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Leaves
of Absence
Back to Paid and Unpaid Time Off
There are times when you may need to be away from your job at the
University for an extended period of time. This screen offers information about:
 Leaves of
Absence (Other Than FMLA)
Who Is Eligible
The University will consider requests for unpaid leaves from regular employees who have at
least one year of continuous service with the University.
Key Features
- Leaves of Absence are designed to give you an excused leave
without pay when exceptional circumstances apply, such as:
- Continued education
- Research
- Travel
- Family issues or
- Other unusual personal needs.
- You may request from one to 12 months of leave.
- Leaves of Absence begin when you have exhausted your accrued
vacation and personal holidays.
- Leave extensions also may be requested.
Granting a Leave of Absence
Your supervisor will decide whether to grant you the unpaid leave based on:
- Your reason for the request;
- Your previous attendance record;
- Your previous leave requests; and
- The impact your absence will have on the department.
Once your leave of absence request form has been completed
and appropriate approvals have been obtained, a copy of your request form will be sent to
you for your records. This form is your official statement of any job assurances that the
University makes on your behalf.
Job Reinstatement
If the University approves your request for a leave, this does not
guarantee that you will be reinstated to your job when you want to return. Your
department, with the input of Human Resources Management, will decide whether your
position will be held.
How to Enroll
If you are contemplating taking a leave of absence, click
here to find out what steps you need to take.
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Family and
Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Who Is Eligible
Any employee who has been employed with the University for at least 12 months and has
worked at least 1,250 hours during the previous 12-month period is eligible for FMLA
leave.
Key Features
- FMLA leaves may be taken for the following reasons:
- Birth of an employee's child or care of a newborn (within
one year of the birth);
- Child's placement with an employee through adoption or foster
care (within one year of placement or adoption);
- The need to care for an employee's spouse, child, parent,
or University-registered domestic partner who has a serious
health condition; or
- An employee's own serious health condition which makes him/her
unable to perform his/her job function.
- The University will grant a leave under this Act for up to 12 workweeks for
any given 12-month period. Your 12-month period begins on the
first day of an FMLA leave.
- If you've been granted an FMLA leave because of a disability,
see the short-term disability
policy.
- You may use your accrued vacation time and personal holiday
time as part of your FMLA leave, if you choose.
- You may use your accrued sick time only for your own health
condition; if you're caring for anyone other than yourself, you may use only vacation and
personal holiday time, if you choose.
Granting an FMLA Leave
If you are requesting a leave:
- For your own serious health condition; or
- To care for a spouse, child, parent or University-registered
domestic partner who has a serious health condition,
you need to provide certification of medical necessity to
the University from a health care provider. (You may request this form from the
Office of Employee/Labor Relations.) The University may require a University-selected health care provider to provide
a second opinion. Your department will be responsible for this cost.
Job Reinstatement
You will be reinstated to your same job when you return from an FMLA leave. Your
employment cannot be terminated while you are on an FMLA leave.
How to Enroll
If you need to take an FMLA leave, click here to
find out what steps you need to take.
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