Leaves With and Without Pay

Type

Procedure

Category

Human Resources

Department

Human Resources

Phone

(541) 463-5115

Primary Contact

Shane Turner

Contact Email

Responsible Executive Authority

Vice President of Human Resources

Purpose

This procedure provides information to staff and supervisors about paid and unpaid leave time. This procedure will also explain how paid leave is accrued, when it can be used, how to report the use of time, the medical certification process, short term and long term leave approval, requesting a leave of absence, and leave without pay.

Narrative

Paid Leave

Paid leave benefits are provided according to the terms of the appropriate collective bargaining agreement or the management working conditions document.

Certain categories of paid leave are accrued (or earned) by employees on a semi-monthly basis. Accrued leave is not available for use until it has been added to the employee's leave balance. Leave that is granted is available for use at the beginning of the academic year for faculty and the beginning of the calendar year for classified and management employees. Leave balance information is available to all employees online via ExpressLane.

Medical Verification of Sick Leave

Employees who are absent from work for more than three consecutive days may be required by Human Resources to provide medical verification of the cause for their absence. All employee medical information is confidential.

Sick Leave Accrual for Non-bargaining Unit Employees

With the exception of those in a work training program as part of a state or federal assistance program, all non-bargaining unit employees accrue sick leave under Oregon's Sick Time Law effective January 1, 2016. Eligible employees will accrue one (1) hour of sick leave for every thirty (30) hours worked, up to a maximum of 40 hours per calendar year.

Unpaid Leave

Unpaid leave is available to employees according to the terms of the appropriate collective bargaining agreement or management working conditions document for that group or as provided by state law.

Approval for Short-term Leaves

Except for leaves related to a qualifying circumstance under Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Oregon Family Leave Act (OFLA) and/or Paid Leave Oregon (PFML), requests for short-term leaves (ten consecutive days or less) should be reviewed and acted upon by the department administrator according to the guidelines provided in the appropriate collective bargaining agreement or law. Leaves related to a qualifying circumstance under FMLA, OFLA and/or PFML, of any duration, should follow the procedure outlined for approval of long-term leaves. Human Resources staff are available to answer questions.

Approval for Long-term Leaves

All leaves (except vacation and faculty or management professional development leaves) in excess of ten (10) consecutive working days, or are related to a qualifying circumstance under FMLA, OFLA or PFML, are considered to be long-term leaves and require both department administrator and Human Resources review and approval. A Request for Leave of Absence Form is available in the Human Resources Forms Library for this purpose.

Approval for Medical Leaves

Employees requesting paid or unpaid medical leave for their own serious health condition must provide a medical verification of the need for leave before the leave can be approved. The Certification of Health Care Provider form is available in the Human Resources Forms Library for this purpose. At the end of the approved medical leave, a physician's release is required before the employee can return to work. Department administrators may allow employees to return to work following a medical leave when Human Resources has received a statement from the employee's physician releasing the employee to return to work and clearly explaining any activity restrictions. Department administrators will not communicate directly with or contact an employee's physician about the medical status of an employee on medical leave.

Employees requesting paid or unpaid medical leave for their dependent’s serious health condition must provide a medical verification of the need for leave before the leave can be approved. The Certification of Health Care Provider for Dependent’s Serious Health Condition form is available in the Human Resources Forms Library for this purpose.

All completed medical forms and information should be submitted to the Leave of Absence Coordinator in Human Resources. Human Resources will then notify the department administrator that the medical verification has been received. Medical information is confidential and kept apart from the employee’s general personnel file. If a department administrator receives medical information, the original document should be forwarded to the Leave of Absence Coordinator in Human Resources and any copies permanently destroyed.

Department administrators are asked to notify Human Resources when an employee's short-term sick leave needs to be extended into a long-term medical leave so that arrangements can be made for the employee to complete a leave request form.

Failure to Obtain Approval for Use of Leave

Department administrators are asked to contact Human Resources when an employee takes an unauthorized leave of absence. In certain situations, disciplinary action may be appropriate.

Reporting Leaves

All short and long-term leaves taken by employees should be reported on the employee's timesheet via Expresslane. Department administrators and payroll approvers are responsible for reviewing the timesheets for accuracy for all department employees and for certifying that the timesheets reflect actual leave usage during the pay period.

Leave Balances

Information regarding individual employee leave balances is available via Expresslane.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Oregon Family Leave Act (OFLA) and Paid Leave Oregon (PFML)

In accordance with FMLA, OFLA, and PFML laws, a qualifying leave of absence will be applied concurrently (as allowed by law) to the eligible employee's twelve (12) week leave entitlement.

In evaluating an employee's eligibility, the College employs a "rolling forward" leave year. With this method, under FMLA and OFLA the 12 work week entitlement will begin the first day of the qualifying leave and continue for 12 consecutive months. Under PFML, the 12 work week entitlement will begin the Sunday immediately preceding the first day of qualifying leave and continue for 12 consecutive months.

Paid Leave Oregon Benefits and Compensation

In order to provide employees with flexibility for compensation options, employees who receive benefits under Paid Leave Oregon (PFML) may choose to also receive compensation from the College using accrued paid leave for the same absence.

When receiving PFML benefits, the following options are available:

  1. Compensation from PFML and no pay from the College;
  2. Compensation from PFML and partial pay from the College, using appropriate accrued paid leave for the partial pay; or,
  3. Compensation from PFML and full pay from the College, using appropriate accrued paid leave for the full absence.

Employees’ use of sick leave is limited to eligible family members as defined by the applicable collective bargaining agreement or the management working conditions document. Therefore, not all claims approved under PFML allow for employees to remain in paid status through the use of sick leave. In these instances, an employee can choose to use other accrued paid leave (personal, vacation, etc.) or take the absence as leave without pay from the College.

Employees do not accrue seniority or paid leave, as well as PERS contributions are not earned, on any unpaid time.

It is the responsibility of the employee to keep the Leave of Absence Coordinator in Human Resources informed of any changes to their eligibility for benefits under PFML, or their desire to change their pay status with the College during the period of PFML.

Note: This flexibility is being provided on a trial basis, to allow adequate time for evaluation of usage, and may be rescinded or altered at any time.

Questions about the accrual and usage of paid or unpaid leave should be referred to a Human Resources Analyst.

Date Adopted

Saturday, May 1, 1999

Date Last Reviewed

Tuesday, August 8, 2023