will notify your manager, who will determine if a reasonable accommodation is possible.
Family care leave
Family care leave
You can use family care leave to care for a seriously ill or injured family member or for situations arising from a family member’s active military service.
Your pay while on family care leave
If you are enrolled in short-term disability insurance (or VDI in California), you receive 100% of your regular pay for up to 16 weeks. Federal income tax (but not state tax) will be withheld from your payments. You may owe state tax on these payments when you file your state tax return.
Overtime, shift differentials, retention incentives, and bonuses are not included when calculating your benefit payments. The maximum weekly payment is $4,800. The amount of your benefit payment is calculated on your base pay at the time your leave begins and is fixed for the duration of your leave. Leave taken intermittently for the same reason is considered one leave, so the benefit payment will remain the same as on the initial start date of your leave, even if there is a change in your base pay rate.
For income replacement details, see the disability page.
For a look at how pay and job protection work for family care leave, review the applicable diagram;
- Family Care Leave for California Employees [PDF]
- Family Care Leave for Oregon Employees [PDF]
- Family Care Leave for Employees Outside California and Oregon [PDF]
Don’t opt out of STD
Employees outside California are automatically enrolled in STD as new hires and during Open Enrollment. Be sure you do not opt out of STD if you think you might need to take a family care leave.
Your benefits while on family care leave
You are responsible for paying the employee contributions for these benefits:
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage
- Life insurance
- Accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance
- Accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity insurance
- Group legal services
You will receive instructions from PlanSource, our benefits administrator, for making monthly payments (which will be slightly more than 2 times your regular biweekly paycheck deductions).
Here’s how other benefits will be impacted:
- Lam will continue to pay the cost of the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and long-term disability (LTD) coverage.
- Your contributions for short-term disability (STD) or California Voluntary Disability Insurance (VDI) will stop, but your coverage will continue.
- You stop accruing paid time off (PTO) on the first calendar day of your leave.
- Your bonus, if any, will be prorated if you are on leave for a cumulative total of 30 days or more during the bonus period.
- You are not eligible to contribute to your 401(k) or to participate in the ESPP during your leave.
- If you have a 401(k) loan, your loan payments will stop, and your loan will be re-amortized when you return to work.
- If you are enrolled in the ESPP and your leave extends beyond 90 days, in most cases your participation in the ESPP will cease on the 91st day. You can rejoin the ESPP during the next enrollment period after you return to work.
- You cannot contribute to a Health Care or Dependent Day Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA) while on leave, but you can submit claims for eligible expenses. Contributions resume when you return to work.
- Your payroll contributions and Lam’s contributions to a Health Savings Account (HSA) will stop while you are on leave, but you can submit claims for eligible expenses. Your scheduled contributions resume when you return to work, and Lam will make up any missed company contributions.
Job protection
Your family care leave may qualify as an FMLA leave. Refer to Leave of Absence and Accommodation Practice [PDF] for further information.
Under most circumstances, you will be reinstated to the same position you held at the beginning of your leave or to an equivalent position with equivalent pay, benefits, and other employment terms and conditions. Please note, however, that you have no greater right to employment than if you had not taken a leave. For example, if you would have been laid off had you not been on leave, or if your position is eliminated during the leave, you will not be entitled to reinstatement.
Returning to work
Contact TRISTAR one week before you return to work, and follow up with an email to the Benefits Help Desk at benefits@lamresearch.com. Providing this advance notice will help ensure your systems access is restored promptly when you return.
Personal leave
Personal leave
Employees may be granted personal leave for up to six months for reasons including travel, family matters, or continuing education. Requests for a personal leave of absence must be approved by your supervisor or department manager before you can file a claim for the leave.
Your pay while on personal leave
You do not receive pay while on personal leave. You must use all available PTO hours at the start of your leave.
Your benefits while on personal leave
You are responsible for paying the employee contributions for these benefits:
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage
- Life insurance
- Accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance
- Accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity insurance
- Group legal services
You will receive instructions from PlanSource, our benefits administrator, for making monthly payments (which will be slightly more than 2 times your regular biweekly paycheck deductions).
Here’s how other benefits will be impacted:
- Lam will continue to pay the cost of the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and long-term disability (LTD) coverage.
- Your contributions for short-term disability (STD) or California Voluntary Disability Insurance (VDI) will stop, but your coverage will continue.
- You stop accruing paid time off (PTO) on the first calendar day of your leave.
- Your bonus, if any, will be prorated if you are on leave for a cumulative total of 30 days or more during the bonus period.
- You are not eligible to contribute to your 401(k) or to participate in the ESPP during your leave.
- If you have a 401(k) loan, your loan payments will stop, and your loan will be re-amortized when you return to work.
- If you are enrolled in the ESPP and your leave extends beyond 90 days, in most cases your participation in the ESPP will cease on the 91st day. You can rejoin the ESPP during the next enrollment period after you return to work.
- You cannot contribute to a Health Care or Dependent Day Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA) while on leave, but you can submit claims for eligible expenses. Contributions resume when you return to work.
- Your payroll contributions and Lam’s contributions to a Health Savings Account (HSA) will stop while you are on leave, but you can submit claims for eligible expenses. Your scheduled contributions resume when you return to work, and Lam will make up any missed company contributions.
Job protection
Reinstatement following a personal leave is not guaranteed. If no suitable position exists, you may be eligible for an extension of your leave or released from employment.
Returning to work
Contact TRISTAR one week before you return to work, and follow up with an email to the Benefits Help Desk at benefits@lamresearch.com. Providing this advance notice will help ensure your systems access is restored promptly when you return.
Military leave
Military leave
As part of Lam’s support for the uniformed services, you will be granted military leave if you are called to service.
Your pay while on military leave
For the first 12 months, your Lam and military pay will be coordinated so the total doesn't exceed 100% of your Lam base pay. After 12 months, if your military leave continues, your Lam and military pay will be coordinated so the total doesn’t exceed 50% of your Lam base pay. To receive pay from Lam, you must submit a copy of your military pay stub to the Benefits Help Desk at benefits@lamresearch.com.
Your benefits while on military leave
The following benefits remain in effect while you are on leave, and the employee contributions will continue to be deducted from your Lam paycheck:
- Health coverage
- Life insurance
- Accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance
- California Voluntary Disability Insurance (VDI) or short-term disability (STD) and long-term disability (LTD)
- Accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity insurance
- Group legal services
Here’s how other benefits will be impacted:
- You stop accruing paid time off (PTO) on the first calendar day of your leave.
- Your bonus, if any, will be prorated if you are on leave for a cumulative total of 30 days or more during the bonus period.
- You are not eligible to contribute to your 401(k) or to participate in the ESPP during your leave.
- If you have a 401(k) loan, your loan payments will stop, and your loan will be re-amortized when you return to work.
- If you are enrolled in the ESPP and your leave extends beyond 90 days, in most cases your participation in the ESPP will cease on the 91st day. You can rejoin the ESPP during the next enrollment period after you return to work.
- You cannot contribute to a Health Care or Dependent Day Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA) while on leave, but you can submit claims for eligible expenses. Contributions resume when you return to work.
- Your payroll contributions and Lam’s contributions to a Health Savings Account (HSA) will stop while you are on leave, but you can submit claims for eligible expenses. Your scheduled contributions resume when you return to work, and Lam will make up any missed company contributions.
Job protection
You are eligible for re-employment as defined in the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) and pursuant to applicable state law.
Returning to work
Contact TRISTAR one week before you return to work, and follow up with an email to the Benefits Help Desk at benefits@lamresearch.com. Providing this advance notice will help ensure your systems access is restored promptly when you return.
How to request a leave of absence
Regular full- and part-time employees who are planning to take time off from work for more than seven calendar days and who will not be using paid time off (PTO) or other paid time must initiate a leave of absence.
If you plan to take a leave of absence, you must notify TRISTAR and your supervisor at least 30 days prior to the leave (if foreseeable, including intermittent leave) or as soon as reasonably possible (when leave is not foreseeable). Lam will provide family or medical leave in accordance with state and federal laws in effect at the time the leave is granted. Military leave will be granted based on your service orders. Requests for a personal leave of absence must be approved by your supervisor or department manager before you can file a claim for the leave.
TRISTAR manages leaves of absence for Lam. As soon as you know the start date for your leave, call TRISTAR at 844-610-1885 to file your claim. Be prepared to supply the following information:
- Company name—Lam Research or Silfex
- Employee ID or Social Security number
- Reason for your absence
- First day absent
- Work schedule
- Date you expect to return to work
- If your absence is related to illness or injury: the name, fax, and telephone number of the treating physician
- If you’re caring for a qualified family member: their relationship to you
Please also call TRISTAR:
- To update previously supplied information
- If you are unable to return to work on the planned date
- One week before you return to work
- To report your delivery date if your leave is related to the birth of a child
- To provide your work schedule for an intermittent leave
- To request specific forms
Tell your manager first
The first thing TRISTAR will do is inform your manager of your LOA dates, and you don’t want your manager to be surprised!
Where to learn more
- Leave of Absence and Accommodation Practice [PDF]
- Lam maternity leave guide [PDF]
- Lam new parents LOA guide [PDF]
- State Supplements to HR Policies
- Frequently Asked Questions [PDF]
For Colorado and Oregon employees
The process for Colorado and Oregon paid family and medical leave (PFML) is a bit different. Read your state guide to learn more.
Detailed leave diagrams
For a look at how pay and job protection work for each leave, review the applicable document:
- Maternity Leave for California Employees [PDF]
- Maternity Leave for Oregon Employees [PDF]
- Maternity Leave for Employees Outside California and Oregon [PDF]
- Parental Bonding Leave for California Employees [PDF]
- Parental Bonding Leave for Oregon Employees [PDF]
- Parental Bonding Leave for Employees Outside California and Oregon [PDF]
- Medical Leave for California Employees [PDF]
- Medical Leave for Oregon Employees [PDF]
- Medical Leave for Employees Outside California and Oregon [PDF]
- Family Care Leave for California Employees [PDF]
- Family Care Leave for Oregon Employees [PDF]
- Family Care Leave for Employees Outside CA & OR [PDF]