SICK LEAVE ACCUMULATION FOR REGULAR FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES:

A regular, non-faculty full-time employee, hired after June 30, 1990, accumulates 7.5 or 8.0 hours of sick leave per calendar month or per month of contract, whichever is less.

A regular, full-time employee, hired before July 1, 1990, accumulates 7.5 or 8.0 hours of sick leave per calendar month. After 10 full years of service, the rate shall increase to 11.25 hours (7.5 hour employee) and 12.0 hours (8.0 hour employee).

A regular full-time faculty member hired between July 1, 1990 and June 21, 1994, inclusively, accumulates 7.5 hours of sick leave per calendar month, regardless of the faculty member’s contract months.

An employee accumulates sick leave in any month in which he/she is actively employed and in paid status for 11 or more days, except that pay received for accumulated vacation at the time of a leave of absence without salary, termination of employment, retirement, or death will not be credited toward the 11 days. The accrued sick day is applied to the employee's sick leave balance at the beginning of the month following the month in which the employee has worked eleven or more days. Sick leave days may not be used in advance of their actual accrual.

Upon appointment, a regular full-time administrative employee, as defined in PG-2, is credited with 90 hours of sick leave. Beginning with the second year of employment the full-time regular administrative employee accumulates 7.5 hours of sick leave per calendar month or per month of contract, whichever is less. This is added to any sick leave balance from the first year.

Upon appointment, a regular, full-time faculty member is credited with a sick leave accumulation equal to one day per month of appointment, i.e., 67.5 hours for 9-month appointment, 75.0 hours for 10-month appointment.

Beginning with the second year of employment, the full-time regular faculty member accumulates 7.5 hour of sick leave per month of contract. This is added to any sick leave balance from the first year.

ILLNESS OR INJURY:

Employees shall utilize paid sick leave for personal illness, injury, or any disability due to pregnancy, childbirth or recovery therefrom. A supervisor may request documentation of the circumstances if extended time off for illness or injury is anticipated or if it appears that the conditions for the usage of sick leave may not be appropriate. A supervisor may also request documentation as to when the employee can return to work.

Upon request, paid sick leave may be charged to care for an employee's son, daughter, grandchild, grandparent, brother, sister, spouse or parent for illness or injury. If such leave is designated as Family and Medical Leave, up to 100% of the employee’s accrued sick leave may be designated as paid sick leave. Supervisors may request documentation of the need for such time off. Sick leave absences are charged in not less than one-hour units.

The term "parent" means the biological parent of an employee or an individual who stood in "loco parentis" to an employee when the employee was a child, i.e., an individual who was charged with parental rights and responsibilities for the employee.

A "son" or "daughter" means a biological, adopted, foster child, stepchild, legal ward or a child of a person standing in loco parentis who is under 18 years of age, or 18 years of age or older and incapable of self-care because of a mental or physical disability.

In accordance with PG-52, the University shall require the employee to first substitute accrued sick leave, then accrued vacation leave for any portion of the 12-week unpaid leave required in the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 for the serious illness of the employee or for the birth, adoption, or foster care of a child, or for a serious illness of a covered family member. The University, however, will not provide paid sick leave for any situation in which the employee would not normally receive paid sick leave.

Employees who are on extended sick leave should keep the department informed of his/her medical status on a regular basis. Supervisors may request additional documentation from the physician.

When a University holiday occurs during an absence chargeable to sick leave, that holiday is not charged as sick leave. If the employer’s activity ceases for one or more weeks during an employee’s leave, this time does not count toward the 12-week FMLA leave. 

MEDICAL OR DENTAL ALLOWANCES:

Paid sick leave may be used to cover absences because of dental or medical appointments. Such time shall be charged against sick leave. Short absences shall be accumulated and charged in not less than one hour increments.

SICK LEAVE AT TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT, RETIREMENT OR DEATH:

Unused sick leave will not be paid upon termination of employment, retirement, or death. However, members of the Kentucky Retirement Systems will receive service credit for a portion of his/her sick leave balance at retirement. Such credits shall be applicable only for retirement service.

WHEN ALL PAID SICK LEAVE IS EXHAUSTED:

When an individual has used all of his/her sick leave and/or vacation leave, a leave of absence may be granted upon request up to the limits of PG-9 or PG-52.

NOTIFICATION OF SUPERVISOR:

In order to provide time to cover scheduled responsibilities, the individual is responsible for notifying his/her supervisor within a reasonable period of time, but prior to the start of the scheduled work period in which the absence is to occur. Failure to do so may be cause for denial of sick leave for the period of absence, and/or appropriate disciplinary action. Supervisors are responsible for insuring that Exception Approval Forms are completed and submitted to the Office of Human Resources.

PATTERN OF USE OF SICK LEAVE:

If the pattern of sick leave utilization becomes suspect, the supervisor may notify the individual, in writing, requiring the individual to present a doctor's certificate for any sick leave absences that have or may occur. Failure by the individual to present such a certificate may result in disciplinary action including termination and/or payroll deduction for the time missed. When significant improvement in attendance is shown, the employee will be relieved of the requirement to provide medical certification.

SICK LEAVE RECORDS:

All official sick leave records shall be maintained in the Office of Human Resources and Payroll.