| Eligibility
Any Regular employee who has completed 12 months of benefits-eligible
employment may request a maximum of 12 weeks Family Leave
during any "rolling" 12-month period measured
backward from the date the employee uses any family leave.
Leave Requirement
Family Leave may be granted for:
1. The birth of a child or placement of an adopted or foster
child; or
2. The serious health condition of the employee or the
employee's spouse, child, or parent.
Leave may be taken for the birth or placement of a child
only within 12 months of that birth or placement. When available,
all appropriate paid leave must be used prior to the commencement
of unpaid leave.
Leave Requests
Employees must submit a written request at least 30 days
prior to the commencement of leave in cases where the leave
is foreseeable and make reasonable efforts in scheduling
leaves to avoid disrupting the work unit.
Intermittent Leave
Leave for serious health conditions may be taken intermittently
or on a reduced schedule if "medically necessary."
Leave may be taken on an intermittent or reduced basis for
the birth or placement of a child only if the arrangement
is agreed to by the employer.
Certification
Family Leave requests must be documented by a health-care
provider's certification of a serious health condition for
the employee or that of a family member (spouse, child,
or parent). Re-certification will be required as needed.
A Certification of Physician or Practitioner form is available
in the Office of Human Resources. For paid sick leave to
be used for absences relating to childbirth, personal illness,
or the illness of a family member covered by the Sick Leave
policy, a health-care provider's certification is also necessary
(see "Sick Leave" section).
A copy of the adoption papers and an indication of the expected
return-to-work date in the written leave request are sufficient
to document the use of Family Leave for adoption purposes.
Failure to provide medical certification in a timely fashion
may result in disapproval of the request for Family and
Medical Leave.
Pay Status
Absences in excess of accrued sick leave (when appropriate)
and annual leave are unpaid. Although there are some exceptions (e.g. absences connected to work-related injuries), the university generally is not able to hold jobs for more than 12 weeks. If employees are unable to return to work at the end of their 12 week FMLA absence, their employment will be terminated.
Benefits Eligibility
During an approved Family Leave, an employee remains eligible
to continue in the SEF, medical, life, accidental death
& dismemberment, long term disability, and tuition remission
plans. Continued eligibility is contingent upon timely receipt
of the employee premium contribution. The university will
continue to contribute its portion of the total premium.
Arrangements for paying such premiums should be made with
the Office of Human Resources prior to the commencement
of the leave.
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