Sick leave provides time for an employee to recover from personal illness, injury, or disability that prevents performance of usual duties.
Full-time and part-time (20 hours or .5 FTE per week or more) employees in permanent SHRA (Subject to the State Human Resources Act) staff positions, including those in time-limited and probationary appointments, are eligible to accrue sick leave.
EHRA (Exempt from the Human Resources Act) staff with appointments that are .5 FTE or greater are subject to the Sick Leave Policy as SHRA staff.
Sick Leave Accrual Rates
| Type of Appointment | Accrual Rate |
|---|---|
| Full-time 8 hours/month Permanent, probationary, trainee, or time-limited | 8 hours per month (96 hours per year) |
| Part-time (half time or more) Permanent, probationary, trainee, or time-limited | Prorated Percentage of full-time amount |
| Temporary, intermittent, or part-time (less than half-time) | None |
Note: Vacation leave in excess of 6 weeks (240 hours, prorated for part-time employees) on December 31 of each year will be converted to sick leave. At retirement a member of the Teachers and State Employees Retirement System (TSERS) with an earned sick leave balance receives an additional month of service credit for each 20 days or portion thereof. The additional service credit increases the retirement benefit of the retiree.
Advancement of Sick Leave
The department head may advance sick leave not to exceed the amount that the employee can accumulate during the current calendar year.
Using Sick Leave
Sick leave may be used for:
- Illness or injury,
- Medical appointments,
- Temporary disability due to childbirth
- Care for member of immediate family (including care for mother during temporary disability)
- Death in immediate family
- Donations to a member of the immediate family and non-family members who are approved to receive voluntary shared leave.
- Adoption of a child, limited to a maximum of 30 days for each parent (which is equivalent to a biological mother’s average period of disability)
Note: This is interpreted to mean at the time of physical possession of the child and have either adopted or are in the process of adoption.
Using Sick Leave for Family Members
Employees can donate sick leave to a member of their immediate family who is an approved Voluntary Shared Leave recipient, and may donate up to 5 days to a nonfamily member. See the Sick Leave Policy for guidelines and additional limitations on donating leave.
To avoid abuse of sick leave privileges, a statement other acceptable proof may be required. Evidence to support leave for adoption-related purposes may be required.
Notes:
- If an employee does not have sufficient leave to cover a prolonged illness (of self or to care for a parent, child, spouse, or dependent living in the household who has a prolonged illness), the employee may qualify to receive Voluntary Shared Leave.
- Employees cannot have negative leave balances at the end of the calendar year (i.e., December 31).
More details are available in the Sick Leave Policy.