Administrative, Sick, & Vacation Leave

Classified Employees
During the first year of employment, classified employees earn a half-day of administrative leave for each full calendar month of employment (up to a total of three) and one sick and vacation day per month. In January of each year thereafter, classified employees are advanced the allotted vacation, administrative, and sick leave. Vacation allotment corresponds to an employee's years of service. Leave time is allotted at the beginning of the year on the assumption that the employee will remain in pay status throughout the year. If the employee terminates employment prior to the end of the year, leave time is prorated. Any sick or vacation time used but not earned will be deducted from the final paycheck.

Use of administrative and vacation leave must be requested by the employee and approved in advance by the supervisor.

Administrative Leave
Administrative leave may be used for:

• emergencies;
• observance of religious or other days of celebration, but not for public holidays;
• personal business.

Administrative leave must be used in the calendar year in which it is granted and cannot be carried into the next calendar year.

Vacation Leave
Vacation allowance should be taken during the calendar year at such time as permitted or directed by the supervisor, unless the supervisor determines that it cannot be taken due to the demands of the job. A maximum of one year's leave entitlement in the calendar year may be carried forward into the next year.

Vacation time is accrued as follows:

• Up to one year of service, one working day vacation for each month of service;
• After one year and up to five years of service, 12 working days vacation;
• After five years and up to 12 years of service, 15 working days vacation;
• After 12 years and up to 20 years of service, 20 working days vacation;
• Over 20 years, 25 working days vacation.

Any leaves of absence without pay for one calendar month or more will affect the calculation of an employee’s years of service.

For 10-Month Employees:

• Up to one year of service, one working day vacation for each month of service;
• After one year and up to five years of service, 10 working days vacation;
• After five years and up to 12 years of service, 12.5 working days vacation;
• After 12 years and up to 20 years of service, 16.5 working days vacation;
• Over 20 years, 20.75 working days vacation.

Any leaves of absence without pay for one month or more will affect the calculation of an employee's years of service.

Sick Leave
For the first year, full-time employees receive one day per month. Thereafter, full-time 12-month employees receive 15 sick days per year. Full time 10-month employees receive 12.5 sick days per year. Part-time employees earn sick time at a rate proportional to their assigned hours.

Sick leave may be utilized by employees when they are unable to report to work due to personal illness, accident, exposure to contagious disease, or medical appointments when such appointments cannot be scheduled after working hours. Sick leave may also be used to attend to members of the immediate family who are ill and/or in instances of death in the employee's immediate family.

For purposes of attending to a family member who is ill, medical documentation must be provided verifying that the employee's assistance was essential to the family member's well-being. For purposes of using sick leave due to death in the immediate family, immediate family members are defined as "father, mother, mother-in-law, father-in-law, grandmother, grandfather, grandchild, spouse, child, foster child, sister or brother of the employee." They also include relatives of the employee's household who are living with the employee.

Personal doctor visits that can be arranged during non-working hours, taking family members to the doctor for non-emergency tests or check-ups, or serving as a nurse or housekeeper are not considered appropriate uses of sick leave.

All unused sick leave shall accumulate from year to year to be used if and when needed. An employee shall not be reimbursed for accrued sick leave at the time of termination of his/her employment except upon retirement. An employee who has been re-employed shall be credited with the total accrued sick leave at the termination of his/her previous state employment. Documentation of prior sick leave is the responsibility of the employee.

Authorization for Sick Leave Use
If it is necessary for an employee to use sick leave, the supervisor shall be notified promptly at the employee's usual reporting time, except in those work situations where notice must be made prior to the employee's starting time.

An employee who is on sick leave absence for five or more consecutive working days must submit to the Benefits Office in the Division of Human Resources acceptable medical evidence substantiating the illness. Employees may also be required to submit proof of illness or injury:

• when there is reason to believe that an employee is abusing sick leave;
• when an employee has been absent on sick leave for any aggregate of more than 15 days in a 12-month period. When an illness is of a chronic or recurring nature causing occasional absences of one day or less, one proof of illness shall be required for every six-month period. The proof of illness must specify the nature of the illness and that it is likely to cause periodic absences from employment.

At the discretion of the supervisor, a doctor's certificate may be requested for illness immediately preceding or immediately following a holiday.

Failure to provide appropriate medical documentation in any of the above circumstances may result in the denial of sick leave for an absence and constitute cause for disciplinary action.

Medical Notes
Employees submitting a medical note should ensure that the note contains the following information:

• the date the employee was seen by the doctor;
• the date(s) the employee was out or will be out;
• the expected date of return;
• the reason for the absence and/or the nature of the illness;
• a statement from the doctor that the employee is unable to carry out the duties of his/her position.

Any medical excuse not containing this information will be returned for the necessary details. Failure to supply the above information may result in denial of the use of a sick day.

The University may also exercise its right to require that the employee’s medical documentation be reviewed or the employee be examined by a doctor of its choice prior to approval of a medical leave, to determine fitness to return to work, or for any other reason.