Sick Leave

Sick leave may be used for any of the following reasons:  

• Your own illness, injury, or medical disability 

• Maternity or paternity-related absence, including prenatal care, birth, miscarriage, or other medical care for either employee or child 

• Medical, dental, or vision examination or treatment 

• Quarantine resulting from exposure to a contagious disease 

• Care of or attendance to an immediate family member 

• Death or funeral attendance for an immediate family member, or at your supervisor's discretion, for another person 

Immediate family includes your spouse or partner, any member of your household, or any parent, child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, or corresponding in-law, including stepfamilies and family members of your partner. 

• Faculty, contract administrators, and contract professionals: 8 hours per calendar month. Academic year faculty accrue only during the academic year. 

• Staff: 3.69 hours per pay period (12 days per year) 

• All eligible positions working less than full time: prorated based on hours worked 

Sick leave does not accrue during leave without pay or on overtime hours. 

You must be continuously employed for 90 calendar days before you can use sick leave credits (the qualifying period). A break in service, meaning a gap in employment of more than five working days, resets the qualifying period. Sick leave credits cannot be advanced before they are earned.

Any illness, medical appointment, or emergency requiring sick leave must be reported to your supervisor as soon as possible. Your supervisor may require a physician's certificate or other documentation to substantiate your request. Complete a departmental leave request form and submit it to your supervisor for approval and signature.

Holidays that fall during a period of sick leave are charged as holiday pay, not sick leave. If you become ill during scheduled annual leave, you may substitute sick leave for the days you are sick with proper notification and supervisor approval.

Employees who have completed the 90-day qualifying period are entitled to a lump sum payment equal to one-fourth of their unused, accumulated sick leave credits upon separation. Payment is calculated based on your salary at the time of termination.

Yes. Sick leave may be used to care for or attend to an immediate family member. Immediate family includes your spouse or partner, any household member, and any parent, child, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, or corresponding in-law, including stepfamilies and family members of your partner. At your supervisor's discretion, sick leave may also be used for someone outside this definition.

Yes. Sick leave may be used for time off due to the death of or funeral attendance for an immediate family member. At your supervisor's discretion, it may also be used for another person.

With your supervisor's approval, you may charge an absence due to illness to annual leave, compensatory time, or leave without pay after your sick leave is exhausted. You may also apply to receive a grant from the Sick Leave Fund or a direct grant from a colleague if your absence meets the eligibility criteria.

If you are injured in a work-related accident, you may be eligible for workers' compensation benefits. Use of sick leave must be coordinated with workers' compensation on a case-by-case basis. Contact HRS for guidance.