POLICY NO: 612
EFFECTIVE DATE: 12/11/2001
SICK LEAVE
The Sick Leave policy is designed to provide position and salary
continuation in the event of illness and to promote sick leave conservation for extended
protection.
Regular full-time, part-time and limited service staff members through
position grade 28 are eligible.
The accumulation of sick leave allows continuation of full base pay
plus benefits when an eligible staff member is required to be absent from work because of
illness or medical conditions.
612.1 ACCRUAL
Sick leave is accrued based on a staff member's regularly scheduled hours of work. A
full-time or limited service staff member accrues sick leave at the rate of one day per
completed month of service up to twelve days in each fiscal year (July l-June 30). A
regular, part-time staff member accrues sick leave on a pro-rata basis. The maximum sick
leave accumulation is ninety (90) work days.
612.2 NOTIFICATION
A staff member or his/her designee should notify his/her supervisor as soon as he/she
knows that he/she will be unable to work, but no later than the starting time of the staff
member's work day. A staff member must notify his/her supervisor on each day of absence
unless other arrangements have been made.
612.3 HEALTH CARE PROVIDER CERTIFICATION
When a staff member has been out on sick leave for more than three (3) consecutive
work days, he/she is required to submit documentation from a health care provider to their
supervisor certifying the medical necessity for the absence and expected date of return to
work. Additionally, where a staff member has been out on sick leave for more than three
(3) consecutive work days, the supervisor is expected to notify the staff member that
the University is provisionally designating the use of that sick leave as Family Medical
Leave in addition to sick leave.
For any absence due to illness, a supervisor may request a written
statement from the staff member’s health care provider, certifying the medical
necessity for an absence.
The University reserves the right to require that the staff member
submit to examinations by a health care provider of the University's choosing for
continuation of payments under this policy.
612.4 USAGE
Sick leave may be used for illness of the staff member, for
illness of a member of his/her household (up to three (3) days per fiscal year)
and for doctor/dentist appointments when it is not possible to schedule them
during non-working hours. Sick time used for health care provider appointments,
which are not medically urgent, must be scheduled in advance and approved by the
supervisor.
Sick leave is provided for the reasons stated in this policy and may
not be used for other purposes. Sick leave may not be advanced.
Staff members who use sick leave may be required to concurrently use
benefits under the Family Medical Leave policy.
612.5 POSITION/SALARY CONTINUATION
A staff member who properly uses the provisions of this policy is entitled to return to a
similar or equivalent position without reduction in salary or loss of service credit.
However, if a staff member has exhausted all available sick leave, his/her employment may
be subject to termination unless he/she qualifies for and receives short term disability,
Family Medical Leave or other leave benefits.
In case of illness which is expected to continue beyond sick leave
accrual, the Short Term Disability and /or Family Medical Leave policies may be
applicable.
612.6 SICK LEAVE FOR STAFF MEMBERS HIRED PRIOR TO AUGUST 1, 1984
Regular full- and part-time support and professional/administrative staff through grade
PA8 (hired before August 1, 1984) entered the sick leave program with all sick leave that
they had accumulated under the old policy:
-
Weekly-paid staff members entered with their current unused
accumulation plus a prorated amount from their anniversary date to the conversion date, up
to a maximum of fifty-four (54) days.
-
Monthly-paid staff members entered with ninety (90) working days of
sick leave credit.
612.7 UNIONIZED STAFF MEMBERS
University staff members in collective bargaining units are governed by the terms and
conditions of their respective collective bargaining agreements.
*For staff using Flexible Work Options, Paid Time
Off usage will be governed by the Flexible Work Options Guidelines.
Applicability: Regular Staff at or Below Grade 28
Cross-reference: Policy 404, Policy 405, Policy 603, Policy 607, Policy 629, Policy 631
Supersedes Policy Number(s): 612 (11/01/1998, 01/12/1999)
Letter #1 - FML Provisional Letter (Microsoft Word
97/2000)
Use this letter if staff member has been out sick for more than 3 consecutive
days and has not notified you that s/he will be out for a possible FML
qualifying event.
Letter #2 - FML Provisional Letter (Microsoft Word
97/2000)
Use this letter if staff member has notified you that s/he will be out for a
possible FML qualifying event for his/her own serious medical condition.
Letter #3 - FML Provisional Letter (Microsoft Word
97/2000)
Use this letter if staff member has has notified you that s/he will be out for a
possible FML qualifying event to care for a family member with a serious medical
condition.
Letter #4 - FML Provisional Letter (Microsoft Word
97/2000)
Use this letter if staff member has notified you that s/he will be out for a
possible FML qualifying event for birth/placement of a child for adoption.
Family Medical Leave
Forms
Including the Physician's Certification Form and the Short Term Disability &
Family Medical Leave Request Form
The benefits and policies for University of Pennsylvania employees who work in
locations outside of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania may be different from the
benefits and policies set forth in this website. Employees working outside the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania should contact their Human Resources representatives
for more information.