Family Leave may be used to cover time away from work for medical appointments, illness, or medical needs of an immediate family member; prenatal or postnatal care; or for purposes of caring for a new baby or adoptive/foster child after placement. An immediate family member is defined as spouse, parent, legally dependent child, or any person living in the staff member’s household. It can also be used for extended bereavement leave. (Bereavement leave follows the same parameters described in USY/V.Pers/A.4.)
The policy basics are as follows:
Operating Staff
- At least one year of benefits-eligible service is required to be eligible for Family Leave.
- Family Leave is available only if the staff member has a Sick Pool accrual.
- There is a 10 day maximum, which equates to 75 hours for staff on a 37.5 hour work week and 80 hours for staff on a 40-hour work week.
- The maximum hours are pro-rated for staff working part-time, based on their percent-time.
- Access to the sick pool for use of Family Leave does not require the prior use of five earned time days.
- Use of Family Leave for bereavement leave requires the use of one Earned Time day prior to accessing the Sick Pool for Family Leave. Bereavement leave follows the same parameters described in USY.V.A.4.
- Time taken for Family Leave is recorded on time cards.
Link to USNH Family Leave policy for Operating Staff
Exempt Staff
- At least one year of benefits-eligible service is required to be eligible for Family Leave.
- Family Leave is available only if the staff member has a Sick Leave accrual.
- The 10-day maximum is pro-rated for those on percent-time appointments.
- Family leave may also be used for extended bereavement leave in those instances when the death of an immediate family member requires a longer absence than the five days provided by bereavement leave policy. Bereavement leave follows the same parameters described in USY/V.Pers/A.4.
- Time taken for Family Leave is recorded on exempt staff leave forms.
- The maximum vacation/personal leave accrual has been reduced from 36 days to 35 days as the trade-off for Family Leave. Staff will need to have their vacation accrual at no more than 35 days, the new maximum, by June 30, 2006.