Parental leave. For the purposes of this section, parental leave shall apply to maternity or paternity leave due to the birth or adoption of a dependent child. Any employee eligible to earn annual leave shall be eligible for ten (10) days of paid parental leave immediately upon the start of their employment with the County. Any employee eligible to earn annual leave and who has been in a paid status for at least 1,040 hours during the previous 12 months, shall be eligible for twenty (20) days of paid parental leave. Family and Medical leave. General. Family and medical leave shall be granted to all employees who: are eligible to earn annual leave; and have been employed by the County for at least 12 months; and have been in a paid status for at least 1,040 hours during the previous 12 months. Exception. Family and medical leave, in addition to paid parental leave granted under subsection (a) above, shall also be granted to all employees: eligible to earn annual leave, immediately upon the start of their employment; and for the sole purpose of parental responsibilities associated with the birth or adoption of a dependent child. Duration. Family and medical leave shall not exceed fifteen (15) workweeks of any combination of paid leave, parental leave, and leave without pay in accordance with Section 16-225. Granting of family and medical leave. Subject to the provisions of Subsections (c) and (d), below, an employee may be granted family and medical leave only for one or more of the following: Because of the birth of a child of the employee and in order to care for such child; Because of the placement of a minor child with the employee for adoption or foster care; In order to care for the spouse, child, parent, or parent-in-law of the employee, if such spouse, child, parent, or parent-in-law has a serious health condition; Because of a serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the functions of the position of such employee; The employee may use any combination of earned and available parental, sick, annual, or personal leave for paid family and medical leave. Approval of parental, family, and medical leave. Any employee may request parental, family, or medical leave. An appointing authority shall examine each request and determine whether the employee's request meets the provisions of this Section. An appointing authority may require an employee to submit certification by the appropriate primary health care provider in order to make this determination. The employee's request shall be granted if it meets the requirements of this Section. Use of parental, family, or medical leave. All leave taken pursuant to this Section: Must be used within twelve (12) months of the birth of the child or placement of the child with the employee for adoption or foster care; Is subject to a thirty (30) day advance notice requirement if the necessity for leave is foreseeable; May be taken under a method involving a reduced workday or workweek, an intermittent basis, or any combination thereof.