2.1.020 Sick-Leave Policy

The purpose of the 鈥淪ick-Leave Policy鈥� is to protect covered employees of the University of Central Missouri from loss of pay due to illness or injury as described herein, which may render an employee incapable of performing the duties of the position. This policy provides employees with a means, other than vacation leave, to take leave to care for family members who require the employee鈥檚 personal care for medical reasons.

A. All regular, full-time employees of the 欧美视频 will accrue 10 hours per month (120 hours or 15 days) per anniversary year of sick leave.

B. If eligible for benefits under the Missouri State Employees Retirement System (MOSERS) at the date of retirement an employee may qualify to gain service credit under MOSERS for unused accumulated sick leave as set forth in Chapter 104, RSMo. 

C. Up to 12 days accumulated sick leave may be used per fiscal year for the care of illness or injury in an employee鈥檚 immediate family. For purposes of this policy, immediate family includes parents, spouses, children, siblings, wherever they may live, and persons living in the employee鈥檚 immediate household.

D. Sick leave, whether for personal illness or family illness shall be deducted from an employee鈥檚 accumulated sick leave.

E. In no instance shall employees separating from UCM receive a cash payment for unused accumulated sick leave.

F. Approved leave as set out in Human Resources 鈥淏ereavement Leave鈥� and 鈥淟egal Proceedings and Voting鈥� is not included in this policy and does not affect sick leave.

G. Faculty members may qualify for various academic leaves based on their particular circumstances. Policies and procedures regarding academic leave can be found in Academic Policies and Procedures.

A. Sick leave is provided for illness of the employee or immediate family as defined above. Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) qualifying absence, medical appointments such as health, dental and vision, which cannot be scheduled at times other than working hours.

B. For all full-time employees other than nine-month faculty, sick leave is accumulated at the rate of five (5) hours at the conclusion of each semi-monthly pay period. Regular employees who occupy a .75 to .99 FTE position will receive the same sick-leave benefits on a pro-rated basis. For example, a .80 employee would earn four (4) hours of sick leave per semi-monthly pay period. Employees occupying less than a .75 FTE do not accrue sick leave.

1. Sick leave is credited at the conclusion of each semi-monthly pay period.
   
   
2. Sick leave will not be earned for pay periods in which fifty-six (56) or more hours are unpaid.
   
   The number of work days in a given pay period can range from nine to 12 depending on the month. The following chart is based on a typical eight (8) hours per day, 40 hours per week position. It illustrates the minimum hours an employee would need to be in paid status in order to accrue sick leave for that pay period.

Hours/Days in Pay Period	Minimum hours needed to be in paid status in order to earn sick leave
72 Hours/9 Working Days	16 hrs
80 Hours/10 Working Days	24 hrs
88 Hours/11 Working Days	32 hrs
96 Hours/12 Working Days	40 hrs

3. Sick leave must be earned and credited to the employee鈥檚 sick-leave record before using it.
   
   
4. Sick leave is paid at the employee's base pay rate at the time the sick leave is taken.
   
   
5. Sick leave does not constitute hours worked in calculating overtime pay for nonexempt employees

C. Sick leave is accumulated for full-time nine-month faculty at the rate of 11.25 days per year:

1. For the fall semester of instruction nine-month faculty will earn five (5) hours at the conclusion of each semi-monthly pay period. The fall semester has nine pay periods with the first sick leave accrual being credited on September 15th.
   
   
2. For the spring semester of instruction, nine-month faculty will earn five (5) hours at the conclusion of each semi-monthly pay period. The spring semester has nine pay periods with the first sick leave accrual being credited on January 31st.
   
   
3. For summer instruction, the teaching load will determine the amount of sick leave earned. Sick-leave hours for summer sessions will be credited to the employee at the end of the summer sessions.
   
   
4. For a teaching load of five (5) or more semester hours, nine-month faculty will earn 30 hours of sick leave.
   
   
5. For a teaching load of three (3) or four (4) semester hours, nine-month faculty will earn 20 hours of sick leave.
   
   
6. For a teaching load of one (1) or two (2) semester hours, nine-month faculty will earn 10 hours of sick leave.

D. Employees must report sick leave by using an approved university method. When all accumulated sick leave is exhausted, additional absences shall be charged against earned vacation leave (if eligible for vacation), with prior supervisory approval. If no sick leave or vacation is available then time shall be unpaid, even if excused. Exempt employees must submit requests only in one-hour increments. Nonexempt employees request for leave must be in fifteen-minute increments.

E. Sick leave accumulates semi-monthly and can be carried over from month to month and year to year.

1. The maximum amount of accrued sick leave employees may use during a fiscal year is 1,024 hours. UCM鈥檚 fiscal year is July 1 through June 30.
   
   
2. There is no limit on the number of sick-leave hours that may be accrued during an employee鈥檚 years of service. Any unused sick leave accumulated by an employee will be available in subsequent years. For example, if an employee has accumulated 1,100 hours of sick leave the employee may potentially use 1,024 hours of accumulated sick leave from July 1 through June 30 in year X, subject to the provisions of Family and Medical Leave Act. Beginning July 1 in year Y the employee will have 76 hours of accumulated sick leave plus any unused sick leave earned and accumulated in year X.

F. Employees who are unable to report to work because they are ill must promptly notify their supervisor.

1. UCM may require an employee who has been absent from work due to illness or injury to provide a doctor鈥檚 statement or other acceptable proof of illness or injury. UCM may require a doctor鈥檚 statement that includes a release to return to work. UCM may also require proof of illness if employees have a poor attendance record or have exhibited a pattern of misusing sick leave.
   
   
2. Employees are required to contact the Office of Human Resources when utilizing accumulated sick leave in excess of three consecutive days. This requirement is necessary for the timely evaluation of FMLA eligibility.
   
   
3. Employees must have proper medical authorization on file with the Office of Human Resources before using extensive leave time for medical reasons. Employees are encouraged to contact their human resources professional as soon as they become aware that they may need sick leave beyond three consecutive days or requiring ongoing occasional absences.

G. Employees may use up to 12 days of sick leave per fiscal year for the illness or injury in an employee鈥檚 immediate family.

H. Under the auspices of the FMLA, eligible employees are allowed protected leave, including partial-day absences, for certain medical and family purposes. Employees should contact the Office of Human Resources for additional information.