Leaves of Absence With Pay

• Sick Leave

Sick leave is accrued at the rate of eight hours per qualifying pay period for full-time faculty. Part-time faculty accrue sick leave on a pro-rata basis. Sick leave may be accumulated without limit. Refer to the CBA for appropriate uses of sick leave. Absences must be reported to your department chair. Your department attendance clerk maintains records on the amount of sick leave accrued and used and will assist you with the appropriate forms required for reporting the use of sick leave to Payroll Services.  Faculty are considered to work five days in a seven day period for the purpose of charging sick leave.

Faculty requiring an extended leave of absence for medical reasons must discuss the matter with the Department Chair and provide a statement from a physician indicating that he/she will be unable to work and the length of time of the incapacity. A faculty member may be required to see a doctor of the university's choice for a second opinion. A medical release must be provided to the Department Chair before the faculty member may return to work. The Dean and the Vice President for Academic Affairs must be notified of all requests for extended medical leaves of absence.
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• Family and Medical Leave Policy (FML) 

In accordance with state and federal laws, Family Care and Medical Leave grants up to a maximum of twelve weeks in a twelve-month period to employees who have been employed for at least one academic year or twelve months. Employees are entitled to FML to care for a child following birth or placement with the employee for adoption or foster care, to care for the employee's spouse, child, or parent who has a serious health condition, and if the employee is unable to perform the essential functions of his or her own job because of the employee's own serious health condition. If an employee has benefits, all benefits will continue during any paid leave. During any unpaid remainder of the twelve weeks of FML, the CSU will continue to pay its normal share of premiums for medical, dental and vision coverage if the employee elects to have the benefits continue. FML is unpaid leave.  However, an employee may charge accrued sick leave for his/her own illness that meets the definition for FML coverage.
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• Maternity / Paternity Leave

Female faculty employees are eligible for twenty days of paid maternity leave and are eligible to use a limited amount of sick leave accrual for the period of time covering the date of childbirth and immediate physical recovery therefrom. Depending upon the circumstances, additional paid leave can include the use of sick leave and/or Non-industrial Disability leave. For additional information regarding maternity/paternity leave, refer to the Family and Medical Leave Policy above and the CBA. Contact Faculty Affairs and Records regarding policy and procedures. Questions regarding the continuation of benefits during this type of leave may be directed to Human Resources.
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• Catastrophic Leave Donation Program

Under current agreements, it is possible for employees who accrue vacation or sick leave credits to donate a maximum of 16 hours of either of those credits per fiscal year to any other CSU employee on the same campus if the recipient employee has exhausted all accrued leave credits due to a catastrophic illness or injury. Donated leave credits may be used to supplement Industrial Disability Leave, Non-Industrial Disability Leave or Temporary Disability payments from the State Compensation Insurance Fund for three calendar months. An additional three-month period may be approved in exceptional cases. The Employee Relations Designee(s) will determine eligibility. Consult with the office of Faculty Affairs and Records or Human Resources regarding this process.
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• Bereavement Leave

Paid bereavement leave is granted for "significantly close relatives" as defined by the CBA. Consult the CBA for the provisions for the use of bereavement leave.
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• Jury Duty

Jury duty is a civic responsibility which the University supports. A faculty unit employee who serves on jury duty shall receive his/her regular salary while absent to perform jury duty if he/she reimburses the CSU the amount received for such duty. Upon receipt of initial notification for jury duty, faculty are required to promptly notify the appropriate administrator
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• Sabbatical and Difference in Pay Leaves

  Sabbatical and difference in pay leaves are paid leaves that provide a benefit to the CSU. Sabbatical leaves may be for one semester at full pay or two semesters at one-half pay. Consult the CBA and UPS 260.102 regarding policies and procedures, eligibility and evaluative considerations.A difference-in-pay leave is for one or more semesters. The salary for this type of leave is the difference between the employee's salary and the minimum salary of the Instructor rank. Consult the CBA and UPS 260.104 regarding policies and procedures, eligibility, and evaluative considerations.For both types of leaves, contact the office of Faculty Affairs and Records for forms and information concerning the effect on benefits.

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Leaves of Absence Without Pay

• Professional Leave of Absence Without Pay 

  A professional leave of absence without pay may be for purposes of research, advanced study, professional development, or other purposes of benefit to the campus. Requests for a professional leave of absence without pay must be submitted in writing to the Vice President for Academic Affairs but routed via the department chair and the school dean who each recommend concerning whether the leave should be granted. Requests must indicate the type of leave requested and the period of the leave. The faculty member will receive a written response from the Vice President for Academic Affairs indicating whether the leave has been approved. Refer to the CBA concerning the effect a leave of absence without pay will have on probationary service, sabbatical eligibility, merit salary adjustment eligibility and seniority points.
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• Personal Leave of Absence Without Pay

  A personal leave of absence without pay may be for purposes of unpaid sick leave, outside employment, maternity/paternity, parental leave or other purposes of a personal nature. Requests for a personal leave of absence must be submitted in writing to the Vice President for Academic Affairs but routed via the department chair and the school dean who will each recommend concerning whether the leave should be granted. Requests must state the type and period of the leave. The faculty member will receive a written response indicating whether the leave has been approved. Refer to the CBA concerning the effect a leave of absence without pay will have on probationary service, sabbatical eligibility, merit salary adjustment eligibility and seniority.

• Effect of a Leave of Absence Without Pay on Benefits and Pay Checks

  Not all leaves of absence will affect benefits. For example, a partial leave during which the employee continues to work half-time or more will not affect benefits except for a proportionate reduction in sick leave accrual, vacation accrual if applicable, seniority points, and service credit with the Public Employees' Retirement System. If, for one or more full pay periods, you take a full or partial leave of absence without pay which results in your working less than half-time, you must take action if you wish to continue your health insurance coverage during the leave period. Contact Human Resources concerning the effect a full or partial unpaid leave will have on your benefits. Human Resources will provide information and appropriate forms to complete in order to continue coverage during an unpaid leave of absence. Academic year faculty who take a leave in the fall semester and return to work in the spring semester need to be aware that their pay for the following August and benefits for the following September will be affected. This is because academic year employees who work a full semester are paid six checks per semester. Five checks are paid consecutively during the semester; the sixth pay check is paid in July for the spring semester, and in August for the fall semester. Health insurance premiums are paid in advance; that is, the deductions are withheld from the August pay check to cover September premiums. A full or partial leave of absence without pay may affect other voluntary deductions as well. Contact Payroll Services with questions.