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The college grants paid sick leave to eligible
staff who are unable to work due to personal illness or injury that is not work related.
Eligibility
If you are employed in a regular or limited-term position of half time or more, you
are eligible for paid sick leave. If you work a regular part-time schedule of half
time or more, you are eligible for prorated sick leave based on the number of hours
you are regularly scheduled to work.
If you work less than half time or hold a temporary
position, you are not eligible for paid sick leave. You may, however, qualify for
unpaid leave during the period of disability. See the sections Family
Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and Short-Term Absence Without
Pay for more information.
Sick Leave Availability
You accrue sick leave at the rate of one day per month of eligible service. If you
work a 9-, 10-, or 11-month schedule, your sick leave entitlement is prorated based
on the amount granted to 12-month employees (i.e., one day per month of eligible
service). You begin to earn sick leave starting with your date of hire and earn
prorated hours each month. Your sick leave accrual (in hours) appears on your pay
stub.
The college encourages you to accumulate sick leave
in order to protect yourself in the case of a lengthy illness or disability. Earned
but unused sick leave may be carried forward and accumulated from year to year.
Six months is the waiting period for long-term disability
(LTD) income benefits. If your accrued sick leave exceeds six months, and if you
qualify for LTD benefits, the remainder of your sick leave, if any, is reserved and
you begin receiving LTD benefits after completion of the waiting period.
Terms and Conditions of Sick Leave Use
Paid sick leave is based on your regular rate of pay. The length of paid sick leave
to which you are entitled for a certified illness or injury will depend upon the
number of days of sick leave you have available. Please note the following:
- Sick leave covers an absence due to non-job-related
accidents or medical conditions (workers' compensation benefits apply in the case
of a job-related accident or illness).
- A staff member is entitled to charge up
to four days of absence in any fiscal year (July 1–June 30) to her/his accrued
sick bank when the illness of someone in the staff member’s immediate family
or household, who is regularly dependent on her/his care, requires the staff member’s
absence from work. A medical statement may be required for approval.
- If possible, you should schedule medical
or dental appointments outside of regular work hours. If this is impractical, check
with your supervisor in advance about adjusting your work schedule. Sick leave
may be used for doctor, dentist, and other medical appointments which cannot be
scheduled outside of work hours.
- Paid sick leave is provided to protect you
financially in the event of an illness or disability. No payment is made for unused
sick leave if you leave the college.
- If your paid sick leave is exhausted, available
personal time or vacation time will be used to extend the term of paid leave.
When all paid leave is exhausted, you may be eligible
for an unpaid leave under one of the college’s leave plans. See the sections Family
Leave, Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Short-term
Absence Without Pay, and Leave Without Pay for
additional information.
Effect of Sick Leave on Other Paid Time and
Benefits
While on paid sick leave, you continue to earn personal time. Vacation normally accrues
during paid sick leave; however, vacation does not accrue during any combination
of paid or unpaid leave which exceeds 12 consecutive work weeks. All benefits remain
in effect. You may be eligible, upon certification, for paid holidays, bereavement
leave, and supplemental jury duty pay while you are on paid sick leave of up to 10
work days. Recess time cannot be rescheduled to extend paid sick leave. You earn
sick leave during all absences except the following:
- FMLA Leave;
- Leave Without Pay;
- Long-Term Disability Leave.
Medical Certification
If you are absent for more than five consecutive days due to illness, accident, or
surgery, or at other times at the discretion of the college, the college may require
you to submit a doctor's statement or other medical evidence indicating your degree
of fitness and your ability to resume the duties of your job.
Your supervisor may require medical certification for
an illness of any length when, in his or her judgment, there is a question of (1)
illness or injury affecting your ability to perform safely on the job; (2) possible
contagion; (3) possible work-relatedness of the disability; or (4) possible abuse
of sick leave benefits.
Unauthorized or excessive absences will be cause for
disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.
Notification
If you are ill or injured and are unable to report to work, you are responsible for
notifying your supervisor or department head as soon as possible.
In the case of routine minor illnesses (cold, flu, etc.),
you are expected to call and inform your supervisor each day that you will not be
reporting. Such notice will assist your supervisor in scheduling or reassigning work.
If your medical leave will be lengthy, you should contact
your supervisor or department head on a regular basis to report on your progress
and the estimated or actual date of your return to work.
Replacement of Staff on Medical Leave or Disability
Under normal circumstances, the college will hold a position open for a regular full-
or part-time employee with a serious illness or disability during the first 12
months of an authorized paid or unpaid leave. During such an authorized leave the
employee's position will normally be filled on a temporary basis only. Following
12 months of absence, the staff member's employment will be terminated.
The college reserves the right to fill a position on
a regular basis prior to 12 months in situations such as the following: 1) in the
case of senior administrators who occupy strategic positions; 2) when the college's
or the department's needs require this action; or 3) where it appears highly unlikely
that the employee will be able to return to work. The decision to fill a position
prior to 12 months must be approved by the Executive Director of Human Resources.
Medical Leave Application Process
As soon as it is apparent that you will be out of work for 10 or more consecutive
work days with any medical disability, you should obtain the following three
forms:
- Employee Application for Medical Leave
- Attending Physician's Statement
- Physician's Approval to Return to Work
You should promptly complete the Employee
Application for Medical Leave form and submit it to the Office of Human Resources
and give the Attending Physician's Statement to
your doctor requesting that s/he return the completed form as soon as possible
to the Office of Human Resources.
In most cases the Attending Physician's
Statement will provide the college with the medical information necessary to
administer this plan. However, in those situations where the college believes that
more complete medical information is necessary, the college reserves the right
to have you sign a Medical Release Form allowing the Office
of Human Resources and/or the Office of Health Services or another college-designated
physician to contact your physician directly to discuss your medical condition.
Upon review of your application and your physician's statement, the Office of Human
Resources will confirm, in writing, to you and your department head the terms of
your medical leave and the expected date (if known) of your return to work.
Return to Work Certification
When you have been examined by your personal doctor and have been cleared to return
to work, you should ask your doctor to complete the Physician's
Approval to Return to Work form and provide it the Office of Human Resources.
The college may require you to be examined by a college-designated physician before
returning to work to ensure your ability to resume the duties of your job.
Long-Term Disability
In the event of serious or permanent disability (either full or partial) which will
prevent you from returning to work for an extended period of time, you should contact
the Office of Human Resources regarding your potential eligibility for long-term
disability (LTD) benefits. The Office of Human Resources will review your situation
with you and will assist you in completing the LTD application. |
