General Leave of Absence and Family/Medical Leave Act
- Under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), an employee, after working 12 months (not necessarily consecutive) and 1,250 hours actively worked (does not include leave hours, holiday hours, etc.), is eligible for up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave, on a rolling calendar year basis, unless circumstances allow paid-time-off banks to be used.
A general leave may be granted in up to three month increments to a maximum of two years. Leaves may be requested for medical or personal reasons. Departments should consult with their Campus Human Resources Office for guidelines in granting general leaves of absence.
- The birth of a son or a daughter and to care for the child;
- Placement of a child with the employee for adoption or foster care;
- Care for a spouse, son, daughter, or parent, if such family member has a serious health condition; or
- The employee's own serious health condition.
- To use any of their 12 weeks allotment to take leave because of any qualifying exigency (as defined by the Department of Labor at a later date through regulation) arising out of the fact that the spouse, son, daughter or parent of the employee is on active duty or has been notified of an impending call or order to active duty in the Armed Forces in support of a contingency operation;
- To take up to 26 weeks of leave during a single 12-month period to care for a spouse, son, daughter, parent or next of kin with illness or injury incurred in the line of duty while in the Armed Forces or National Guard or Reserves.
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Effective January 1, 2017, general and personal leaves of absences, and Family & Medical Leaves covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act are administered by Matrix Absence Management.
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General, personal, and FMLA leave of absences must be requested 30 days prior to the start of the leave, where the reason for the leave is foreseeable. Up to 12 weeks of FMLA- approved leaves may be granted within a 12 month period.
General Leave | FMLA Leave |
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If the leave is for 30 days or less, whether paid or unpaid, the position will be held open. For any leave beyond 30 days, the position may be filled by submitting a requisition to the Human Resources Department. |
The department will generally hold the job open for 12 weeks or until the employee returns, whichever is sooner. If the position is not held, an equivalent position must be provided by the department or component/division. If the employee is granted an extension beyond 12 weeks, the position may be filled, and the rules of the FMLA will not apply. |
General Leave | FMLA Leave |
---|---|
A request for an extension of a leave requires the approval of the department head and Human Resources at least two weeks prior to the expiration date. A general leave may be extended in up to 12- week or three month increments by contacting Matrix Absence Management for leave re-certification. If a leave expires prior to the employee's return, the employee is considered to have terminated voluntarily. |
If an FMLA leave is approved for less than 12 weeks, it may be extended up to the 12 week maximum by contacting Matrix Absence Management for FMLA re-certification. The employee will be informed what additional information may be needed to certify the request. If the leave is approved for a period exceeding 12 weeks, the reinstatement provisions of the FMLA will not apply, and the procedure covering the extension of general leaves is applicable. If the position has been filled, the employee may apply for any open position for which he or she is qualified. |
General Leave | FMLA Leave |
---|---|
Two weeks prior to the end of the leave, the employee shall contact his or her department to determine whether the former position is still available. If the former position is not open, the employee may apply for any open positions for which he or she is qualified. There is no guarantee of reinstatement or re-employment. |
The position generally will be held open for a maximum of 12 weeks. An employee returning within the 12 weeks will be reinstated in the same or an equivalent position in the department or component/division. A request to fill any position open due to an approved FMLA leave requires the approval of the Associate Vice President and Vice President of Human Resources. |
If a department can document that an employee is unable to perform the duties of the position because of illness or other reasons, the department head, with approval of the Associate Vice President of Human Resources, may require the employee to take a leave of absence. Accrued sick leave may be used to compensate the employee during a medical-related leave in accordance with the provisions of the sick leave policy. Upon election, n employee is required to use appropriate banks of paid-time-off while on a leave of absence.
If an employee is placed on leave, it is the employee's responsibility to notify the department in advance when he or she is able to return to work. Before returning, the University requires the evidence of the employee's fitness for duty be presented to Human Resources. In the event of any question concerning the employee's condition, the University may require that the employee be examined by a physician or other specialist selected by the University.
Vacation and sick time do not accrue during any unpaid portion of a leave of absence. An exempt or non-exempt staff employee does not accrue vacation and sick hours while on a Short-Term Disability leave, beginning after the 10-day elimination (waiting) period. Short-Term Disability benefits begin on the 11th day out for an eligible illness or disability that prevents them from working. Staff will start accruing Vacation and Sick hours only when they are released by their physician to return to work to active status. Refer to the Short-Term Disability Policy for additional details.
Normally, an employee is expected to use applicable accrued paid-time-off from the first day of the leave. Accrued sick time must be used to pay for time away from work due to an employee's medical disability.
- For example, if an employee is absent from work for maternity reasons, accrued sick leave will be used to compensate the employee in accordance with the provisions of the Sick Leave Policy. When sick pay is exhausted or the employee is no longer medically disabled, any unused personal or vacation time is payable.
A general leave may be granted in up to three month increments to a maximum of two years. Leaves may be requested for medical or personal reasons. Departments should consult with their Campus Human Resources Office for guidelines in granting general leaves of absence.
- The birth of a son or a daughter and to care for the child;
- Placement of a child with the employee for adoption or foster care;
- Care for a spouse, son, daughter, or parent, if such family member has a serious health condition; or
- The employee's own serious health condition.
- To use any of their 12 weeks allotment to take leave because of any qualifying exigency (as defined by the Department of Labor at a later date through regulation) arising out of the fact that the spouse, son, daughter or parent of the employee is on active duty or has been notified of an impending call or order to active duty in the Armed Forces in support of a contingency operation;
- To take up to 26 weeks of leave during a single 12-month period to care for a spouse, son, daughter, parent or next of kin with illness or injury incurred in the line of duty while in the Armed Forces or National Guard or Reserves.
-
Effective January 1, 2017, general and personal leaves of absences, and Family & Medical Leaves covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act are administered by Matrix Absence Management.
-
General, personal, and FMLA leave of absences must be requested 30 days prior to the start of the leave, where the reason for the leave is foreseeable. Up to 12 weeks of FMLA- approved leaves may be granted within a 12 month period.
General Leave | FMLA Leave |
---|---|
If the leave is for 30 days or less, whether paid or unpaid, the position will be held open. For any leave beyond 30 days, the position may be filled by submitting a requisition to the Human Resources Department. |
The department will generally hold the job open for 12 weeks or until the employee returns, whichever is sooner. If the position is not held, an equivalent position must be provided by the department or component/division. If the employee is granted an extension beyond 12 weeks, the position may be filled, and the rules of the FMLA will not apply. |
General Leave | FMLA Leave |
---|---|
A request for an extension of a leave requires the approval of the department head and Human Resources at least two weeks prior to the expiration date. A general leave may be extended in up to 12- week or three month increments by contacting Matrix Absence Management for leave re-certification. If a leave expires prior to the employee's return, the employee is considered to have terminated voluntarily. |
If an FMLA leave is approved for less than 12 weeks, it may be extended up to the 12 week maximum by contacting Matrix Absence Management for FMLA re-certification. The employee will be informed what additional information may be needed to certify the request. If the leave is approved for a period exceeding 12 weeks, the reinstatement provisions of the FMLA will not apply, and the procedure covering the extension of general leaves is applicable. If the position has been filled, the employee may apply for any open position for which he or she is qualified. |
General Leave | FMLA Leave |
---|---|
Two weeks prior to the end of the leave, the employee shall contact his or her department to determine whether the former position is still available. If the former position is not open, the employee may apply for any open positions for which he or she is qualified. There is no guarantee of reinstatement or re-employment. |
The position generally will be held open for a maximum of 12 weeks. An employee returning within the 12 weeks will be reinstated in the same or an equivalent position in the department or component/division. A request to fill any position open due to an approved FMLA leave requires the approval of the Associate Vice President and Vice President of Human Resources. |
If a department can document that an employee is unable to perform the duties of the position because of illness or other reasons, the department head, with approval of the Associate Vice President of Human Resources, may require the employee to take a leave of absence. Accrued sick leave may be used to compensate the employee during a medical-related leave in accordance with the provisions of the sick leave policy. Upon election, n employee is required to use appropriate banks of paid-time-off while on a leave of absence.
If an employee is placed on leave, it is the employee's responsibility to notify the department in advance when he or she is able to return to work. Before returning, the University requires the evidence of the employee's fitness for duty be presented to Human Resources. In the event of any question concerning the employee's condition, the University may require that the employee be examined by a physician or other specialist selected by the University.
Benefits
Vacation and sick time do not accrue during any unpaid portion of a leave of absence. An exempt or non-exempt staff employee does not accrue vacation and sick hours while on a Short-Term Disability leave, beginning after the 10-day elimination (waiting) period. Short-Term Disability benefits begin on the 11th day out for an eligible illness or disability that prevents them from working. Staff will start accruing Vacation and Sick hours only when they are released by their physician to return to work to active status. Refer to the Short-Term Disability Policy for additional details.
Normally, an employee is expected to use applicable accrued paid-time-off from the first day of the leave. Accrued sick time must be used to pay for time away from work due to an employee's medical disability.
- For example, if an employee is absent from work for maternity reasons, accrued sick leave will be used to compensate the employee in accordance with the provisions of the Sick Leave Policy. When sick pay is exhausted or the employee is no longer medically disabled, any unused personal or vacation time is payable.