PURPOSE

To establish procedures for joining and participating in the University’s Sick Leave Bank (SLB). The purpose of the SLB is to provide continued income for members who experience serious or emergency personal illness or injury.

WHO IS AFFECTED?

Any regular staff member may elect to participate in the Sick Leave Bank, according to the guidelines and procedures which follow:

PROCEDURE

1. Who May Join?
   
   Any regular staff member who has accumulated a minimum of 48 hours of sick leave may elect to enroll in the SLB by contributing a minimum of 24 hours to the bank. Enrollments are held April 1 through June 30 of each calendar year.
2. Grants of Sick Leave Bank Days
   
   As long as an employee has been a member of the SLB for 30 days, has used all accrued leave, and has been on approved Family and Medical Leave, he/ she may apply for SLB. Application is made in writing via the Sick Leave Bank Request Form, and requires medical certification. If the request is for a preexisting condition, there will be a six-month waiting period before a grant is made. Each initial grant of sick leave days is limited to a maximum of 30 calendar days of paid leave. Extensions of SLB days may be granted in 30 calendar day increments, up to a 90 calendar day maximum in a twelve-month period. UTHSC considers full-time to be 2,080 hours worked within a calendar year. Consequently, 90 calendar days is equivalent to 520 hours for full-time employees. SLB hours for part-time employees are prorated according to the amount of effort. For example, an employee employed at 80% of effort is able to receive 416 hours each year.
3. Recipient Guidelines

• Complete the Withdrawal Request Form. Forms may be submitted by fax, email or delivered in person to Employee Relations.
• A health care provider must certify the need for a grant by completing and returning the Medical Form. Forms may be submitted by fax, email, or delivered in person to Employee Relations.
• The request will be summarized and all personally identifiable information will be removed. The request will then be sent to the Sick Leave Bank Trustee Board for determination.
• SLB grant requests are approved if 3 of the 5 trustees approve the request. The SLB trustee board has 10 business days to make a determination.
• Employees will receive a letter in the mail informing them of the determination of the request. Department supervisors will also receive this information.
• If approved, documentation will be sent payroll; payroll will then add the requested hours to the employee’s sick leave bank balance.
• Employees may receive up to a 90 day grant within a twelve month period. Initial grants are made for 30 days and employees are required to have their health care provider submit an additional medical certification for additional days up to the 90 day maximum.
  
  IV. Unused Sick Leave Bank Time
  
  Any unused SLB hours must be returned to the bank. Once an employee returns to work, SLB hours may not be used. Departments should contact Employee Relations if there are any remaining SLB hours.
  
  V. Departmental Responsibilities
  
  The department of the employee who receives SLB time must maintain accurate leave records/information and code the leave as SLB days after exhausting the employee’s other leave accruals.
  
  VI. Long-Term Illness or Disability
  
  Any employee whose condition is considered long-term or a disability should file a claim for Long Term Disability, Retirement, or Social Security Disability.