Employee Benefits -
Leave of Absence-Personal, Academic, Military
CODE: 30-01-40-40:15 EFFECTIVE DATE: 07/01/90 REVISION DATE: 01/01/06 LAST REVIEWED: 01/03/06
PURPOSE: To set policy defining Personal, Academic and Military leaves of absence for staff employees and to determine eligibility, duration and reasons for granting such leaves of absence. This policy also addresses the treatment of time accrual benefits, paid insurance benefits and pension while on personal, academic or military leaves of absence.
ACCOUNTABILITY: The Vice President for Human Resources is to ensure compliance with this policy.
APPLICABILITY: This policy applies to all University staff employees.
REFERENCES:
Holiday Policy #30-01-40-10:00
POLICY:
A Personal Leave of Absence is defined as an approved unpaid absence from work for personal reasons. Maximum length of the leave is thirty (30) days within a rolling twelve (12) month period and may be taken intermittently. Personal leave is discretionary on the part of the Department of Human Resources in consultation with the employee’s department and may be used for awaiting a long term disability claim for serious illness or ADA accommodation.
An Academic Leave of Absence is defined as an approved unpaid absence from work to pursue a field of study at an accredited college, university or other educational institution. Academic leave may not exceed a total of six (6) months within a rolling twelve (12) month period. It may be taken intermittently. Academic leaves are approved by the Department of Human Resources in consultation with the employee’s department.
Military Leave of Absence - Employees are eligible for paid leave for military training whenever they are required to perform active duty "field training.” Normally, military leave is for a two-week period, however, in some cases, longer or multiple leaves do occur and can be authorized. Maximum time allowed shall not exceed five (5) years total. Leave for attending military school does not qualify for military leave pay. Any questions regarding eligibility should be directed to your Human Resources Generalist.
Employees who must satisfy weekend reserve obligations must: (1) have his/her schedule adjusted so that he/she is off for the weekend in question; or (2) if scheduled to work that weekend must be given the time off and have the time off charged to accumulated accruals, such as administrative leave, float holidays, or vacation time, but not sick time.
Eligibility
Personal and Academic Leaves - Regular full or part-time employees who work twenty (20) or more hours a week, and employed a minimum of six (6) months are eligible.
There are no eligibility restrictions for a Military Leave of Absence.
Procedure
Employees must submit a completed Request for Leave of Absence Form and the required documentation to the Human Resources Generalist. Such request should be submitted as soon as possible, but not less than three (3) weeks before the proposed effective date (except for documented emergencies).
Upon approval, the employee’s department shall process a Staff Information Adjustment Form (SIAF).
Benefits During Leave of Absence
Seniority held prior to the commencement of the leave of absence will be retained.
During the leave of absence, an employee will not accrue vacation, administrative leave or sick time. Previously accrued time will be credited to the employee upon return to work.
Sick and vacation time accruals will only continue for the remainder of the month in which the leave commences, providing the employee is still in active pay status as of the sixteenth of that month.
When an employee returns from leave, sick and vacation time will begin to accrue for the month in which the employee returns to work provided he/she returns on or before the fifteenth of that month. If an employee returns from a leave after the fifteenth of the month, then sick and vacation time will start to accrue at the beginning of the following month.
Military leaves of absence are exempt from the above provisions, and all accruals will continue for the term of the leave.
Holidays which fall during the leave of absence will not be granted under the paid Holiday Policy 30-01-40-10:00.
An employee on an unpaid leave of absence will be responsible for pre-paying premiums for all health insurance benefits he/she may wish to continue. Since Health Insurance benefits continue to accrue for specific time periods, based on the length and type of leave, prior arrangements must be made by the employee with the Campus Benefits’ Office to ensure proper health insurance coverage during the leave.
Employees will not accrue pension credit while on an unpaid leave of absence. However, upon return to work from certain leaves, employees may be allowed to purchase pension credit up to designated maximums, except those in the Alternate Benefits Plan (ABP). Contact your campus Human Resources Benefits office for further information. Military leaves of absence are exempt from this provision.
Return from Leave
Employees must give at least two (2) weeks notice of their intention to return to work.
If an employee fails to return to work or notify the supervisor in writing of his/her intentions within three (3) business days after the date the leave of absence expires, he/she will be considered absent without official leave and subject to termination.
One week before the employee returns to duty, a completed Staff Information Adjustment Form (SIAF) must be forwarded to the Human Resources Generalist by the department along with any required documentation. The SIAF must indicate the employee's return date. Please be reminded that failure to process the employee’s return from leave can result in the employee not receiving a paycheck.
A leave of absence for personal or academic purposes (military is exempted) should not be construed as a promise of re-employment for the same position vacated. For employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement, the employee and the department should refer to the agreement regarding any return from leave rights provided in the agreement. However, any bumping rights shall be determined upon the employee’s return from an official leave of absence.
Unless otherwise required, as noted above, if an employee's position occupied prior to commencing a leave is not available upon return from leave, the employee shall be eligible for reassignment to another position of similar status and pay as nearly as can be arranged without prejudice to another employee. In such cases, the employee must meet the position requirements.
Under direction of the President:
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Vice President for Human Resources