01/25/2024

OOA Announces Parental Leave Discount  

The OOA now offers a dues discount for members who decide to take unpaid parental leave. Effective January 1, 2024, member ODs who elect to take a 90-day unpaid leave from practice for a qualifying scenario listed under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) may apply for a one-time discount on their state membership dues for the year.  

FMLA 90-day unpaid leave qualifying scenarios:  

• The birth of a child. 
• The placement of a child for adoption or foster care. 
• Care for an immediate family member with a serious health condition. 

The new Parental Leave Discount (PLD) is meant to assist member ODs to continue their membership during a year in which they take a step away from paid practice to care for their family. Qualified members will receive a one-time discount of 25% off their OOA portion of dues for one year of membership.  AOA and Zone dues are not discounted. The PLD fills in the gap for members who do not qualify for Partial Practice discounts (working 24 hours/week or less), and the discount is even applicable on Ascending Dues rates.  

Further information and PLD application are available on the OOA website under the Member Center: www.ooa.org/parentalleave

Members who qualify for or already receive Partial Practice, Optometric Educator, Post-Graduate, Life, or Retired Member discounts DO NOT qualify for the OOA Parental Leave Discount. 

Contact Cori McCabe, OOA Director of Membership & Governance with questions: cmccabe@ooa.org.