Accrual and Use of Sick Leave

1.0 Purpose
To provide policies and procedures for the accrual and use of sick leave for all classified employees.

2.0 Policy
Regular, benefits-eligible employees will be eligible to accrue and use sick leave as outlined below.

For all regular full-time employees of the University System of Georgia defined in Section 801 of the Board of Regents Policy Manual, sick leave shall be accumulated at the rate of one working day per calendar month of service. Regular part-time employees working one-half time or more will accumulate sick leave in an equivalent ratio to their percentage of time employed. Sick leave for employees shall be cumulative.

A terminating employee shall not accumulate sick leave or be entitled to receive sick pay after the last working day of his/her or her employment.

Upon the movement of an employee among institutions of the University System, accumulated sick leave will be transferred if there is no actual break in service.

3.0 Departmental Leave Record/Use
The leave status of all employees eligible for leave accrual is shown on the computer-prepared reports titled “Leave Accrual Summary by Department." Employees are listed in each department by employee ID number. The status of sick leave is shown as of the report period ending date indicated on each report. These reports are distributed to each department following the end of the month.

4.0 Use
Sick leave may be granted at the discretion of the institution and upon approval by the supervisor.  The total amount of approved sick leave for which an employee may be paid cannot exceed the employee’s sick leave balance. Use of the accrued sick leave may be approved for the following reasons:

4.1 Illness or injury of the employee.

4.2 Medical and dental treatment or consultation of the employee that cannot be scheduled before or after duty hours or on a day off.

4.3 Quarantine due to a contagious illness in the employee's household.

4.4 Illness or injury of the employee's spouse, dependent child or stepchild, parent, or spouse’s parent which requires the employee's presence.

4.5 Maternity.

4.6 Death in the employee's immediate family requiring the employee's presence. (The immediate family includes spouse, parent, parent-in-law, brother, sister, child, step-child, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, grandparent, grandchild, foster parent, or legal guardian.) The amount of sick leave authorized is limited to one (1) normal workday when the funeral is in the local area. If the funeral is not in the local area, the supervisor will determine if more than one day's absence should be authorized, depending on the distance involved. Sick leave is authorized only for the time off that would fall on scheduled workdays up to a maximum of three days. Vacation leave and/or Leave without Pay (LWOP) must be used for any additional time off other than as outlined above.  A manager has the discretion to allow for more leave than is stated above and can make such determinations on a case by case basis.

4.7 Sick leave may be used if an employee becomes ill while on annual leave. Approval of the employee's immediate supervisor must be obtained prior to returning to work. If this is not possible, a doctor's statement, certifying the dates of illness, will be required in order to make this change upon return from annual leave. Sick leave used during an annual leave period does not extend the previously authorized annual leave period.

If an employee has claimed sick leave for a continuous period in excess of one week, a physician's statement is required to permit further claim of sick leave. A physician's statement may also be required for shorter absences at the discretion of the employee’s supervisor.

5.0 Initial Use
Sick leave may not be authorized for absence until a “Leave Accrual Summary by Department” is issued showing a sick leave balance. If an employee must be absent prior to that time, the hours spent must be classified as leave without pay.

5.1 Sick Leave Reporting
The number of hours of sick leave used should be reported under the applicable date on the time sheet or time card (see Administrative Policy and Procedure section 1.2.07 for recording methods). The hours of sick leave reported on the time sheet must not exceed the number of hours the employee is normally scheduled to work each day. If a scheduled holiday occurs while an employee is on sick leave, that day will be considered holiday time rather than sick leave.

NOTE: The number of hours reported for sick leave may not exceed the employee’s sick leave balance. Hours recorded in excess of this balance will be converted to annual leave, if available, or LWOP. If an employee’s LWOP is expected to extend beyond the current bi-weekly pay period for non-exempt employees or a period of ten (10) working days for exempt employees, a PAR to officially place the employee on Leave Without Pay must be submitted to Human Resources. If the period of leave is less than this, it should be reported via the TimeWare system for non-exempt employee and via the Web Leave system and pre-payroll list for exempt employees.  The pre-payroll list should not be adjusted unless the Payroll Office has confirmed that the payroll system does not show a balance.

5.2 Status Change
An employee eligible for sick leave who changes to temporary status (less than half-time) is no longer eligible to use sick leave for absences. All accrued sick leave will be retained in the employee's file for use if the employee returns to a Regular/Part-time or Regular status.

5.3 Employees will not be paid for accrued sick leave upon termination of employment. Accrued sick leave may be transferred to another Institution of the University System of Georgia provided there is not an actual break in service.

5.4 A retirement credit for unused sick leave is available for members of the Teachers Retirement System at the time of retirement. The amount of the credit is determined by the Teachers Retirement System. Employees should verify the amount of sick leave that can be applied as a credit toward retirement with the Benefits section of Human Resources.

6.0 Acceptance of Sick Leave from a State of Georgia Agency
Pursuant to section 802.0809 of the Board Regents Policy, effective July 1, 2005, the Medical College of Georgia will accept up to a maximum of 96 hours of sick leave from a benefited employee who moves from a State of Georgia agency to the Medical College of Georgia.  For MCG to accept sick leave, the employee must have no more than a 30-calendar-day break in service.  Written verification of the employee’s sick leave balance must be provided to the Medical College of Georgia by the terminating State of Georgia agency.

NOTE: Pursuant to the Board of Regents policy, annual leave will not be accepted.

Date: 1 May 1981 | Rev. No: 05-1 | Rev. Date: 9 November 2005 | No. 1.4.25