Sick Leave (Non-Exempt and Admin Non-Exempt Staff, Exempt Staff and Executives)

No.  3-21    Rev.  12-6-16  Date     8-17-77   

 

 

I. REFERENCES

  • State Board of Regents Policy and Procedure R821, Employee Benefits
  • Policy and Procedures No. 3-2, Employee Definitions
  • Policy and Procedures No. 3-15, Personnel Relations
  • Policy and Procedures No. 3-21b, Conversion of Excess Sick Leave to Vacation
  • Policy and Procedures No. 3-26, Leave for Birth, Adoption and Foster Child Placement
  • Policy and Procedures No. 3-29, Leaves of Absence Without Pay
  • Policy and Procedures No. 3-29a, Family and Medical Leave

II. DEFINITIONS

A. Sick Leave - For the purpose of this policy, sick leave is defined as the continuance of salary and service credit during a period of personal or immediate family illness, birth, adoption, placement of a child through foster care, or preventative health care. Sick leave has no cash value. No payment is made for unused sick leave in the event of transfer or separation from employment.

B. Immediate Family - For the purpose of this policy only, immediate family is defined as spouse, parent (where employee is a necessary care giver), son or step-son, daughter or step-daughter, and foster children under the legal care of the employee.

C. Illness - A health condition including off-the-job injury and maternity that would logically cause a health professional to recommend bed rest, hospitalization, and/or other legitimate medical treatment.

D. Preventative Care - Medical treatment provided by a licensed health care professional including routine health examinations.

III. POLICY

A. Accrual of Sick Leave

1. Full-time non-exempt and admin non-exempt staff, exempt staff, and executives shall accrue one (1) working day of sick leave for each month of service.

2. Sick leave accrual occurs each pay period (twice a month). Employees must be hired on or before the 10th of the month to receive sick leave for the first half of the month and on or before the 25th of the month to receive sick leave for the second half of the month.

3. Sick leave does not accrue during periods of leave without pay.

4. All unused sick leave may be carried forward from year to year.  Accrued sick leave is forfeited upon termination of employment.

B. Transfer

When an employee transfers, the hiring department shall assume responsibility for accrued sick leave.

C. Holidays

A scheduled holiday falling during a period of absence due to illness or injury shall not be charged as a day of sick leave.

D. Use of Sick Leave

1. Sick leave may be used for personal illness, immediate family illness, adoption or placement of a child through foster care in accordance with PPM 3-26.

2. An employee may not use sick leave for his/her own illness beyond 90 calendar days without applying for Long Term Disability benefits.  Denial of Long Term Disability benefits will not affect the employee's continued use of accrued sick leave.

3. Employees shall arrange routine health care appointments and preventative care during nonworking hours whenever possible. In cases where this is not possible, supervisors shall be notified of appointments in advance to allow for the scheduling of workloads.

4. Sick leave taken in excess of the amount accrued shall be charged to vacation leave or leave without pay.

5. The University reserves the right to require substantiation of absences for which sick leave is requested.

6. An employee shall notify his/her supervisor immediately on the first day of absence and periodically thereafter in the event of a prolonged illness.  More specific guidelines may be established by the supervisor.

7. A physician's statement indicating the condition of an employee and fitness for duty may be required prior to return to work or at any time where the safety of the employee or campus population or the fitness of the employee to perform duties are in question.

E. Reporting

All sick leave taken shall be recorded in the university's record keeping system and verified by the supervisor.  In the case of employees who are exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act overtime provisions, absence for sickness that exceeds the amount of sick leave accrued may only be charged in increments of one day.

F. Eligibility and Usage

Sick leave may be taken when needed to the extent of sick leave accrued. An employee taking sick leave for family illness must be a necessary care giver during the duration of the leave. Frequency and duration of sick leaves may become a performance issue if they deviate substantially from the normal range of university-wide usage.  Leave taken under the Family Medical Leave Act is job-protected leave, as per PPM 3-29a.

G. Part-time Salaried Personnel

Part-time salaried non-exempt and admin non-exempt staff, exempt staff, and executives shall be eligible for sick leave benefits on a prorated basis and shall be able to accumulate a prorated amount.