Paid sick time allows an employee paid time off during periods of personal illness, to obtain medical services or to care for immediate family members who are ill, and in circumstances of the death of a family member outside the scope of the Bereavement Leave/Absence Policy.
Eligibility
Fully benefits-eligible employees, regularly scheduled to work 20 or more hours per week (.50 FTE) in a position that is six months or more in duration. An employee regularly scheduled to work 20 hours or more per week (.50 FTE) in a position that is at least 90 days in duration but less than six months is not eligible to accrue paid sick time.
Employees may be granted paid sick time when they are unable to perform duties because of
- Illness, injury, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, OR
- When absent for the purpose of obtaining health-related services not available outside of regular working hours.
An employee may be granted paid sick time when the absence results from serious illness or communicable disease within the employee's immediate family, established household, or in situations that place primary responsibility for care on the employee.
Accrual
Employees eligible for paid sick time accrue it at the rate of .046125 hours for each paid hour worked, which equals 8 hours per month for a full-time employee. Because sick time is earned per paid hours worked, employees who reduce their FTE will see a corresponding reduction in the number of sick time hours they accrue.
Employees shall not accrue paid sick time while in an unpaid status or for overtime hours worked.
Procedure
- Please refer to your department for specific procedures. Sick time should be approved in advance when possible. Sudden illnesses that result in absence must be reported to the employee's supervisor as early as possible.
- Employees absent from work for more than three consecutive work days due to a qualifying reason under Family and Medical Leave will have the period of absence credited to their Family and Medical Leave entitlement.
What Happens to Your Benefits?
- Paid sick time has no impact on your current benefits. Benefit premiums will continue to be deducted from your paycheck.
Sick Time FAQs
Since paid sick time is a privilege, not an earned right, no accumulated paid sick time compensation is paid out in the event that an employee is discharged, dismissed, resigns, or dies. Employees who retire from the University with 500 or more hours of accrued sick time can receive a payout for a portion of those hours through the state Retiree Accumulated Sick Leave (RASL) program.
If a holiday falls within a period of approved paid sick time, this time off is charged as a holiday, not as paid sick time.
Caring for your aunt does not meet the criteria defined in the policy. This situation may be considered under the vacation policy.