Policies, Union Contracts, Handbooks > Support Staff Policies and Procedures

Sick Time

Policy

Applies to:

1. Regular University support staff working half-time or more
2. Temporary 1585 employees working half-time or more

The University grants eligible employees paid time off due to sickness and/or disability.

Employees accrue sick leave credits on a regular schedule, which may be used as needed in order to provide payment for periods of absence due to sickness and/or disability.

Eligibility: Begins on date of hire or rehire.

Accrual schedule:

1. Full-time employees accrue sick leave at the rate of four hours for each completed two weeks of service (104 hours annually). Service includes work time and leave of absence with pay time, but does not include:
   • leave of absence without pay,
   • regular Workers' Compensation,
   • layoff, or
   • disciplinary suspension of more than ten days.
2. Part-time employees scheduled to work 26 hours per week but less than 36 shall be credited with 75% of the sick leave accruals shown above for full-time employees.
3. Part-time employees scheduled to work 20 hours per week but less than 26 shall be credited with 50% of the sick leave accruals shown above for full-time employees.
4. Part-time employees will be paid only for the hours scheduled to work but not worked because of the sick leave.
5. Sick leave is credited at the end of each month.
6. Sick leave credits may accumulate to a maximum of 1200 hours (VARIES: APSA, AP confidentials and nurses can accumulate a maximum of 1400 hours).

Usage requirements and approvals:

1. Sick leave with pay may be used for the following reasons. Paid leave can only be used up to the amount of an employee's accrual. Some of the situations listed below may qualify under FMLA (see Policy and Procedure for Family Medical Leave Act [FMLA]):
   • personal illness or incapacity over which the employee has no reasonable control which prohibits the performance of the duties of the employee's job,
   • absence from work because of exposure to contagious disease which, according to public health standards, would constitute a danger to the health of others by the employee's attendance at work,
   • to complete appointments for medical or dental treatment when it is not possible to arrange such appointments for non-duty hours, or
   • illness or incapacity associated with pregnancy when a physician indicates the employee is unable to perform all the duties of her position. Paid sick leave for up to four weeks before the expected date and up to eight weeks following delivery is granted on the request of the employee. An additional four weeks maternity leave extension is provided if requested by the employee.  Sick leave accruals may not be used to cover this time; the employee may use vacation, personal or unpaid time (VARIES: For 1585, 999 and 547 employees, see Collective Bargaining Agreements).
     • Sick leave is available to use for the illness of a member of the immediate family, MSU-recognized same-sex domestic partner, or other household members. Individual Collective Bargaining Agreements define the number of hours that may be used and for what circumstances. It is to be reported as family sick and is debited to the employee's sick leave balance.
2. Supervisors may require a physician's statement prior to approval of payment of sick leave.
3. Payment of sick leave may be authorized and reported in full hour or tenth of an hour (6 minute) increments for all employee groups, union and non-union.

Amount of payment: Each hour paid to an employee shall be paid at the base rate of pay and shall not include shift premium or other premium payment.

Coordination with other types of pay or benefits:

1. Employees must utilize any accrued sick leave credits, and optionally may thereafter use vacation credits, prior to being placed on an unpaid leave of absence due to illness/disability.
2. The University, for cause, may direct an employee to go on sick leave.
3. Employees may be required to obtain approval from their physician and/or the University Physician before returning to work.
4. Workers' Compensation benefits will be supplemented by accrued sick leave credits as necessary to maintain the employee's total income at an amount equivalent to eight hours pay at the base rate of pay for each day of absence.
5. University-designated holidays falling within an employee's paid sick leave will not be charged to sick leave.

Other provisions:

1. An employee will not receive payment for unused sick leave when terminating, except when retiring (see charts below) (VARIES: APA or APSA employees who are laid off from the University and whose recall rights have expired may receive partial payment of unused sick leave credits).
2. Full-time employees who do not meet the University's minimum retirement requirements but have at least five years but less than ten years of continuous service, and have attained 65 years of age at the time of separation, shall be paid for unused sick leave as of the effective date of separation, in accordance with charts below.
3. Full-time employees who do not meet the University's minimum retirement requirements but have at least ten years continuous service, and have attained 65 years of age at the time of separation, shall be paid for unused sick leave as of the effective date of separation, in accordance with charts below.

Sick leave payoff/termination at 65 years of age or older
Union group	5 or more years  but less than 10	10 or more years	Up to and not to exceed  number of hours
APA	50% unused	100% unused	1200 hours
AP Confidential	50% unused	100% unused	1400 hours
APSA	50% unused	100% unused	1400 hours
CTU	50% unused	100% unused	1100 hours
FOP (Sergeant’s)	50% unused	100% unused	1000 hours
FOP (Non-Supervisory)	50% unused	100% unused	1000 hours
1585	50% unused	100% unused	800 hours
999	50% unused	100% unused	800 hours
547	50% unused	100% unused	800 hours
274	50% unused	100% unused	1200 hours
Nurses	50% unused	100% unused	1400 hours

 

Procedure

Employee:  Notifies supervisor of number of hours of sick time used. It is up to the discretion of the department administrator on how he/she wishes to authorize his/her employees.

Supervisor: Approve and record absence on Attendance System or through unit-level reporting procedures.

Refer questions to: MSU Human Resources Employee Records (telephone 517-353-4330, e-mail).