USI » Human Resources » Benefits

Leave of Absence

Occasionally an employee may need to be absent from work for an extended period because of illness, disability, or other compelling reasons. To request a leave of absence, an employee must complete a Leave of Absence Request form and submit the form to the Human Resources Department. Please contact Jamie Barnes in Human Resources to pick up Leave of Absence forms.

Sick Leave - Employees who are absent from work due to illness or disability for more than five consecutive working days will be placed on a Medical Leave of Absence. The employee must submit a medical release from a physician to the Human Resources Department prior to returning to work.

Family and Medical Leave - The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job protected leave during any rolling 12 month period to "eligible" employees for certain family and medical reasons. In all cases, the 12 week period will begin the first day FMLA leave begins. This 12 week period includes paid and unpaid leave time, as FMLA leaves of absence run concurrently with other applicable time off policies.

Eligibility - Faculty, administrators and staff are eligible to take FMLA leave if employed by the University for at least 12 months and for at least 1,250 hours of service during the 12 month period before leave commences. Part-time, temporary, and seasonal employees who have been employed at least 12 months and who have worked at least 1,250 hours during the past 12 months are also eligible to take FMLA leave. FMLA leave may only be claimed during active assignments (i.e., summer and unpaid sabbatical are not included)

Provisions and Procedures - Employees requesting a foreseeable FMLA leave are expected to complete a University Request for Leave of Absence form at least 30 days prior to the requested leave. Leave requests are subject to the approval of the Human Resources Department. In emergency leave situations, supervisors should contact the Human Resources Department immediately to initiate the FMLA process. Forms can be obtained from the Human Resources Department.

Employment and Benefits Protection - Upon return to active employment, the employee will be returned to the same or equivalent position and employment benefits. Sick time and vacation will accrue while the employee is on paid leave. Unpaid leave time will not count as time accrued for the purposes of eligibility for TIAA-CREF retirement plan and the long-term disability plan.

Continuation of Benefits During the Leave - An employee who is a current participant in an existing insurance plan and who is placed on FMLA leave will be entitled to continue insurance benefits during the leave. If the employee elects to continue insurance coverage during the leave, the University will continue to pay its portion of the premium. For insurance benefits during any paid portion of a FMLA leave, employee contributions will be collected in the same way as if actively at work (e.g., through payroll deductions). For insurance benefits during an unpaid leave, the employee will be billed in monthly increments for the employee's share of the premium. When feasible, the employee may choose to prepay insurance premiums (e.g., through increased payroll deductions or other arrangements) when the need for unpaid FMLA leave is foreseeable. Failure to pay the employee portion of the premiums normally deducted while on leave may result in cancellation of insurance coverage.

Under normal circumstances, benefits will be fully reinstated when the employee returns to work. If the employee does not return to work after the FMLA leave for reasons other than health conditions or some other reason beyond the employee's control (that is, the decision not to return to work is essentially voluntary), the University may charge the employee retroactively for the University's portion of the health care premium paid during the unpaid portion of the FMLA leave. In addition, the employee's notification of his/her intent not to return will be the COBRA qualifying event for continuation of health insurance. The employee is considered as having returned to work after FMLA leave by the time he/she has been actively working for at least 30 calendar days. Contributions to TIAA-CREF, PERF and STRF retirement plans will be adjusted for any unpaid leave time.

Family and/or Medical Leave Qualifying Provisions

A. For the birth of the employee's child or to care for the newborn child or child placed with the employee for adoption or foster care. FMLA leave for a newborn child or for the adoption or foster care placement of a child must be completed within 12 months of the birth, adoption, or placement. Intermittent or reduced schedule leave may be permitted with the approval of the Human Resources Department and must be recorded on an hour for hour basis regardless of the employee's status. Please note that this includes salaried employees. The employee must first use all applicable sick time, winter recess bonus time, compensatory time, and earned vacation prior to being placed in a non-pay status. When both husband and wife are employed by the University of Southern Indiana, they are entitled to a combined total of 12 weeks of FMLA leave. When the leave is for a newborn child of a female employee, a portion of the leave may be used toward the "employee's own serious medical condition" as indicated in item B. At the exhaustion of the 12 week FMLA provision, the employee may apply for a personal leave of absence, subject to the approval of the Director of Human Resources.

B. For the employee's own serious medical condition. In order to be eligible for FMLA under this provision, medical certification from the employee's health care provider will be required within 15 calendar days of the beginning of the leave, unless it is not practical to do so under the circumstances. The University Family and Medical Leave Certification Form, also available in the Human Resources Department, must be completed and submitted to Human Resources. At Human Resources' request and expense, a second or third opinion may be required. A new Certification Form may be required after 30 calendar days as means of updating the University on the status of the employee's FMLA leave. The employee must first use all accumulated sick leave, any winter recess bonus time, compensatory time, and earned vacation prior to being placed in a non-pay status. When both husband and wife are employed by the University, they are each entitled to 12 weeks of FMLA leave. At the exhaustion of the 12 week provision, the employee may apply for a personal leave of absence, subject to the approval of the director of Human Resources. Intermittent or reduced schedule leave may be permitted and must be recorded on an hour for hour basis regardless of the employee's status. Please note that this includes salaried employees. If the FMLA leave is for planned medical treatment and will be taken on an intermittent basis or reduced schedule, the employee is expected to schedule the treatment so as to create minimum disruption of the employing department. The University of Southern Indiana reserves the right to move an employee who is on intermittent or reduced schedule leave to an alternate position that can better accommodate such scheduling, if necessary. Such moves must receive approval of the Director of Human Resources.

C. For the serious health condition of a spouse, child, or parent (but not parent-in-law). In order to be eligible for FMLA under this provision, medical certification from the family member's health care provider will be required within 15 calendar days of the beginning of the FMLA leave, unless it is not practical to do so under the circumstances. The University Family and Medical Leave Certification Form, also available in the Human Resources Department, must be completed and submitted to Human Resources. At Human Resources' request and expense, a second or third opinion may be required. A new Certification Form may be required after 30 calendar days as means of updating the University on the status of the employee's FMLA leave. The employee must first use the five days of allowable family sick leave if applicable, and any winter recess bonus time, compensatory time, and all earned vacation prior to being placed in a non-pay status. When both husband and wife are employed by the University, they are each entitled to 12 weeks of FMLA leave. At the exhaustion of the 12 week provision, the employee may apply for a personal leave of absence, subject to the approval of the director of Human Resources. Intermittent or reduced schedule leave may be permitted and must be recorded on an hour for hour basis regardless of the employee's status. Please note that this includes salaried employees. If the FMLA leave is for planned medical treatment and will be taken on an intermittent basis or reduced schedule, the employee is expected to schedule the treatment so as to create minimum disruption of the employing department. The University of Southern Indiana reserves the right to move an employee who is on intermittent or reduced schedule leave to an alternate position that can better accommodate such scheduling, if necessary. Such moves must receive approval of the Director of Human Resources.

Military Leave

Annual Reserve Training - Eligible employees required to report for annual reserve training are allowed to receive up to 15 days leave of absence with pay per fiscal year. In the event the training overlaps two fiscal years, no more than 30 days leave of absence with pay will be permitted in a two-year period. Employees not eligible for benefits participating in annual reserve training will be placed on a leave without pay. Each request for leave must be submitted in writing to the dean/department head, accompanied by a copy of orders, for approval by the director of Human Resources.

Active Duty - Employees in a reserve unit ordered to active duty may request a leave of absence without pay for the period of active duty and may return to University employment in accordance with the terms of the Veteran's Re-employment Rights Act. Upon receipt of a copy of the active duty orders, eligible employees will receive the balance (if any) of the 15 days reserve training pay and accrued vacation, compensatory time or winter recess bonus time.

Personal Time Off or Leaves Without Pay - Any regular staff member may request personal time off in a non-pay status for a valid reason. If the anticipated time off is at least five days, the employee must request a leave of absence. A leave of absence may be of any duration from at least five days up to 30 days; if longer duration is anticipated, it should be in maximum periods of 30 days. Indefinite leaves are not granted.

A Leave of Absence Request should be sent to the Human Resources Department with the reason and the period of time requested and should be signed by the employee's department head. This must be submitted to the Human Resources Department prior to any unpaid time. A leave of absence should not be requested if the employee does not intend to return to work at the University. If no further employment is planned, or if the employee is resigning or dismissed, then termination of the employee is in order rather than a leave of absence. Employees who are on a leave of absence without pay do not earn vacation or sick time during such a leave period. In addition, University contributions to the various retirement plans are not made during periods of unpaid leave. All accrued vacation time, compensatory time, or winter recess bonus days must be used prior to beginning any personal time off without pay. All leaves of absence must be approved by the department head and Human Resources.

Unless business necessity dictates otherwise, the University will hold open the employee's position who is on an approved leave of absence during the first 90 days of the leave. Positions for faculty members may be held on a semester-by-semester basis. Except for tenured faculty, an employee on a personal leave of absence without pay for longer than 90 days will not be guaranteed the right to return to the same job; however, an effort will be made to place the employee in a similar position. The employee's length of service will not permit the displacement of another employee. In the event that a similar position is not available within a reasonable period after the employee's scheduled return to work date, or the employee refuses to accept an offer of employment for a similar position, employment with the University may be terminated. During a leave of absence without pay, employees may continue elected benefits coverage if the required employee contributions are paid when due.

The University of Southern Indiana is an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action employer. It is the policy of the University of Southern Indiana to be in full compliance with all federal and state non-discrimination and equal opportunity laws, orders and regulations relating to race, sex, religion, disability, age, national origin, sexual orientation or status as a disabled veteran or veteran of the Vietnam era. Questions or concerns should be directed to the Affirmative Action Officer, USI Human Resources Department, 8600 University Boulevard, Evansville, IN 47712.

8600 University Boulevard - Evansville, IN 47712-3596 - 812/464-8600