Sick Leave for Administrative/Classified Staff Employees

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1.0    Purpose

This policy establishes guidelines for administrative and classified staff employees to earn and use sick leave.

2.0    Revision History

3.0    Persons Affected

3.1    Administrative and classified staff employees who have a 12-month letter of appointment, who are regularly scheduled to work 40 hours per week, and who are eligible to receive employment benefits.

3.2    Administrative and classified staff employees who have at minimum a 9-month letter of appointment, who are regularly scheduled to work 20 hours or more per week, and who are eligible to receive employment benefits.

4.0    Policy

The policy of Casper College is to ensure the following.

4.1    Administrative and classified staff employees have an opportunity for paid leave to use for their personal medical care.

4.2    Administrative and classified staff employees have an opportunity for paid leave to use for the medical care of the employee’s or the employee’s spouse/partner’s family or for someone who resides in the employee’s home.

4.3    Administrative and classified staff employees earn leave at a designated accrual rate.

4.4    Administrative and classified staff employees use leave in accordance with this policy.

4.5    Administrative and classified staff employees who have exhausted all of their sick leave and have subsequent absences will have their leave charged against their annual or converted leave or compensatory time, in this order. If other leave is not available, leave will be without pay.

4.6    The Human Resources Department may request administrative and classified staff employees to provide a medical release from a licensed medical provider after an illness or injury to ensure that they are medically fit to perform their job duties.

4.7    The Human Resources Department will notify administrative and classified staff employees in writing and in advance if they will be required to provide a statement from a licensed medical provider to use sick leave. An employee who does not provide the required documentation may face disciplinary action.

4.8    Administrative and classified staff employees who are absent due to an occupational injury or illnesses may use sick leave only for the waiting period required by Workers’ Compensation (see Workers’ Compensation policy).

4.9    Administrative and classified staff employees use sick and Family and Medical Leave Act leave concurrently.

4.10    Administrative and classified staff employees who become ill while on any other form of leave do not use sick leave for the time they were ill, since they were already on an approved leave.

4.11    Administrative and classified staff employees report sick leave in increments of one hour. Leave of more or less than an hour is rounded to the nearest hour.

5.0    Definitions

5.1    Administrative. This job classification includes professional, non-faculty positions responsible for the management or operations of the college. Administrative employees are exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act.

5.2    Classified staff. This job classification includes operational support positions. Classified staff employees are covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act.

5.3    Sick Leave. This is paid leave that administrative and classified staff employees earn to use for the employee’s medical care, for the medical care of the employee’s or employee’s spouse/partner’s family or for someone who resides in the employee’s home.

5.4    Leave Notification Form. This document is a one-part form used by employees to request leave. The leave form describes the type of leave, the dates and hours requested, and signature lines for the employee and the supervisor. Completion of the leave form alone does not constitute the granting of leave.

5.5    Family and Medical Leave Act. This act requires covered employers to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave during the designated 12-month period. Eligible employees may use FMLA for incapacity due to pregnancy, prenatal medical care, or childbirth; for a serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the employee’s job; to care for the employee’s child after birth, adoption placement, or foster care; or to care for the employee’s spouse, child, or parent who has a serious health condition.

5.6    Accrual Rate. This is the rate at which an employee earns leave. Employees accrue sick leave based on the following schedule.

5.6.1    Administrative and classified staff employees who have a 12-month letter of appointment and who are regularly scheduled to work 40 hours per week accrue 8 hours of sick leave per month.

5.6.2    Administrative and classified staff employees who have at minimum a 9-month letter of appointment and who are regularly scheduled to work a minimum of 20 hours per week accrue sick leave at a rate prorated to that of employees regularly scheduled to work 40 hours per week. Employees accrue leave for only the months worked.

5.6.3    Administrative and classified staff employees on birth or adoption leave do not accrue sick leave.

5.7    Maximum Accumulation. This is the maximum hours of leave administrative and classified staff employees can carry as a balance. The maximum accumulation allowed is 480 hours.

6.0    Responsibilities

6.1    Administrative and classified staff employees are expected to know how much sick leave they have available to them.

6.2    Administrative and classified staff employees are responsible for working with their supervisors to use their leave.

6.3    Administrative and classified staff employees are responsible for providing medical documentation if asked.

6.4    Supervisors are responsible for granting sick leave in compliance with this policy.

6.5    Supervisors are responsible for working with the Human Resources Department to ensure compliance to this policy.

6.6    The Human Resources Department is responsible for recording and monitoring leave and for responding to requests for information from supervisors and employees about available leave.

6.7    The director of human resources is responsible for ensuring compliance to this policy.

7.0    Procedures

7.1    Taking Leave for Illness

7.1.1    The employee notifies her supervisor, prior to the time the employee is scheduled to work, that she or a person eligible under this policy is ill and she will not be reporting to work. Failure to report an absence may result in disciplinary action, regardless of whether the employee is eligible for sick leave or not. Employees who fail to notify their supervisor of their absence for three consecutive workdays have voluntarily terminated their employment. The employee may request an exception to this clause in writing to the director of human resources.

7.1.2    The supervisor notifies the Human Resources Department as soon as she is aware that the leave may be eligible to be covered by FMLA.

7.1.3    The employee completes the Leave Notification Form by checking the Sick box and filling in the dates and total amount of time used. Employees report sick leave in increments of one hour. Leave of more or less than an hour is rounded to the nearest hour.

7.1.4    The supervisor notifies the Human Resources Department if she thinks a medical release may be necessary.

7.1.5    The Human Resources Department contacts the employee to assess if a medical release will be required.

7.1.6    The employee submits the Leave Notification Form to her supervisor.

7.1.7    The employee’s supervisor contacts the Human Resources Department if a subordinate has demonstrated a pattern of absenteeism. The Human Resources Department will send a notice to the employee that until further notice she will need to provide the Human Resources Department with verification of an appointment from a licensed medical provider each time she uses sick leave.

7.1.8    Employees must provide the Human Resources Department with verification of an appointment from a licensed medical provider if they were notified in advance and in writing that this would be a requirement of using sick leave. All requests for information will comply with FMLA and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

7.1.9    The Human Resources Department may contact the employee’s medical provider if an illness or disability is in dispute. All requests for information will comply with FMLA and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

7.1.10    The supervisor signs the Leave Notification Form and submits it to the Human Resources Department.

7.2    Taking Leave for an Appointment with a Licensed Medical Provider

7.2.1    The employee notifies her supervisor prior to or as soon as an appointment has been made with a licensed medical provider for the employee or a person eligible under this policy.

7.2.2    The supervisor grants or denies leave based on staffing needs and the urgency of the appointment.

7.2.3    Upon returning from an appointment with the licensed medical provider, the employee complete the Leave Notification Form by checking the Medical Provider box and filling in the dates and total number of hours taken. Employees report leave in increments of one hour. Leave of more or less than an hour is rounded to the nearest hour.

7.2.4    The employee submits her Leave Notification Form to her supervisor.

7.2.5    The supervisor may ask the Human Resources Department to request verification of the appointment from the licensed medical provider. All requests for information will comply with FMLA and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

7.2.6    The supervisor signs the Leave Notification Form and submits it to the Human Resources Department.