Loyola University Chicago

• Applicability
• Information
• Policy
• Purpose
• Responsibility

___________________________________________________________________________________________

POLICY

The University provides paid sick leave allotment for regular full-time and part-time staff employees who are scheduled to work at least 20 hours per week.

PURPOSE

The sick leave policy is designed to provide income protection for employees’ illness or non-occupational injury when they are temporarily absent from work.

APPLICABILITY

This policy applies to regular employees of Loyola University Chicago (LUC) who are scheduled to work at least twenty (20) hours per week ) and are primarily located at the Lakeside campuses; and LUC employees who are primarily located at the Maywood campus (e.g. University – Health Sciences Division [SSOM & NSON] or Credit Union, etc.) Staff employees who are paid monthly are not covered by this policy.

INFORMATION/GUIDELINES

A.  Accruals
Sick leave is accrued based on employees’ regularly scheduled hours of work and it may be carried over from year to year, up to a maximum of 30 days.  Paid sick leave is accrued bi-weekly based on an employee’s FTE (full-time equivalent) according to the following schedule:
 

• Accruals begin from an employee’s date of hire.
• Employees below the Administrative Director level are eligible to use sick leave after they have completed their first ninety (90) days of employment.
• If you are hired in a position classified as an Administrative Director and above or SSOM Librarian, you will receive five (5) sick days in your sick leave bank upon hire.   Like all other regular full-time employees, Administrative Directors and above or SSOM Librarians are eligible to use sick leave after they have completed their first ninety (90) days of employment. 
• If you are a 9, 10, or 11 month exempt staff member paid monthly, leave tracking will be handled internally within your department.  You earn ten (10) sick days per year, with a maximum of thirty (30) days.
• Employees whose sick leave current accrual balance is greater than thirty (30) days as of December 31, 2008, will retain their balance and will not accrue sick leave until their sick leave balance is less than the thirty (30) day maximum.  Note: This provision does not apply to employees in a position classified as an Administrator Director or above and SSOM Librarian. 
  

B. Utilization of Sick Leave

An employee may not use paid sick leave for personal reasons or illnesses of family members.  Any sick leave beyond three consecutive work days will be considered an extended medical leave of absence.   If you are eligible, you may receive short-term disability benefits during a medical leave of absence.  Refer to the Short-Term Disability (STD) policy.

C.  Notification and Attendance

All employees with scheduled work hours are expected to notify their manager or designee of each absent day at least one hour prior to their start time. Depending on operational needs, departments may establish notification requirements for up to three hours prior to start time.  Managers will communicate the appropriate time periods and methods of notification to employees.  Payment of sick leave hours may be denied if notification is not received by the specified time.  In cases of absence due to illness for over three days, or when a pattern of absences develops, the manager may require a physician’s statement confirming the reason for absence.

D.  Extended Absences

Employees who are absent for more than three (3) days for reasons other than scheduled vacation are required to complete a leave of absence request form.  In evaluating the payment of sick leave or short-term disability benefits, managers and employees are referred to the GENERAL LEAVE OF ABSENCE AND FAMILY/MEDICAL LEAVE ACT POLICY. 

Employees are not eligible for an extended paid leave of absence during their first six months of employment.   Unpaid absence of more than five consecutive work days for these newly hired employees constitutes a voluntary resignation from employment  unless the employee provide medical certification that they may return to work after no more ten 10 days of absence.

E. Change of Status, Company Transfers, Paid or Unpaid Leave of Absence or Termination of Employment

When employees change status from full-time to part-time, they will retain their accrued paid sick time provided the time is below the maximum accrual as designated in the accrual section of this policy for regular part-time employees. 

Sick balances (up to the maximum accrual) will transfer when an employee transfers from one company to another (i.e. LUC to LUMC or LUMC to LUC).

Employees will not accrue sick leave while on a paid or unpaid leave of absence.

Accrued paid sick time is not paid out to employees at termination of employment with the exception of the retirement provisions in the retirement benefit section of this policy.

F.  Retirement Benefit

When an employee below the level of Administrative Department Head retires and is at least 62 years of age with ten or more years of service, he/she will be paid accumulated sick leave up to a maximum of sixty days.  This provision of the sick leave policy will expire after December 31, 2010.

G.  Responsibility

Employee:  It is the responsibility of the employee to make all requests for sick leave to the supervisor in a timely manner as set by department procedure.

Department:  Every supervisor is responsible for scheduling and documenting sick time used by exempt and non-exempt employees by authorizing the Payroll Department’s payment of sick leave in accordance with this policy.

Human Resources:  Generally, employees primarily located at the Maywood Campus are administered by LUMC Human Resources Department.  LUC Human Resources has the responsibility for interpreting and administering the sick leave policy and the authority to make exceptions.  LUMC Human Resources will consult LUC Human Resources about any exception to this policy.

(rev:08/08/2008)