Sick Leave

For the purposes of determining sick leave accrual rates, the 40 hour per week (2080 hours annually) work schedule is designated as the basis for the Standard Sick Leave Accrual Rate. Sick leave accrual rates for all other annualized work schedules are to be calculated as a percentage differential that is either greater than or less than the Standard Rate.

Eligible employees who are on pay status the 15th day of the month will earn a sick leave benefit for that month.

Sick leave may be taken for the following reasons:

• Medical/Dental appointments.
• Illness or injury of the employee that prevents the employee from performing the essential functions of his/her job.
• Quarantine due to a contagious disease in the employee’s immediate family, or exposure to a contagious disease when continuous work might jeopardize the health of others.
• Caring for members of immediate family during periods of illness, injury or medical/dental appointments. Immediate family is defined as the employee’s spouse, dependent children, or parents.
• The actual period of temporary disability caused or contributed by pregnancy to include: prenatal care, pregnancy related illness, miscarriage, childbirth, and recovery.
• For the placement with the employee of a son or daughter for adoption or foster care.

YOUR SICK LEAVE AND RETIREMENT

Unused sick leave will be credited at the time of retirement to the Local Government Employees’ Retirement System according to retirement system guidelines. (Twenty days or any fraction of a month of unused sick leave equals one month of creditable service and can be used toward early retirement).

Don’t forget:

• Sick Leave is accrued on the 15th of each month.
• You must be on pay status the 15th of the month to accrue.

Bereavement

Employees may use up to five days of sick leave due to the death of the employee’s spouse, parent*, child, brother*, sister*, grandparent*, grandchild*, foster parent, or legal guardian. (* “in-law” relationships qualify). Employees may be requested to provide proof of relationship or guardianship.

An employee may use one day of sick leave for bereavement or funeral attendance due to the death of an extended family member or close personal friend.

Family and Medical Leave

Upon meeting the eligibility requirement, an employee may request leave not-to-exceed 12 work weeks during the 12 month period immediately preceding the commencement of the leave. The 12 month period is defined as a rolling 12 month period measured backward from the date an employee uses any FML.

When an employee is out of work for more than three (3) consecutive work days, a completed Request for Family or Medical Leave Form must be submitted to the employee’s supervisor. The supervisor will reply with a Response to Employee Request for Family or Medical Leave within five (5) business days. A Certification of Health Care Provider Form will be required for family medical leave requests and must be provided within fifteen (15) calendar days of the request.

Qualifying Situations:

• the birth of a child/care for newborn
• adoption of a child, or placement of a foster child
• care for a spouse, dependent son or daughter, parent with a qualifying illness
• personal serious health condition, or
• because of any “qualifying exigency” arising out of the fact that a son, daughter, spouse, or parent of the employee is on active duty, or has been notified of an impending call to active duty status in support of a contingency operation as defined by the FMLA guidelines

Twenty-six (26) weeks of leave, in a single 12-month period, may be granted for an eligible employee who is the spouse, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin of a covered service member who is recovering from a serious illness or injury sustained in the line of active duty.

Applications for Family and Medical Leave, including Certification of Health Care Provider Forms, are available on County Connect. These forms must be completed at least 30 days in advance of any planned Family and Medical Leave. For an unforeseen absence of more than three consecutive work days, the employee must follow the proper reporting to work policy and provide at least verbal notification to the immediate supervisor of when the leave becomes known to the employee.

Failure to return to work within three consecutive workdays after the expiration of approved FML or Military Family Leave will be considered a voluntary resignation. If an employee does not return to work following FMLA for a reason other than: (1) the continuation, recurrence, or onset of a serious health condition which would entitle the employee to FML, or (2) other circumstances beyond his/her control, he/she shall be required to reimburse Union County for health insurance premiums paid on his/her behalf during FML.

Are you eligible?

After working at least 12 months and at least 1250 hours for Union County, qualified employees are eligible for up to 12 unpaid work weeks of Family and Medical Leave.

More Information...

Additional information on the Family and Medical Leave Policy and the Family and Medical Leave Act can be found on:

County Connect or dol.gov