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Information and Procedures
Time Off for Medical Reasons
For Benefit Eligible Employees
This information is to be used in conjunction with discussion with the Benefits Manager. Please contact the
Benefits Manager at (630) 942-2427 to go over the contents of this time off procedure.
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Accumulated Sick Time
If the employee has accumulated sick time, he/she will use this earned time during their time off due to an illness.
Sick leave is time that the employee has accrued and used for the employee’s own illness.
Note: Benefited Classified, Managerial, and Administrators may use up to 3 days of their accrued sick time to care
for a child, spouse or parent, per fiscal year.
Benefits Status: While on accumulated sick time, the employee’s health insurance, life insurance, vacation accrual
(if applicable) along with other voluntary benefits that the employee may have elected will continue at the
employee’s normal payroll deduction rate(s).
Approval Process: Employee must contact their supervisor to notify them that they are going to be off of work.
Employee must also contact Benefits Manager at x2427 to discuss time off and required paperwork.
Required documentation: If employee is off for five or more days, they will need to bring a Return to Work
(available on COD Forms Library under Human Resources) release from their doctor in order to return to work.
The College may also require that the employee be evaluated by a College chosen physician prior to their return to
work. Such evaluation will be paid for by the College.
If the employee is off work for five or more days, they will also be asked to have their doctor complete a Family
Medical Leave that documents the Employee has a Serious Health Condition. This must include a statement or
description of the appropriate medical facts regarding the employee’s health condition for which FMLA leave is
requested. The medical facts must be sufficient to support the need for leave. Such medical facts may include
information on symptoms, diagnosis, hospitalization, doctor’s visits, whether medication has been prescribed, any
referrals for evaluation or treatment, or any other regimen of continuing treatment.
Note: In some instances, an employee may be required to provide doctor’s notes certifying the continuing need
for time off at the supervisor’s or HR request.
Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
FMLA entitles eligible employees of covered employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and
medical reasons with continuation of group health insurance coverage under the same terms and conditions as if
the employee had not taken leave. Eligible employees are entitled to:
Up to twelve workweeks of leave in a 12-month period for:
 the birth of a child and to care for the newborn child within one year of birth;
 the placement with the employee of a child for adoption or foster care and to care for the newly placed
child within one year of placement;
 to care for the employee’s spouse, child, or parent who has a serious health condition;
 a serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the essential functions of his or
her job;
 any qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that the employee’s spouse, son, daughter, or parent is a
covered military member on “covered active duty;” or
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Information and Procedures
Time Off for Medical Reasons
For Benefit Eligible Employees
FMLA for military caregiver: Up to twenty-six workweeks of leave are allowed during a single 12-month period to
care for a covered service member with a serious injury or illness if the eligible employee is the service member’s
spouse, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin (military caregiver leave).
Benefits Status: While on FMLA, the employee’s health insurance, life insurance, vacation accrual (if applicable)
along with other voluntary benefits that the employee may have elected will continue at the employee’s normal
payroll deduction rate(s). If the employee has exhausted their paid leave time and is on FMLA leave, then the
employee will be billed for the cost of the coverage by the HR office, on a monthly basis.
Approval Process: Once the completed paperwork is received, it will be reviewed and evaluated by the Benefits
Manager. If additional information or clarification is needed, the Benefits Manager will contact the doctor. If it is
determined that FMLA is appropriate, the Benefits Manager will notify the employee. They will also update the
supervisor and the payroll office that the employee will be using FMLA.
Contact Benefits Manager at x2427 for paperwork for FMLA certification and usage. FMLA will run concurrently (if
available) with paid leave in order to continue the employee’s salary and benefits while the employee is off of
work.
Vacation, Floating Holiday, Personal Time
Depending on the benefits for which employees are eligible (based upon employee group), once the employee has
exhausted their paid sick time, they may be eligible to use personal time or accrued vacation time and/or floating
holiday(s). Employees can check their available time through My Access for Employees and clicking on Leave Plan
Summary.
Benefits Status:
While utilizing accumulated paid vacation, floating holiday and personal time, the employee’s health insurance, life
insurance, vacation accrual (if applicable), along with other voluntary benefits that the employee may have
elected, will continue at the employee’s normal payroll deduction rate(s).
Approval Process: The employee must submit or have the department submit leave time information to payroll on
a timely basis.
Once the employee has exhausted all of their accumulated time off, they may be eligible for Health Leave Bank
hours provided that the employee has donated hours to the bank (either at hire date or in subsequent years).
Health Leave Bank
The employee may be eligible for use of the Health Leave Bank, provided that:
1.
2.
3.
4.
They donated hours to the bank (equivalent to one (1) day for full-time employees; pro-rated
number of hours for 30-39 hour employees.)
They met the 6 month waiting period after donation
They have been off of work at least 20 work days and
They have exhausted all of their own accumulated paid time off (i.e. vacation, sick, etc.)
Payroll will notify the Benefits Manager when the employee is near the end of all accumulated time. The Benefits
Manager will contact the employee to inform them if they are eligible for Health Leave Bank. If so, forms and
application to apply for use of the Health Leave Banks days will be provided to the employee for completion and
returned to the Benefits Manager.
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Information and Procedures
Time Off for Medical Reasons
For Benefit Eligible Employees
The employee will get a match of the sick hours that they had accumulated as of 7/1 of the year that the employee
became ill or injured. (Example: Employee becomes ill on 9/1/12, we will match the number of sick hours that
they had as of 7/1/12). The employee can be awarded up to 60 Health Leave Bank days based upon the number
of sick days that they have accumulated. The minimum number of days that they can be awarded is 20 days, if
needed.
Benefits Status: While utilizing the Health Leave Bank days, the employee’s health insurance, life insurance, (if
applicable) along with other voluntary benefits that the employee may have elected will continue at the
employee’s normal payroll deduction rate(s).
Approval process: Upon approval for use of Health Leave Bank time, the Benefits Manager will notify the
employee in writing, the employee’s supervisor, and the Payroll office of the approval for use of Health Leave Bank
along with the number of days that will be available.
Unpaid Leave of Absence
If after all other paid leave is used, the employee cannot return to work, the employee can apply for an Unpaid
Leave of Absence for up to one (1) year. The Leave Form is available on the COD Forms Library. The employee
completes the form and sends it to be approved by their supervisor, their Administrator, and Vice President, (as
applicable). See Collective Bargaining Agreements, as applicable.
Benefits Status: During an Unpaid Leave of Absence, the employee is responsible for the full cost of health
insurance premiums, life insurance, both basic and optional life, (if applicable) and any other benefits that the
employee elected. Cost information for premium contributions will be provided on the portal. Waiver of Life
Insurance premiums may be applied for during the Unpaid Leave of Absence. See Benefits Manager for
information.
Approval process: If approved for the Unpaid Leave of Absence, the employee may be allowed up to one year of
unpaid time off. If they are able to return to work, they need to give the department at least 2 weeks’ notice
before they can return to work. The Benefits Manager will provide written verification of the approved leave,
including start and end date.
During the Unpaid Leave of Absence, the employee can apply for State Universities Retirement System disability.
SURS disability can be applied for with or without an approved unpaid leave of absence.
Disability (Long Term Disability)
If the employee chooses to apply for SURS long term disability, they must contact the Benefits Manager in HR to
start the process. The Benefits Manager along with the employee’s supervisor needs to complete the Employer
portion of the application for disability. Once completed, the forms are then sent to the employee for completion
and submission to their physician and then to SURS. SURS determines eligibility for Long Term Disability.
There is also a Voluntary Long Term Disability benefit through the College. If the employee has elected Voluntary
Long Term Disability as a benefit, the Benefits Manager and employee’s supervisor will also complete the
application and send it to the employee for completion and submission to the Voluntary Long Term Disability plan
provider.
Benefits Status: Same as Unpaid Leave of Absence
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Information and Procedures
Time Off for Medical Reasons
For Benefit Eligible Employees
Approval Process: Approval of Disability benefits are determined by respective plan providers.
Addendum for Full Time Faculty Only
Upon expiration of the initial unpaid leave of up to one (1) year, if additional unpaid time is needed for medical
reason, please proceed as outline below:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Sixty (60) days prior to the expiration of the initial Unpaid Leave of Absence, employee may request an
extension of their Unpaid Leave of Absence by completing a new Request for Unpaid Leave of Absence
form (available on the COD Forms Library on the Employee Portal).
The Request for Unpaid Leave of Absence form must be completed and signed by the employee and then
sent for approval by their supervisor, their Administrator, and Vice President, (as applicable). Approval of
the extension of leave is subject to the needs of the department.
Upon approval of the department (see #2 above), the Request for Leave is submitted to the Board of
Trustees for approval at their next available Board Meeting.
Upon notice of approval by the Board of Trustees, the Benefits Manager will contact the employee by
letter to notify them of the approval, outline process for continuation of benefits, and notify them of the
cost for premium rate(s) and billing process.
If the Request for Unpaid Leave is not approved, the Benefits Manager will notify the employee of the
decision by phone with a follow-up letter including termination, COBRA, and other benefit information.
The employee will then be terminated at the end of the prior Unpaid Leave of Absence.
During the Unpaid Leave of Absence, medical certification for need of the continuation of the leave will be
periodically requested by the Benefits Manager, based on information provided by the employee’s
physician.
Note: Those full time faculty members who have reached nine (9) months of unpaid leave will be sent a notice
informing them that if they need an extension of the unpaid leave past the initial one (1) year period, they will
have to request an extension by 60 days (date will be specified) prior to the expiration of this one (1) year
period.
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