Employee Leave: Difference between revisions

UNMC provides twelve paid holidays a year to all regular employees. UNMC recognizes seven (7) traditional holidays where non-essential business operations are closed. UNMC also recognizes five (5) floating/banked holidays, during which UNMC operations are open; employees may use these days on or after the date on which they are observed, with supervisory approval.<br />1. Traditional Holidays<br />{| |- | New Year's Day || January 1 |- | Memorial Day || Last Monday in May |- | Independence Day || July 4 |- | Labor Day || First Monday in September |- | Thanksgiving Day || Fourth Thursday in November |- | Day After Thanksgiving || Friday following the Fourth Thursday in November |- | Christmas || December 25 |} <br />Holidays falling on the first day of the weekend will be observed on the day before; holidays falling on the last day of the weekend will be observed the following day.<br />2. Floating/Banked Holidays<br />{| |- | Martin Luther King, Jr. Day || Third Monday in January |- | President's Day || Third Monday in February |- | Arbor Day || Last Friday in April |- | Columbus Day || Second Monday in October |- | Veteran's Day || November 11 |} <br />'''Holiday Leave Procedures'''<br />'''Inclement Weather:''' Chancellors of the University of Nebraska have the discretion to close campuses due to local weather conditions. In the event of a closing of a University of Nebraska campus due to inclement weather, employees will receive paid leave, if they were scheduled to work during the closure.<br />UNMC, as a health sciences center, has a number of activities that must be kept operational regardless of the weather conditions. These include activities that directly and indirectly support patient care at the hospital and clinics, as well as many research and educational functions. This is why UNMC is the only campus in the University of Nebraska System that does not close down during semester break in late December. Because so many employees must report, regardless of the weather, the determination has been made for the entire campus to be considered open and operational, even when other University of Nebraska campuses and area businesses may be closed. All supervisors are asked to be as reasonable as conditions allow in staffing their departments during severely inclement weather. It is recognized that some employees may not be able to report or will want to leave early due to safety concerns. Employees who do not report, or leave early, with supervisor approval must use vacation, floating holiday, or leave without pay to account for any time not worked. Salaried employees who are exempt from FLSA cannot take unpaid leave in increments of less than one work day.<br />'''Employees of UNMC who are located on''':<br />* Other University of Nebraska campuses (i.e., Kearney), will comply with the directions of the Chancellors of those campuses regarding closings due to weather. If the individual campus is closed during inclement weather, the time reporting should be coded in a manner prescribed by payroll. * On locations other than University campuses (i.e., Lincoln), will comply with the directions of the Dean of those Colleges (CON) regarding closing due to weather. If the individual location is closed during inclement weather, the time reporting should be coded in a manner prescribed by payroll.<br /><br />'''Injury Leave:''' If the work-related injury or illness causes an employee to remain off work, up to 40 hours will be paid as injury leave during the seven (7) calendar day waiting period, pro-rated based on the FTE. Injury leave will not be charged to sick leave or vacation; the time reporting should be coded in a manner prescribed by Payroll.<br />The Nebraska Workers' Compensation Act is found in Neb. Rev. Stat. &sect;&sect;48-101 to 48-1,118. Portions of the act which are specific to state workers' compensation claims are found in Neb. Rev. Stat. &sect;&sect; 48-192 to 48-1,109.<br /><br />'''Leave of Absence without Pay:''' Due to extenuating circumstances, regular employees may be granted a leave of absence without pay for maximum of one year. A leave of absence will be granted only when it is in the best interest of UNMC. Upon return from leave the employee will be entitled to the same or comparable position with the department granting the leave. <br />'''Leave of Absence without Pay Procedures''' <br />'''Military Leave - USERRA:''' UNMC shall comply with the Uniformed Service Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) and Neb. Rev. Stat. &sect;55-l60 et seq. concerning the treatment of University employees with military obligations. In general, USERRA requires employers to grant leave to employees serving in the United States armed forces and the various reserve units; protects applicants and employees against discrimination on the basis of military service in the areas of hiring, job retention and advancement; provides certain rights to reemployment upon return from leave; and extends health care and retirement plan coverage during military leave.<br />'''Nebraska Statute:''' In accordance with State law, the University provides fifteen workdays of paid military leave per calendar year, without regard to the specific nature of the military leave (e.g. active military duty annual training, emergency assignment, assignments of an unspecified length). Military service beyond fifteen workdays will be charged against accrued vacation or taken without pay, as designated by the employee within a reasonable time of receiving notice of his or her leave.<br />'''Employee Responsibilities:''' Employees serving in the military are required to provide advance notice to the University concerning their military obligation when possible and must inform the University when they plan to return to work once they have been discharged from their military duties.<br />'''Annual Training Defined:''' Generally defined, annual training refers to that temporary duty in which military reserve personnel engage, commonly serving one weekend per month and two consecutive weeks during the year.<br />'''Emergency Duty:''' Leave will be granted to any employee, who is a member of the National Guard or any other reserve component, ordered to active duty under emergency conditions. Should the military pay of such person be less than his/her full University pay, the University shall pay the differential while the person is in the active emergency service of the State.<br />'''Military Leave Procedures / Request for Military Leave USERRA Form'''<br />'''Parental Leave:''' The Parental Leave policies are intended to establish and clarify the leaves available to University of Nebraska Medical Center staff in cases of pregnancy, childbirth, and adoption:<br /># Medical Maternity Leave: UNMC staff is eligible for Leave requirements vary depending upon each employee's individual circumstances. An attending physician or other licensed health care provider will normally determine the appropriate length of leave. An eight-week total leave period for pre-partum and post-partum care and recovery during which time the employee will be excused from all duties, will be considered normal; however, more or less leave time may be taken based on individual health circumstances. # Parental Leave to Provide Care/Assistance to Mother and/or Child: for those employees who wish to take leave upon the birth of a child because the health of the employee's spouse or child requires the employee's presence, or because such presence would be beneficial to the employee's spouse or child, up to five days unpaid parental leave unless he has accrued sick leave or vacation leave that he/she may desire to use during parental leave. # Adoption Leave: UNMC staff is eligible for eight weeks unpaid adoption leave unless he/she has accrued sick leave or vacation leave that he/she may desire to use during the adoption leave. A newly adoptive parent, who is the primary caregiver, may take up to eight weeks unpaid leave upon the adoption of a child to provide care and assistance to the child. The declaration of which parent is the primary care-giver is made by the adopting parents. The non-primary care-giver of the adopted child may take up to five days unpaid parental leave, unless he/she has accrued sick leave or vacation leave that he/she may desire to use during parental leave, to provide assistance in the care of the child.<br />Any parental leaves taken in accordance with the above parental leave policies are, by definition, related to qualifying events under Family/Medical Leave Act (FMLA) (see Family/Medical Leave above) and will therefore be considered part of the 480 hours/twelve week Family/ Medical Leave entitlement.<br />'''Parental Leave Procedures'''<br />'''Sick Leave:''' Sick leave means the period of time during which the employee is incapacitated or unable, due to illness or injury, to perform the regularly assigned duties of his or her position. Paid sick leave means a period of time that the employee is paid his or her regular salary during a period of illness or injury. The period of time shall begin and end when medically indicated to the satisfaction of the appropriate administrative officer.<br />Eligible employees may choose to take any available sick leave balance for all or part of the unpaid Family/Medical Leave, if applicable, under certain circumstances. Any sick leave of 40 or more consecutive hours taken under this policy may be considered to be a qualifying event under the federal Family Medical Leave Act and the Family Medical Leave Policy approved by the Board of Regents.<br />'''Sick Leave Accruals'''<br /># Sick leave shall begin to accrue with the date of hire. Sick leave shall be charged against the sick leave accrued on a work-hour basis. Under appropriate circumstances, an employee shall be eligible to use sick leave as soon as it has accrued. # The rate at which an employee accrues sick leave shall be computed from the service date and adjusted by breaks in service if such break in service is less than three years. # Disability absences caused or contributed to by pregnancy, childbirth, and recovery there from are considered sick leave, and shall be governed by the provisions of the Parental Leave Policies. # The schedule of sick leave accrual is displayed on the leave procedure page. # Employees on Leave without Pay or Layoff shall not accrue sick leave during that time. <br />'''Sick Leave Use'''<br /># Sick leave must be requested as far in advance as possible. # One hour of sick leave shall be consumed for each working hour of absence due to illness or injury. # Vacation days or University holidays that may fall within the period of paid sick leave shall not be counted as days to be subtracted from sick leave. # The allowance of sick leave for any purpose under this policy shall be subject to the right of the University to require satisfactory evidence of illness or injury including the certification of an attending physician in the case of the employee or a member of his or her immediate family. Sick leave allowance shall be at the discretion of the University. # Employees may be advanced sick leave in an amount not to exceed a total of forty hours (40) (one work week), pro-rated for part-time employees. Employees shall reimburse the University for all used, unearned sick leave upon separation. <br />'''Advancement of Leave Request Form / Sick Leave Procedures''' <br />'''Vacation Leave''' <br /># All regular employees of UNMC shall be granted vacation leave according to the schedule of vacation leave accrual displayed on the leave procedure page. # Vacation leave accrual begins the first day of employment and ends the last day of employment. # Employees accrue only when they are in a paid status. # Vacation leave requests must be approved in advance by management, consistent with the business needs of UNMC. # Vacation leave shall accrue on a pay period basis and an account of such leave earned and used shall be maintained and balanced annually. # Effective April 1, 2007, the maximum vacation leave which may be earned and accrued by members of the Managerial-Professional staff and members of the Office and Service staff shall be two hundred eighty (280) hours; provided that any employee who has accumulated more than 280 hours of vacation leave as of said effective date shall be entitled to retain any such excess vacation leave over 280 hours for future use. # The rate at which an employee accrues vacation leave shall be computed from the service date and adjusted by breaks in service if such break in service is less than three years. # All regular employees who transfer to another department at UNMC shall accrue vacation based on the original hiring date at UNMC and shall have their vacation leave balance transfer to the incoming department. # All regular employees who transfer from employment within any campus of the University of Nebraska shall accrue vacation leave based on the original hiring date with the campus from which they are transferring. # All regular employees who transfer from employment with the State government or the State colleges shall accrue vacation leave at a rate based on the hiring date with the organization from which they are transferring. # Unused vacation shall be paid out when an employee separates. Upon the death of an employee, his/her beneficiary shall be paid for any unused vacation leave of the employee. # The schedule of vacation leave accrual is displayed on the leave procedure page. # Employees may be advanced vacation leave in an amount not to exceed a total of forty hours (40) (one work week), pro-rated for part-time employees. Employees shall reimburse the University for all used and un-earned vacation time/leave upon separation.<br />'''Advancement of Leave Request Form / Vacation Leave Procedures'''<br />

<br />The University of Nebraska Medical Center declares and affirms a policy of equal educational and employment opportunities, affirmative action in employment, and nondiscrimination in providing its services to the public. Therefore, the University of Nebraska Medical Center shall not discriminate against anyone based on race, age, color, disability, religion, sex, national or ethnic origin, marital status, genetic information, sexual orientation, political affiliation, Vietnam-era veteran status, or special disabled Veteran status. Sexual harassment in any form, including hostile environment and quid pro quo, is prohibited.<br /><br />All Forms mentioned in this policy are available on line at [http://www.unmc.edu/hr/ www.unmc.edu/hr].<br />For additional information please review Employee Leave Procedures or you may contact Human Resources - Employee Relations at 402/559-4371 or 402/559-8534.<br />This page maintained by dkp.</p>