Sick-Leave Policy
Policy
Loyola University Chicago (University or LUC) provides paid sick leave allotment for regular full-time and part-time Staff employees who are scheduled to work at least 20 hours per week. The University also provides paid sick leave allotment for part-time, hourly Staff who work less than 20 hours per week, including temporary, seasonal, active casual hourly Staff, and hourly paid student workers.
Purpose
The university recognizes that, at times, employees may be unable to work due to their own private illness or injury, or the illness, injury or medical appointment of a family member. During such instances, sick time may be used by eligible employees.
Applicability
- This policy applies to regular employees of Loyola University Chicago (LUC) who are scheduled to work at least twenty (20) hours per week and are primarily located at the Lakeside campuses, as well as those located at the Health Sciences Campus.
- This policy applies to part-time hourly Staff less than .50/.53 FTE
- This policy applies to temporary, seasonal & active casual hourly Staff
- This policy applies to hourly paid student workers
- Staff employees who are paid monthly are not covered by this policy.
Information/Guidelines
A. Accruals
Sick leave is accrued based on an employee’s regularly scheduled hours of work and may be carried over from year to year, up to a maximum of 30 days, or in the case of part-time hourly Staff (working less than 50/.53 FTE), temporary, seasonal & active casual hourly Staff, and hourly paid student workers, 20 hours can be carried over year-to-year, up to a maximum of 60 hours in their “bank” in a given year. For regular full-time and part-time Staff employees who are scheduled to work at least 20 hours per week, paid sick leave is accrued bi-weekly based on an employee’s FTE (full-time equivalent) according to the following schedule:
|
FTE Lake Shore and Water Tower Campuses |
FTE Health Sciences Campus |
Days Accrued Per Year |
Maximum Days |
|
1.0 |
1.0 |
10 days |
30 days |
|
0.80 up to .99 |
0.80 up to 0.99 |
7 days |
30 days |
|
0.64 up to .79 |
0.60 up to 0.79 |
6 days |
30 days |
|
0.53 up to .63 |
0.50 up to 0.59 |
5 days |
30 days |
- Accruals begin from an employee’s date of hire.
- Employees below the Administrative Director level are eligible to use sick leave after they have completed their first ninety (90) days of employment.
- If you are hired into a position classified as an Administrative Director or above, or Heath Sciences Campus (HSC) Librarian, you will receive five (5) sick days in your sick leave bank upon hire. Like all other regular full-time employees, Administrative Directors and above, or HSC Librarians, are eligible to use sick leave after they have completed their first ninety (90) days of employment.
- If you are a 9, 10, or 11-month exempt Staff member paid monthly, leave tracking will be handled internally within your department. You earn ten (10) sick days per year, with a maximum accrual balance of thirty (30) days.
- Employees whose sick leave current accrual balance is greater than thirty (30) days as of December 31, 2008, will retain their balance and will not accrue sick leave until their sick leave balance is less than the thirty (30) day maximum. Note: This provision does not apply to employees in a position classified as an Administrator Director or above and HSC Librarian.
For part-time hourly Staff (working less than .50/.53 FTE), temporary, seasonal & active casual hourly Staff, and hourly paid student workers, paid sick leave is accrued bi-weekly at the rate of one (1) hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked:
|
Lake Shore, Water Tower, and Health Sciences Campuses |
Hours Accrued Per Year |
Maximum Hours |
|
Part-time Hourly Staff Less Than .50/.53 FTE |
40 |
60 |
|
Temporary, Seasonal, & Active Casual Hourly Staff |
40 |
60 |
|
Hourly Paid Student Workers |
40 |
60 |
- Employees whose sick leave balance accrues to 60 hours, will retain their balance and will not accrue sick leave until their sick leave balance is less than the 60-hour maximum.
B. Applicable Use of Accrued Sick Time
Expanded definition as of July 1, 2017:
- Employee’s illness or injury, or to receive medical care, treatment, diagnosis, or preventative medical care
- Illness or injury of a family member (see below --> Family (Defined))
- To care for a family member receiving medical care, treatment, diagnosis, or preventative medical care
- If the employee or family member is the victim of domestic violence or a sex offense
- If the employee’s place of business is closed by order of a public official due to a public health emergency
- If the employee needs to care for a child whose school or place of care has been closed by order of a public official due to a public health emergency
Family (Defined)
Expanded definition as of July 1, 2017:
Defined as:
- The employee's child (biological, adopted, step or foster, or a child to whom the employee stands in loco parentis, legal guardian, or ward)
- Spouse or domestic partner
- Spouse or domestic partner’s parent, sibling, parent (including biological, foster, adoptive or legal guardian, step, or a person who stood in loco parentis when the employee was a minor), stepparent, parent-in-law, grandchild, grandparent
- Any other individual related by blood or whose close association with the employee is the equivalent of a family relationship
Employees may NOT use more than half of their yearly sick leave accruals for the care of family members (five (5) days or two point five (2.5) days in the cases of employee groups who earn up to a maximum of 40 hours per year). Excessive absenteeism, or patterns of calling off, may result in disciplinary action. Any sick leave beyond three (3) consecutive work days will be considered an extended medical leave of absence. If you are eligible, you may receive short-term disability benefits during a medical leave of absence. Refer to the Short-Term Disability (STD) policy.
C. Notification and Attendance
All employees with scheduled work hours are expected to notify their manager or designee of each absent day at least one (1) hour prior to their start time. Depending on operational needs, departments may establish notification requirements for up to three (3) hours prior to start time.
- Managers will communicate the appropriate time periods and methods of notification to employees.
- Payment of sick leave hours may be denied if notification is not received by the specified time.
In cases of absence due to a serious illness or health condition in excess of three (3) consecutive days, the employee must contact MetLife to report their absence. MetLife will notify Human Resources (HR), and HR will then notify the employee’s Managers.
D. Extended Absences
Employees who are absent for more than three (3) consecutive days for reasons other than scheduled vacation are required to contact MetLife. In evaluating the payment of sick leave or short-term disability benefits, managers and employees are referred to the GENERAL LEAVE OF ABSENCE AND FAMILY/MEDICAL LEAVE ACT POLICY.
- New Hires are not eligible for an extended paid leave of absence during their first six (6) months of employment
- Unpaid absences of more than five (5) consecutive work days for these newly hired employees constitutes a voluntary resignation from employment unless the employee provides medical certification that they may return to work after no more ten (10) days of absence
E. Change of Status, Paid or Unpaid Leave of Absence or Termination of Employment
When employees change status from full-time to part-time, they will retain their accrued paid sick time provided the time is below the maximum accrual as designated in the Accruals section of this policy for regular part-time employees.
Note:
- Employees will not accrue sick leave while on a paid or unpaid leave of absence.
- Accrued paid sick time is not paid out to employees at termination of employment or at retirement.
Responsibility
- Employee: It is the responsibility of the employee to notify their Supervisor in a timely manner when an illness occurs as set by department procedure, and to contact MetLife to report your serious illness if the employee is out for more than three (3) days.
- Department: Every Supervisor is responsible for scheduling and documenting sick time used by both exempt and non-exempt employees by authorizing the Payroll Department’s payment of sick leave in accordance with this policy.
- Human Resources: Loyola University Chicago’s Human Resources Division has the responsibility for interpreting and administering the sick leave policy, and the authority to make exceptions.
Revised: 1/30/14, 9/9/15, 12/31/16, 2/1/17, 2/27/17, 3/7/17, 6/28/17, 11/26/19, 2/23/24
Policy
Loyola University Chicago (University or LUC) provides paid sick leave allotment for regular full-time and part-time Staff employees who are scheduled to work at least 20 hours per week. The University also provides paid sick leave allotment for part-time, hourly Staff who work less than 20 hours per week, including temporary, seasonal, active casual hourly Staff, and hourly paid student workers.
Purpose
The university recognizes that, at times, employees may be unable to work due to their own private illness or injury, or the illness, injury or medical appointment of a family member. During such instances, sick time may be used by eligible employees.
Applicability
- This policy applies to regular employees of Loyola University Chicago (LUC) who are scheduled to work at least twenty (20) hours per week and are primarily located at the Lakeside campuses, as well as those located at the Health Sciences Campus.
- This policy applies to part-time hourly Staff less than .50/.53 FTE
- This policy applies to temporary, seasonal & active casual hourly Staff
- This policy applies to hourly paid student workers
- Staff employees who are paid monthly are not covered by this policy.
Information/Guidelines
A. Accruals
Sick leave is accrued based on an employee’s regularly scheduled hours of work and may be carried over from year to year, up to a maximum of 30 days, or in the case of part-time hourly Staff (working less than 50/.53 FTE), temporary, seasonal & active casual hourly Staff, and hourly paid student workers, 20 hours can be carried over year-to-year, up to a maximum of 60 hours in their “bank” in a given year. For regular full-time and part-time Staff employees who are scheduled to work at least 20 hours per week, paid sick leave is accrued bi-weekly based on an employee’s FTE (full-time equivalent) according to the following schedule:
|
FTE Lake Shore and Water Tower Campuses |
FTE Health Sciences Campus |
Days Accrued Per Year |
Maximum Days |
|
1.0 |
1.0 |
10 days |
30 days |
|
0.80 up to .99 |
0.80 up to 0.99 |
7 days |
30 days |
|
0.64 up to .79 |
0.60 up to 0.79 |
6 days |
30 days |
|
0.53 up to .63 |
0.50 up to 0.59 |
5 days |
30 days |
- Accruals begin from an employee’s date of hire.
- Employees below the Administrative Director level are eligible to use sick leave after they have completed their first ninety (90) days of employment.
- If you are hired into a position classified as an Administrative Director or above, or Heath Sciences Campus (HSC) Librarian, you will receive five (5) sick days in your sick leave bank upon hire. Like all other regular full-time employees, Administrative Directors and above, or HSC Librarians, are eligible to use sick leave after they have completed their first ninety (90) days of employment.
- If you are a 9, 10, or 11-month exempt Staff member paid monthly, leave tracking will be handled internally within your department. You earn ten (10) sick days per year, with a maximum accrual balance of thirty (30) days.
- Employees whose sick leave current accrual balance is greater than thirty (30) days as of December 31, 2008, will retain their balance and will not accrue sick leave until their sick leave balance is less than the thirty (30) day maximum. Note: This provision does not apply to employees in a position classified as an Administrator Director or above and HSC Librarian.
For part-time hourly Staff (working less than .50/.53 FTE), temporary, seasonal & active casual hourly Staff, and hourly paid student workers, paid sick leave is accrued bi-weekly at the rate of one (1) hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked:
|
Lake Shore, Water Tower, and Health Sciences Campuses |
Hours Accrued Per Year |
Maximum Hours |
|
Part-time Hourly Staff Less Than .50/.53 FTE |
40 |
60 |
|
Temporary, Seasonal, & Active Casual Hourly Staff |
40 |
60 |
|
Hourly Paid Student Workers |
40 |
60 |
- Employees whose sick leave balance accrues to 60 hours, will retain their balance and will not accrue sick leave until their sick leave balance is less than the 60-hour maximum.
B. Applicable Use of Accrued Sick Time
Expanded definition as of July 1, 2017:
- Employee’s illness or injury, or to receive medical care, treatment, diagnosis, or preventative medical care
- Illness or injury of a family member (see below --> Family (Defined))
- To care for a family member receiving medical care, treatment, diagnosis, or preventative medical care
- If the employee or family member is the victim of domestic violence or a sex offense
- If the employee’s place of business is closed by order of a public official due to a public health emergency
- If the employee needs to care for a child whose school or place of care has been closed by order of a public official due to a public health emergency
Family (Defined)
Expanded definition as of July 1, 2017:
Defined as:
- The employee's child (biological, adopted, step or foster, or a child to whom the employee stands in loco parentis, legal guardian, or ward)
- Spouse or domestic partner
- Spouse or domestic partner’s parent, sibling, parent (including biological, foster, adoptive or legal guardian, step, or a person who stood in loco parentis when the employee was a minor), stepparent, parent-in-law, grandchild, grandparent
- Any other individual related by blood or whose close association with the employee is the equivalent of a family relationship
Employees may NOT use more than half of their yearly sick leave accruals for the care of family members (five (5) days or two point five (2.5) days in the cases of employee groups who earn up to a maximum of 40 hours per year). Excessive absenteeism, or patterns of calling off, may result in disciplinary action. Any sick leave beyond three (3) consecutive work days will be considered an extended medical leave of absence. If you are eligible, you may receive short-term disability benefits during a medical leave of absence. Refer to the Short-Term Disability (STD) policy.
C. Notification and Attendance
All employees with scheduled work hours are expected to notify their manager or designee of each absent day at least one (1) hour prior to their start time. Depending on operational needs, departments may establish notification requirements for up to three (3) hours prior to start time.
- Managers will communicate the appropriate time periods and methods of notification to employees.
- Payment of sick leave hours may be denied if notification is not received by the specified time.
In cases of absence due to a serious illness or health condition in excess of three (3) consecutive days, the employee must contact MetLife to report their absence. MetLife will notify Human Resources (HR), and HR will then notify the employee’s Managers.
D. Extended Absences
Employees who are absent for more than three (3) consecutive days for reasons other than scheduled vacation are required to contact MetLife. In evaluating the payment of sick leave or short-term disability benefits, managers and employees are referred to the GENERAL LEAVE OF ABSENCE AND FAMILY/MEDICAL LEAVE ACT POLICY.
- New Hires are not eligible for an extended paid leave of absence during their first six (6) months of employment
- Unpaid absences of more than five (5) consecutive work days for these newly hired employees constitutes a voluntary resignation from employment unless the employee provides medical certification that they may return to work after no more ten (10) days of absence
E. Change of Status, Paid or Unpaid Leave of Absence or Termination of Employment
When employees change status from full-time to part-time, they will retain their accrued paid sick time provided the time is below the maximum accrual as designated in the Accruals section of this policy for regular part-time employees.
Note:
- Employees will not accrue sick leave while on a paid or unpaid leave of absence.
- Accrued paid sick time is not paid out to employees at termination of employment or at retirement.
Responsibility
- Employee: It is the responsibility of the employee to notify their Supervisor in a timely manner when an illness occurs as set by department procedure, and to contact MetLife to report your serious illness if the employee is out for more than three (3) days.
- Department: Every Supervisor is responsible for scheduling and documenting sick time used by both exempt and non-exempt employees by authorizing the Payroll Department’s payment of sick leave in accordance with this policy.
- Human Resources: Loyola University Chicago’s Human Resources Division has the responsibility for interpreting and administering the sick leave policy, and the authority to make exceptions.
Revised: 1/30/14, 9/9/15, 12/31/16, 2/1/17, 2/27/17, 3/7/17, 6/28/17, 11/26/19, 2/23/24