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Administrative Manual - 207 Leaves of Absence

207.02 Sick Leave

  1. POLICY
    1. JSA provides sick leave:
      1. To continue the salary of eligible JSA employees who would otherwise be on pay status, but who are medically incapacitated due to illness or disability and are unable to work;
      2. For medical, dental, and optical appointments of the employee;
      3. FMLA-qualifying personal or family events; and
      4. On a limited basis, (up to five days per occurrence) in the event of a non-FMLA-qualifying illness of a family member. (See Section D.6 of this policy.)
    2. Supervisors are responsible for administering the sick leave policy to prevent abuses and inequities.
    3. Questions concerning the intent of the sick leave policy should be referred to Human Resources by the supervisor.
  2. ELIGIBILITY

    Regular and term employees, who are scheduled to work 20 hours per week or more, are eligible to accrue sick leave.

  3. ACCRUAL
    1. Employees accrue sick leave by pay periods. For a new employee, accrual of sick leave begins with the first day of employment.
    2. Employees eligible to earn sick leave must be on pay status (work or JSA-paid leave status) to accrue sick leave, except that employees on Workers' Compensation or Long-Term Disability may supplement disability benefits with accrued vacation or sick leave for up to 12 months from date of disability and sick leave accrual will continue on the hours of paid leave the employee uses to supplement disability payments. In such instances, the employee's total compensation (disability/Workers' Compensation payments plus sick or vacation pay) may not exceed the employee's basic salary (normal wages exclusive of shift differential, overtime, etc.) for each pay period.
    3. Rate of Accrual
      1. Full-time employees accrue sick leave credit at the rate of eight hours per month (provided that they remain in a pay status for the entire month).
      2. Eligible part-time employees accrue sick leave credit at a rate proportionate to their planned work schedule.
    4. There is no limit on the amount of sick leave that may be accrued.
  4. USE
    1. Approval
      1. The employee's supervisor approves the use of sick leave. The supervisor may require the employee to submit satisfactory proof of illness or disability in the form of a physician's statement or other administratively acceptable evidence (e.g., hospital billing statement) after the employee has been absent for three or more consecutive work days, or after a shorter time when the supervisor has reason to believe there may be abuse.
      2. The supervisor may request the assistance of Occupational Health & Safety in managing and monitoring an employee's health-related absence(s). Medical Services may contact the employee or the employee's physician, with permission, to coordinate the employee's safe and timely return to work.
      3. The supervisor shall contact Human Resources when an employee is out for a period of three (3) or more consecutive work days or requests intermittent leave or a reduced/altered work schedule because of a personal or family medical condition. Human Resources, in conjunction with the Occupational Health & Safety staff, shall determine if an employee is eligible for Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave. If the employee's particular situation allows for the use of FMLA leave, Human Resources shall notify the employee and the supervisor.
      4. To ensure compliance with Federal law, any employee absent for three or more consecutive workdays due to illness or disability shall present to Medical Services their physician's return to work authorization (work note) specifying what, if any, work restrictions are required for their recuperation. Medical Services will review potential work restrictions and coordinate them with the employee's supervisor.
    2. Availability

      Sick leave shall not be used prior to the time it is fully earned. Sick leave accruing during a pay period shall not be taken during that pay period.

    3. Use of Vacation Leave in Lieu of Sick Leave

      When sick leave accrual is exhausted, the employee must use all accumulated vacation leave to cover any related period of absence before going on unpaid leave, except when receiving disability benefits. (See section 205.01.)

    4. Maximum Sick Leave Use Per Year

      There is no specific maximum amount of earned sick leave that may be used in any year for absences due to medical incapacity of the employee. However, taken in combination, all payments received by the employee from Workers' Compensation, disability insurance plans, and use of sick and vacation leave shall not exceed the employee's basic salary for any twelve (12) month period in which he/she is unable to work for the entire period due to his/her own illness/disability.

    5. Use of Sick Leave During Vacation Periods

      Any time charged to sick leave included within or immediately following a vacation period is acceptable as a charge against sick leave credit provided specific approval is given by the immediate supervisor. Specific approval requires the supervisor's signature on the employee's time sheet and shall be based on a physician's statement or other administratively acceptable evidence. If such approval is not given, the absence shall be charged to vacation leave or leave without pay, if the employee has no accrued vacation credit.

    6. Family Emergency Leave

      In the event of an illness of a family member not covered by Family Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) which necessitates the employee's attendance, an employee may be granted up to five (5) working days against unused sick leave accruals. Family members not covered by FMLA include parents-in-law, grandparents, siblings, or other related persons living in the household of the employee.

  5. REINSTATEMENT

    Sick leave credit accumulated, but not used, in previous employment with JSA may be reinstated on the following basis:

    1. An employee who is re-employed after a break in service of less than 15 calendar days may have all sick leave from the immediate prior service reinstated.
    2. An employee who is re-employed after a break in service of fifteen (15) or more calendar days but less than six (6) months may have sick leave from the immediate prior service reinstated not in excess of 80 hours.
    3. A laid-off employee who is re-employed between six (6) months and one year of layoff may have sick leave from the immediate prior service reinstated not in excess of 40 hours.
  6. PAYMENT
    1. Sick leave used during JSA employment is compensated at the employee's straight-time rate of pay (basic rate plus shift differential).
    2. An employee who separates from JSA employment shall not be paid for any unused accrued sick leave.


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