Paid sick leave

Policy Statement:

Paid sick leave is not a form of compensation, but is a benefit provided by the College to protect full-time employees against loss of income when they find it necessary to be absent from work for reasons of personal illness, injury, or disability. Under conditions specified herein, paid sick leave may be applicable for reasons related to the illness or injury of a spouse, son, daughter or parent.

Scope:

This policy applies to all full-time employees of Sinclair Community College.

Provisions:

Personal illness or injury

Regular, full-time employees who are absent for reasons of personal illness, injury or other medical condition receive full pay while absent up to the amount of sick leave accrued prior to the beginning of the absence. Sick leave is accumulated at the rate of five (5) hours per pay period up to a total of 120 hours per year. Annual unused sick leave may be accumulated up to a maximum of 1200 hours.

Sick leave that is accrued during an absence may not be used until the employee has returned to work for one (1) scheduled work day and subsequently qualifies for the use of paid sick leave.

If an employee is unable to report to work as scheduled because of illness or an emergency medical situation, the immediate supervisor should be notified no later than the first scheduled working hour. If this is physically impossible, the supervisor should be notified as soon as it is possible to do so. Failure to report and/or properly notify the College will be considered an unauthorized absence. Such unauthorized absence may result in loss of pay for the time of absence.

When the need for sick leave is foreseeable, the employee should submit a Leave Request prior to the beginning of the leave. Under any circumstance, the Office of Human Resources is to be notified of an employee's use of sick leave by the end of the second (2nd) consecutive day of sick leave. If the need for sick leave is not foreseeable, the employee who has been absent completes a Leave Request form as soon as possible upon returning to work. However, if the leave is an unplanned absence of two (2) or more consecutive working days it is the responsibility of the supervisor to notify Human Resources and to complete and submit a Leave Request on the employee's behalf.

An employee who has been absent for five (5) or more consecutive working days because of illness must submit a physician's statement verifying the illness and giving medical approval for the employee to return to work directly to the Human Resources Office. A physician's statement may be requested for absences of less than five (5) days at the supervisor's discretion. A copy of the physician's statement is to be sent by the employee to the Office of Human Resources.

Employees who are absent on an extended basis may be required to submit, upon request, a completed "Certification of Health Care Provider." This is in advance of return to work and in addition to the required release to return to work.

Employees who have accumulated the maximum of 1200 hours may have their attendance records reviewed in July of each year. An absence for illness may have reduced the accrued sick leave below the maximum of 1200 hours by July 1 of that year because of hours "lost" during the prior fiscal year due to the 1200-hour cap. In such cases the "lost" hours will, upon request of the employee, be added to restore the employee's balance, but not to exceed the 1200 hour maximum.

If a member of the full-time teaching staff is on sick leave for an extended period of time, appropriate accommodations for scheduled classes will be determined by the division Dean and the Senior Vice President and Provost.

When a faculty member is on paid sick leave for a full quarter or more, he will be credited with 15 workload hours for each quarter of that leave. Sick leave does not cover any employment above the primary scheduled job; i.e., overload, personal service agreements, etc.

Pregnancy

Paid sick leave may be used by a female staff member during the period medically excused for pregnancy. Unpaid leave is provided under the Family and Medical Leave policy.

THIS SECTION HAS BEEN SUPERSEDED BY SUBSEQUENT "UNUSED SICK LEAVE PAYOUT AT RETIREMENT POLICY," EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 22, 2015.

Illness or injury of family member

Paid sick leave may be used for an illness or emergency involving the employee's spouse, son, daughter or parent that requires the presence of the employee.

The request for paid leave should include a completed Leave Request and an explanation of the nature of the illness that necessitates the employee's presence. The College may require a completed "Certification of Health Care Provider," certifying that the employee's presence is required. Requests should be made in advance of need when possible.

Responsibility:

Employees and supervisors are required to be knowledgeable of this policy and abide by its provisions.

Appropriate documentation for requested Sick Leave may be required. Falsification of a written or signed statement or document shall be grounds for disciplinary action including dismissal.

The Office of Human Resources shall manage the retrospective reinstatement of "lost" sick leave on an annual basis when conditions warrant.

The Office of Human Resources shall administer the policy.

Definitions:

Son or Daughter – The term "son or daughter" means a biological, adopted, or foster child, a stepchild, a legal ward, or a child of a person standing in loco parentis, who is…

(A) under 18 years of age; or

(B) 18 years of age or older an incapable of self-care because of a mental or physical disability.

Retirement refers to an employee applying for and being granted benefits for either PERS/PERS LE, STRS or ARP. There must be no intervening time period or employment between the close of employment with the College and the beginning of benefits from PERS/PERS LE, STRS or ARP.