LOCAL 701 Agreement 2007-2010

ARTICLE IX    SICK LEAVE, EXCUSED ABSENCES AND LEAVES OF ABSENCE

Section 9.1. Sick Leave With Pay.

1. Employees shall be entitled to sick leave pay after one hundred twenty (120) days of service, or after completion of the probationary period. Sick leave time shall be accrued by each eligible employee from the date of hire
2. Sick leave with pay shall accrue at the rate of 10 days per year for employees hired prior to November 1, 1995. Employees hired on or after November 1, 1995 shall accrue sick leave at the rate of 9 days per year up to a maximum of sixty-two and one-half (62.5) working days or 500 hours for full-time employees. No sick leave shall accrue for any month during which the employee is absent for more than one-half (1/2) of their standard working hours except where absence is due to paid vacations, paid holidays, paid funeral leaves, jury duty, voting time off or paid military leave. Sick leave with pay shall accrue during any absence brought about because of occupational injury or occupational illness so long as the employee remains eligible for temporary disability benefits under the State of Illinois Worker's Compensation Act or the Occupational Diseases Act.
3. Employees hired on or after January 1, 1982 shall not be paid for the first two (2) days of absence for each illness until they have completed eighteen (18) months of service, except when sick leave is used to cover up to a maximum three (3) work days that are not paid for in connection with Worker's Compensation benefits. Any employee's sick leave allowances shall be applied only to absence necessitated by employee illness or injury and the right is reserved by the University at any time to require an employee who has been absent five (5) or more consecutive workdays or who is suspected of abuse of sick leave utilization to submit a certificate issued by a physician licensed to practice medicine or his/her designee as proof of illness. Failure to submit such proof upon request shall automatically disqualify such employee for sick leave allowance with pay and may result in further disciplinary action.
   Employees unable to report for work shall so inform their department as soon as possible, and in accordance with the established call-in procedures. Time lost by employees who fail to notify their department as required shall be treated as an unexcused absence. Employees who expect to return and are unable to return at their regular starting time that day, shall call in as above.
4. Full time employees eligible for use of sick leave with pay may use accrued sick leave for scheduled doctors' appointments. Employees utilizing sick leave for such purposes shall inform departmental supervision as far in advance as possible.
5. Only the standard working hours lost due to absence because of illness shall be charged against the employee's sick leave credits.
6. Compensation during allowable absence because of illness or injury shall be at the employee's basic straight-time hourly rate.
7. The balance of employee's sick leave credits shall lapse when he resigns or is discharged and is not rehired within thirty (30) days following resignation or discharge, except as provided in Section 2 of Article XXII of this Agreement.

Section 9.2. Absence for Jury Duty.

Employees who are summoned and report for jury service shall be excused from work for the days on which they serve as a juror and receive for each such day of jury service on which they would otherwise have worked, their straight-time hourly rate for normally scheduled work hours. The employee retains the check issued by the court. In order to receive payment, the employee should notify his supervisor as soon as possible upon receiving a summons to serve as a juror. A copy of the summons may be required by supervision.

It is understood that if employees are called to serve as a juror and they are temporarily excused from such service or are not required to serve as a juror on any of their regularly scheduled workdays, they will report for work during scheduled working hours. Supervision may require proof of days and times served.

Section 9.3. Leaves of Absence.

Employees covered by this Agreement shall have the right to make application for leaves of absence for justifiable reasons provided they have completed one (l) year of continuous service. Application for leave of absence shall be made on University Form UPP 167 Leave of Absence Request Form. The University will give consideration to the circumstances of each application and shall have the right to determine whether or not the leave shall be granted and the duration of any leave of absence. A leave of absence due to continuing, bona fide illness or disability that prevents an employee from working will be approved for a period ending not later than six (6) months from the time the employee's absence began. Such a leave will begin after the exhausting of accrued sick leave and vacation time. Each employee granted a leave of absence will receive a copy of the approved leave Form UPP 167. Leaves of absence shall be without pay and, at the University's discretion, they may be extended upon receipt of written request for such extension.

The University will provide Family Leave as required by law, subject to the regulations and requirements of the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). UPP 167F Family Medical Leave of Absence Request Form is used to support such leave requests.

During any approved Leave of Absence or during layoff, an employee may retain coverage under the various insurance plans. The University will continue its share of premium costs for three (3) months; after three (3) months the employee pays full premiums for the plans. Retention of insurance coverage is required during leaves of three (3) months or less. Arrangements for the payment of premiums are to be made with the University's service provider engaged to collect such premiums. During any leave of absence, an employee does not accrue sick leave or vacation credits and is not eligible for any paid time benefits; however, all such benefits become available to the employee, but not retroactively for the period of the leave, as soon as the employee resumes work after leave of absence. An employee on approved leave of absence will be terminated from employment if he fails to return to work when the leave of absence expires, unless he has a compelling reason, acceptable to the University for his inability to return. Falsification of leave of absence application shall be cause for disciplinary action including discharge.

Section 9.4. Military Leave.

The University will provide military leave as stated in the University policy or as required by law.

Section 9.5. Funeral Leave.

Employees who have completed their probationary periods shall upon application to their supervisor, be allowed three (3) working days off at straight-time pay (four (4) when travel of more than four hundred (400) miles each way is involved) upon the death of a member of the employee's immediate family. Employees who have ten (10) years of service will be granted five (5) funeral leave days. "Immediate family" is defined as parents or foster parents, sister, brother, spouse, children, and domestic partner as defined by University policy.

In the event of death of an employee's father-in-law, or mother-in-law, grandparent or grandchild, the employee will be allowed three (3) days off with straight-time pay for hours lost.

Any additional time required by an employee may be charged against the employee's accrued vacation, provided the employee obtains the approval of the supervisor in advance.

It is understood that the University has the right to request verification of relationship, death and distance traveled before paying benefits under this Article. It is further understood that the University may request an employee to complete a form indicating the name and relationships of relatives covered by this Section.

Section 9.6. Military Reserve Training Leave.

The University will provide Military Reserve Training Leave as stated in University policy or as required by law.