Policy 4.03
Purpose
The purpose of the sick time benefit is to allow an employee paid time off during periods of personal illness, to obtain medical services or to care for an immediate family member who is ill.
Eligibility
Regular employees working 20 hours or more per week for a continuous period of six months or longer are eligible to accrue and use paid sick time. (Classified, Faculty and Service Professional/Appointed)
Regular part-time employees working fewer than 20 hours per week and temporary employees are not eligible for paid sick time.
Sick Accruals
- Paid sick time is accrued at the rate of one day for each month of service (8 hours or 3.678 hrs per pay period for an employee working 40 hours per week).
Sick accruals are based upon hours worked. Holiday pay, paid compensatory time, approved vacation and sick pay also constitute hours eligible for accruing sick. The maximum accrual rate is based upon 40 hours per week. Accruals are prorated based upon hours worked and the period of time on contract.
An eligible employee does NOT earn sick when he/she is:
- within a period of extended military leave;
- within a period of leave of absence without pay;
- within a period of layoff; or
- otherwise on an unpaid status, including unpaid sabbaticals.
An eligible faculty employee on a one-semester paid sabbatical will earn full sick time for that semester. Faculty on a full-year paid sabbatical will accrue sick time at the rate of 60% of the full-time accrual rate.
Carry Forward of Accrued Sick
Accrued sick time carries forward without any limitation of total accumulation.
Using Sick Time
Sick time should be requested and approved in advance whenever possible. Sudden illnesses which result in absence must be reported to the employee's supervisor within three working days after an employee's return from illness. A Record of Absence (ROA) form must be completed and submitted to the employee's supervisor.
For absences in excess of three days because of illness, injury, or other disability, or should there be reason to believe that sick time is being abused, the employee may be required to furnish the University with a written statement from a physician certifying that the employee was unable to work during the period of absence.
Important: The department MUST notify the Human Resources Department after three days of sick time off due to possible Family Medical Leave of Absence qualification.
Accrued Sick Time Upon Termination
Accrued sick time is not paid out upon termination.
Effective July 1, 1998, employees who retire from the University may be eligible to receive payment for unused sick accruals. For more information about the Retirees Accumulated Sick Leave (RASL) program, go to Retirement Benefits.
