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Human Resources
Andrews University Employee Handbook
IV. YOUR BENEFITS: TIME OFF WORK
PAID LEAVE PLAN-HOURLY EMPLOYEES 4:4-100
- Purpose - The Andrews University Paid Leave Plan is available to
workers who are of an HH, HP, or HF classification.
The purpose of the plan is to provide a continuity of income during specific periods of absence which includes vacation, personal time, holidays and short-term sick leave and medical/vision/dental appointments.
- Accrual Rate - Time begins to accrue on the first day of employment
at the following rate, as determined by total denominational employment:
(The leave bank illustration is based on a 40-hour workweek.)
LEAVE BANK ILLUSTRATION
Total Hours Equivalent Days Maximum Annual Accrual Hourly Rate of Accrual One through four years 0 - 7,488 25 200 hours 0.0961538 Five through nine years 7,489 to 16,848 30 240 hours 0.1153846 Starting tenth year Begin 16,849 35 280 hours 0.1346153
For the purpose of determining the hourly rate of accrual the first 1,820 hours in a calendar year will constitute one year. Less than full-time will be prorated, providing the service was at least 1,000 hours for the year. For denominational employment prior to Andrews University, the years of employment will be determined from the Employee Service Record. The appropriate hours will be added to the Paid Leave Bank after the Record is received.
Except for holidays and sick leave, the Paid Leave Bank may be used at the discretion of the employee upon prior arrangement with the department head.
Time in the Paid Leave Bank may be paid only when the employee is off duty during his/her normal working hours, except at the time of termination or retirement.
Time in the Paid Leave Bank accrues only on the first 80 hours of paid time in a two-week pay period.
- Holiday Time - The University designates holidays when its normal
activities are halted. Please see policy # 4:4-125 for a list of
holidays. Employees will be expected to take their holidays at those
times. Employees required to work on holidays may take equivalent time
off at another time acceptable to their department head.
- Short-Term Sick Leave - The first three work days of any illness are
paid from the Paid Leave Bank. Sick time for any illness of the employee
which exceeds three work days may be charged to available time in the
Long-Term Sick Leave Time Bank. Sick Leave will be paid only if
notification of the illness is given at the beginning of the workday on
the first day of absence.
- Time Limitations - Time may not be charged to the Paid Leave Bank in
excess of its balance. For that reason, employees are advised to
maintain a reserve for emergencies. Not more than four of the standard
or average (whichever is less) workweeks may be charged to this bank at
any one time.
The maximum paid leave that can be accumulated during the fiscal year is 320 hours or eight standard or personal average workweeks, whichever is less. When the maximum hours are reached no further hours may be added to the bank.
At the beginning of the fiscal year (July 1) any hours in the Paid Leave Bank which exceed 280 hours or seven of your standard or average workweeks, whichever is less, will be transferred to the Long-Term Sick Time Bank, but the hours in that bank may not exceed the maximum permissible. Time which can not be transferred to this Long-Term Sick Bank will be lost.
The net amount of accrued time in both the Paid Leave and Long-Term Sick Leave Banks will appear on the check stub of qualified employees. No more leave time may be claimed than appeared on the most recent past check stub.
LONG-TERM SICK LEAVE-HOURLY WORKERS 4:4-105
Starting with the fourth work day of an illness of the employee the sick leave may be paid out of the Long-Term Sick Leave Bank. This sick leave accrues at the rate of .0153846 hours for each hour worked, which is four of the regular or average workdays, whichever is less, per year. The maximum that may be accrued in this bank is 26 average workweeks, but in no case more than 1,040 hours.
Hospitalization, starting with the first day, is charged to the Long-Term Sick Leave Bank. Out-patient surgery performed in a hospital which necessitates a period of recovery may also be charged to this bank, beginning with the first day.
Employees who have used all of the time in their Paid Leave Bank may use time on the Long-Term Sick Leave Bank only starting with the fourth day of an illness. In such a situation the supervisor will need to verify that there have been three consecutive workdays of absence because of the illness. A physician's certificate will also need to accompany the application.
To qualify for Long-Term Sick Leave the first "Application for Long-Term Sick Leave" for each absence must be accompanied by a physician's statement which indicates the nature of the illness, disability or incapacity and should indicate the anticipated period of absence from work. Subsequent applications within that period will not require the physician's statement.
Employees are expected to return to work as soon as they can resume their duties. In some instances this may require reasonable accommodation on the part of the University to a temporary incapacity of the employee. This will be arranged, where possible, by department heads. The date of return to work may be set on the advice of the attending physician whose counsel may be sought at any time with consent of the employee while the Long-Term Sick Leave Bank is being used. Time may not be charged to this bank after the physician has given approval to return to work.
Sick leave may not be used for any period of confinement in a public or private institution that is caused by an emotional or psychopathic illness resulting from voluntary addiction to chemical dependencies, such as alcohol or drugs.
Long-Term Sick Leave may not be used when incarceration is the cause for absence from work.
Payments may not be made out of the Long-Term Sick Leave Bank after the date of termination of work nor may the credit remaining in the bank be paid in cash at any time. Time in the Long-Term Sick Leave Bank may not be transferred to the Paid Leave Bank under any circumstances.
LONG TERM SICK LEAVE-SALARIED EMPLOYEES 4:4-110
The purpose of sick time is to protect you from total loss of income due to temporary disability because of illness or non-occupational accident.
The amount of your annual sick leave is determined by your years of denominational service. The years of denominational employment will be determined from your Employee Service Record. If you have had less than full-time service those years will be pro-rated. For the purpose of making this determination, 1950 hours in a calendar year will represent a year.
Each year of full time denominational service will entitle you to two weeks of paid sick leave per year. The maximum paid sick leave that may be taken within a calendar year is 26 weeks. Any paid sick time in excess of this policy will require approval of the Financial Management Committee or the Board of Trustees and will depend on the facts available at the end of the paid sick leave period, including the anticipation of your return to work.
In order to receive your benefits, the HR Director may require written documentation of your illness or disability from your physician or the University Medical Director. Depending on the circumstances, a doctor's fitness-for-work certificate may be required before you can be reinstated.
Sick time of longer duration may be coordinated with the long term disability insurance coverage.
REPORTING OF TIME 4:4-115
Payments for any time to be charged to the Long-Term Sick Leave Bank must be reported on the appropriate forms at the end of the week in which the time is taken.
VACATION 4:4-120
Your vacation is a time intended for rest and relaxation; for this reason you may not receive pay in lieu of vacation. Unused vacation time, with the approval of your supervisor may be carried over to the following year, but not more than six weeks may be taken in any one calendar year or upon termination. Exceptions may be made if your superior has been unable to grant you vacation at the time you reached your maximum. You are encouraged to take the vacation at one or two times per year.
The number of weeks of vacation you are entitled to is determined by your years of denominational employment as shown on your Employee Service Record.
On the basis of your years of denominational employment, as reflected on your service record, you are entitled to the following weeks of vacation each year:
HOLIDAYS 4:4-125
The University recognizes eight holidays, two of which are a day-and-a-half for a total of nine days annually. The holidays are:
- New Year's Day
- Martin Luther King's Birthday
- Presidents' Day
- Memorial Day - when it does not fall within exam week
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving (1.5)
- Christmas (1.5)
Employees will be expected to take their holidays at those times. Employees required to work on holidays may take equivalent time off at another time acceptable to their department head
HOLIDAYS THAT FALL DURING THE ORIENTATION PERIOD 4:4-130
Time off may not be charged to the Paid Leave Bank during the orientation period. For holidays that fall during the orientation period the employee has the option of reporting the time when he/she is placed on a regular classification providing he/she did not work on the holiday.
An employee wishing to be paid for the holidays which occurred before the completion of the orientation period may report the holiday time on the Application for Paid Leave form. A separate form must be turned in for each holiday. Each form must show the week-ending date for the week in which the holiday fell. The forms should not be turned in until the employee is placed on a regular classification.
Time in excess of that which has been accrued may not be reported for pay. Time not charged to the bank may be used at a later date. This exception does not apply to absences from work during the orientation period for any reason other than holidays. Work absences other than holidays that occur during the orientation period may not be charged to the paid leave bank.
PERSONAL LEAVE4:4-135
Leaves of absence are to be considered as an exception. A personal leave of absence is authorized time off without pay or salary. After you have worked as a regular full-time employee for at least one year, a request for a personal leave of absence may be granted upon the recommendation of the department head and the appropriate vice president.
Personal leaves of absence of up to one month for a staff member may be granted by the department head or supervisor, and the appropriate vice president. Leaves of absence in excess of one month must be approved by the above and HR.
You must complete a leave of absence application and submit it to the Human Resource Director.
The Human Resource Director will determine your eligibility prior to approval, and administer the leave of absence once it has been approved. You should plan to request a personal leave of absence only under very unusual circumstances, and, when possible, four months before the leave is to begin.
University policies regarding a personal leave of absence are as follows:
- Wages are not paid during the employee's absence.
- Vacation and sick time will not accrue.
- No other benefits or subsidies will be paid, nor will service credit
accrue.
- Hospital insurance may be continued at the employee's cost for a
maximum of one year if arrangements are made with Human Resources in
advance and payments are made before the employee's leave of absence
begins.
- The staff employee may be reinstated to his/her former position if it
is available at the time of the reinstatement request. If the employee's
department is not able to keep the position available, effort will be
made to place the employee in a similar position. The University cannot
guarantee the same duties or rate of pay. If no such position is
available, or if the employee declines the alternate position or is not
selected as the most qualified candidate, then the employee will be
subject to dismissal of employment.
- Accrued vacation time must be used before a leave of absence
begins.
- Extensions of a leave of absence must be approved in writing prior to the end of the employee's original leave. These will be granted in the same manner as the original leave. Failure to return after the expiration of the leave of absence will be treated as a resignation.
FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT (FLMA)
As an employee with 1250 hours worked during the 12 months prior to leavewith the University, you may be entitled to an unpaid leave of up to 12 weeks per year under the Family and Medical Leave Act or up to 26 weeks for Military Caregiver. The Act may entitle you to take the leave for the following reasons:
- The birth and care of your child;
- The placement of a child with you for adoption or foster care;
- The care of your spouse, child, or parent suffering from a "serious
health condition";
- Your inability to perform the functions of your job duties because of
your serious health condition.
- For qualifying exigencies arising out of the fact that the employees spouse, son, daughter, or parent is on active duty or call to active duty status as a member of the National Guard or Reserves in support of a contingency operation.
Your Family Medical Leave will be unpaid. Employees may request accrued paid leave or long term sick leave under the policies of the University during their family medical leave. The use of paid benefits will not extend the duration of family medical leave.
Under condition 4 above you may use your accrued paid leave time and your long term sick time during your Family Medical Leave. Please see policy on use of long term sick bank.
Where both spouses are employed by the University the leave will be a total of 12 weeks for both spouses, unless the leave is for the serious illness of the employee or a child.
The request for planned medical treatment must be made at least 30 days before it is to begin, unless circumstances would not permit, in which case the request must be made as soon as it is practical--usually 1-2 business days. No advance notice is required when the reason for the leave is unforeseen.
The employee requesting leave is required to submit a timely, complete, and sufficient medical certification to support a request for FMLA leave due to their own serious health condition. The employee’s response is required to obtain or retain the benefit of FMLA protections. Failure to provide a complete and sufficient medical certification within 15 calendar days may result in a denial of your FMLA request.
Leaves that are taken on an intermittent basis should be planned so as to result in the least possible disruption to your work schedule.
During the term of your leave you will be entitled to your regular benefits, except service credit which will not accrue during the unpaid portion. You will be required to pay the contribution to your health care assistance that falls due during your absence.
Upon your return to work following the leave you will be reinstated to your job, or if that is not possible, to an equivalent job.
The full policy under the Family and Medical Leave Act is available to all employees and by reference is a part of this policy. That policy and application for the leave is available in Human Resources and at the website(s) listed below..
US Dept of Labor’s main FMLA website http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/fmla/
US Dept of Labor Fact Sheet # 28 http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs28.pdf
FMLA Poster http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/regs/compliance/posters/fmlaen.pdf
BEREAVEMENT LEAVE 4:4-145
You will be allowed up to a maximum of three paid days to attend the funeral of a member of your immediate family. This time is in addition to your paid leave bank. Hourly rated employees should report funeral leave on the Time Manager's Website.
Immediate family includes grandparents, parents, husband, wife, brother, sister, mother-in-law, father-in-law, and children, and grandchildren of you or your spouse.
VOTING 4:4-150
All eligible voters are urged to vote on election day. Voting after working hours is suggested in order to have minimal impact on your work area and job duties.
JURY DUTY 4:4-155
You will be paid for the hours lost during your regular work-week while you serve on jury duty or during jury selection. For hourly employees such time should be reported on the Time Manager's Website.
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