CWUR 6-60

Leave

• 6-60-010 Annual Leave 
• 6-60-025 Compensation for Unused Sick Leave
• 6-60-030 Family and Medical Leave
• 6-60-040 Holidays
• 6-60-050 Jury/Civil Duty Leave
• 6-60-060 Leaves of Absence Without Pay
• 6-60-100 Parental Leave
• 6-60-105 Shared Leave Use
• 6-60-110 Sick Leave Accrual Plan

CWUR 6-60-010 Annual Leave

(1) Exempt employees who transfer to faculty status shall use all accrued vacation leave before the effective date of transfer unless the appointing authority determines the employee's presence is critical to the operation of the university. In such cases, the employee may be paid at the exempt salary rate for up to but not to exceed 30 days of accrued vacation leave.

(2) Annual leave use for vacations (including breaks between academic quarters) or for personal business shall require the advance approval of the employee’s immediate supervisor, except in cases of emergencies or unusual circumstances when the immediate supervisor cannot be contacted.

(3) In the event an employee has exhausted paid sick leave, available paid annual leave will be charged to cover the absence from work. See CWUP 6-60 (Leave).

(4) Annual leave will be granted at the convenience of the employing department except when requested for use in accordance with CWUP 6-60-090 ( Paid Leave to Care for Family Members with Serious Medical Conditions).

(5) Annual leave absences may also run concurrently with and be designated as covered under the Family and Medical Leave act (FMLA) and CWUP 6-60-030 (Family and Medical Leave).

(6) Dates may be changed only by mutual agreement of the employee and the immediate supervisor. Upon return to work, if the days actually taken are different from the dates originally scheduled, the employee must report immediately the days and dates actually taken as leave. Scheduling of leave shall be done through use of the standard university form.

(7) It is the intent of the annual leave plan that all absences in a workweek for vacations or for personal business, other than the occasional supervisor - approved absence (CWUP 6-30-030), will be deducted from the employee’s annual leave balance if the workweek schedule has not been adjusted.

(8) In considering requests by employees to take any period of annual leave, the university will give careful attention to the employee's preference as to dates of absence, but approval shall be based primarily upon the university's convenience and best interest.

(9) Accruals shall be credited as of the last day of the month and may not be used until the first day of the following month. If accrued vacation leave is not sufficient to cover an authorized absence, the balance of the absence shall be taken without pay. Annual leave credits shall not accrue during a period of professional leave or leave of absence without pay which exceeds eighty (80) hours in any calendar month.

(10) If transfer is to a non-leave eligible position, unused annual leave will be cashed out in accordance with CWUP 6-60-010 (Annual Leave). Any annual leave hours accrued above the 240.00 hour maximum and deferred in accordance with the provisions that follow will be cashed out by the university prior to the transfer.

(11) If an employee’s annual leave balance will exceed the maximum accrual of thirty days (240.00 hours) and it is determined that the employee’s request to use annual leave to avoid the excess accrual should be deferred for the convenience of the employing department, the following steps must be taken prior to the end of the month in which the accrual for that month will put the vacation leave balance over 240 hours:

(A) The employee submits a written request and is denied the annual leave use that would keep the balance below the maximum;

(B) The supervisor files a statement of necessity to defer the excess hours to the following month;

(C) The statement of necessity is filed with the appropriate university official, with a copy to Human Resources monthly that includes, at a minimum, the number of days (expressed in hours) of leave being deferred, and the date the deferral is authorized.

(D) The request for leave use and the statement of necessity must be filed each and every month said leave is deferred until the annual leave balance has been reduced below the maximum 240 hours. Once an employee’s annual leave balance exceeds thirty days (240 hours) without a statement of necessity on file, the excess hours are automatically considered to be voluntarily accrued and are subject to the provisions of the following section.

(12) The accumulation of leave under the alternative method described in RCW 43.01.04 shall be governed by the following provisions:

(A) Each employee of the university may accumulate annual leave days between the time thirty (30) days is accrued and the first day of his/her anniversary month of Central Washington University employment. For purposes of this procedure, the term "anniversary month" is defined as the month in which the employee began the latest period of continuous employment in a vacation leave eligible position at Central Washington University. Such designation of the anniversary month is not affected by any prior employment with the state of Washington, nor is it affected by the use of any authorized leave, whether such leave is with or without pay.

(B) All such excess annual leave days over thirty (30) days accumulated under this alternative shall be used prior to the first day of the employee's anniversary month, and at a time convenient to the employing department. If an employee does not use the excess leave by such date, then the amount of excess annual leave over thirty (30) days shall be automatically extinguished and considered never to have existed.

(C) Regardless of circumstances, annual leave credit acquired and accumulated under this alternative never shall be deferred by the employing department by filing a statement of necessity under the provisions above.

(D) If the employing department denies an employee's request for use of leave accumulated in excess of thirty (30) days and the excess leave cannot be used prior to the first day of the employee's anniversary month, said excess leave shall be extinguished on the first day of the employee's anniversary month and be considered never to have existed.

[2/2010: Responsibility: Exempt Employee Association Governing Board; Authority: CFO/BFA; Reviewed/Endorsed by: Cabinet/PAC; Review/Effective Date: 9/5/12; Approved by: James L. Gaudino, President]

CWUR 6-60-025 Compensation for Unused Sick Leave

(1) No sick leave hours may be converted which would reduce the calendar year-end balance below 480 hours.

(2) Monetary compensation in January for converted hours shall be paid at the rate of 25% and shall be based upon the employee’s current salary rate and calculated in accordance with state guidelines.

(3) All converted hours will be deducted from the employee’s sick leave balance.

(4) Hours which are accrued, donated, and returned under the Shared Leave program in the same calendar year may be included in the hours eligible for compensation under this section.

[2/2010: Responsibility: Exempt Employee Association Governing Board; Authority: CFO/BFA; Reviewed/Endorsed by: Cabinet/PAC; Review/Effective Date: 9/5/12; Approved by: James L. Gaudino, President]

CWUR 6-60-030 Family and Medical Leave

(1) The amount of intermittent paid leave necessary to cover an employee’s cost of the benefits’ premiums will be calculated by Human Resources in accordance with established benefit and payroll procedures. Employees must submit leave slips to their supervisor and/or leave record keeper to document their absences and to indicate how leave balances should be applied. Employees without sufficient paid leave to cover their premiums must contact the benefits office to arrange premium payment to avoid cancellation of insurance.

(2) If leave is foreseeable, based on planned medical treatment, birth, placement of adopted or foster child, or call to active duty, the employee shall provide a written request to take leave to his/her supervisor and appointing authority thirty (30) days in advance. If the medical treatment, placement, or call to active duty requires leave to begin in less than thirty (30) days, the employee shall provide such notice as is reasonable.

(3) When leave is requested the appointing authority, employee, or supervisor must notify Human Resources which will determine whether the leave period is FMLA qualifying and so notify the employee. In circumstances where the employee has been absent for more than five days (continuously or intermittently) but has not requested FMLA leave, Human Resources may, by proper notification to the employee, designate the entire leave period as FMLA leave if it so qualifies.

(4) The appointing authority, supervisor, or Human Resources may require that a request for such leave be accompanied by appropriate documentation issued by a licensed health care provider, social service agency, or military authority supporting the need for the leave. If the leave is for medical reasons, the university may require a second opinion at its own expense and may require that the employee periodically provide re-verification from a health care provider of the need for leave.

(5) Leave for the serious health condition of the employee, a family member, or a covered service member may be taken on an intermittent or reduced schedule where medically necessary. Intermittent leave or a reduced schedule for the birth, adoption, or foster child placement may be approved by the department head; approval may be delegated to the supervisor.

(6) The university shall maintain health care coverage for up to 12 weeks of family medical leave (or a combined total of 26 workweeks of leave for Service member Family Leave and leave taken for the other FMLA qualifying reasons) in accordance with the requirements of the Public Employees’ Benefits Board. As specified in the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, the university may recover the premium for maintaining coverage during the period of family medical leave if the employee does not return to work for a reason unrelated to the absence.

[2/2010: Responsibility: Exempt Employee Association Governing Board; Authority: CFO/BFA; Reviewed/Endorsed by: Cabinet/PAC; Review/Effective Date: 9/5/12; Approved by: James L. Gaudino, President]

CWUR 6-60-040 Holidays

Option 1

The personal paid holiday will be scheduled at the convenience of the employing department except when requested for use in accordance with CWUP 6-60-090 (Paid Leave to Care for Family Members with Serious Medical Conditions).

To qualify for holiday pay, an exempt employee must meet one of the following conditions:

1. Exempt employees who hold twelve-month appointments (non-cyclic appointments) must be in pay status on the workday preceding the holiday.

2. Exempt employees who hold less than twelve-month appointments (cyclic appointments):

a. Must be in pay status on their last scheduled work day in the month in which the holiday occurs, OR

b. Must be in pay status on their first scheduled work day in the month following the holiday. (Example: an exempt cyclic employee who is scheduled for cyclic leave without pay during winter break would be eligible for the New Year’s holiday if they are in pay status on their first scheduled work day in January.)

An exempt employee whose schedule prevents them from meeting these criteria is not eligible for holiday pay.

[2/2010: Responsibility: Exempt Employee Association Governing Board/Chief of Staff; Authority: President’s Office; Reviewed/Endorsed by: Cabinet/PAC; Review/Effective Date: 10/04/2017; Approved by: James L. Gaudino, President]

Option 2

The personal paid holiday will be scheduled at the convenience of the employing department except when requested for use in accordance with CWUP 6-60-090 (Paid Leave to Care for Family Members with Serious Medical Conditions).

To qualify for holiday pay, an exempt employee must be scheduled to work during the week (Monday through Friday) of the holiday. An exempt employee whose schedule prevents them from meeting this criteria is not eligible for holiday pay.

[2/2010: Responsibility: Exempt Employee Association Governing Board; Authority: CFO/BFA; Reviewed/Endorsed by: Cabinet/PAC; Review/Effective Date: 10/04/2017; Approved by: James L. Gaudino, President]

CWUR 6-60-050 Jury/Civil Duty Leave

Verification of a summons for jury/civil duty may be required.

[2/2010: Responsibility: Exempt Employee Association Governing Board; Authority: CFO/BFA; Reviewed/Endorsed by: Cabinet/PAC;Review/Effective Date: 9/5/12; Approved by: James L. Gaudino, President]

CWUR 6-60-060 Leaves of Absence Without Pay

Short-term leaves of absence without pay may be approved by the appropriate supervisor for absences from work for which an employee has no applicable leave or leave balance.

Long-term leaves of absence without pay may be granted for up to twelve months by the appointing authority. Such leaves, which may be renewed in unusual circumstances, shall not generally be granted to employees unless they have been on active full - time service with the university for at least thirty-six (36) months.

Providing employment has not been terminated during the period of leave, an individual completing such leave shall return to the same employment status that the individual occupied at the commencement of the leave with any across - the - board or other applicable salary adjustments applied in the employee’s absence.

Granting a leave of absence to an employee for any purpose does not constitute or imply, on the part of the university, any greater obligation to resume or continue the employee’s employment than had the employee not been granted leave.

Leaves of absence without pay may be granted if employees are nominated for a state or national office, or if they are elected to same. The terms of the leave of absence shall be set forth in writing, and the leave will not affect unfavorably the retention of an employee, except that the time spent on such leave will not count as service time unless otherwise agreed to in writing.

Leaves of absence without pay may be granted for educational and/or professional study and development only if such leave time would be of benefit to the university once the employee returns.

[BOT: 2/12: EEAGB: 1/12: 11/02/2011: EEAGB: 4/7/08; BOT: 6/6/08; BOT: 2/09; BOT: 6/09: Responsibility: CFO/BFA; Authority: CFO/BFA; Reviewed/Endorsed Cabinet/PAC; Review/Effective Date: 9/5/12; Approved by: James L. Gaudino, President]

CWUR 6-60-100 Parental Leave

This intermittent paid leave use will be calculated and applied by Human Resources in accordance with established benefit and payroll procedures. Employees without sufficient paid leave to cover their premiums, and/or maintain employer provided coverage, will need to contact the benefits office prior to their leave to arrange premium payment to avoid cancellation of insurance.

[2/2010: Responsibility: Exempt Employee Association Governing Board; Authority: CFO/BFA; Reviewed/Endorsed by: Cabinet/PAC; Review/Effective Date: 9/5/12; Approved by: James L. Gaudino, President]

CWUR 6-60-105 Shared Leave Use

(1) The university shall require the employee to submit, prior to approval or disapproval, a medical certification from a licensed physician or health care practitioner verifying the employee’s required absence, the description of the medical problem, and expected date of return-to-work status for extraordinary or severe medical situations. When the employee has been called to service in the uniformed services, the university shall require a copy of the military orders verifying the employee’s required absence. When the employee is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking the university shall require documentation in the form of the following:

(A) A police report indicating that the employee was a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking;
(B) A court order protecting or separating the employee from the perpetrator of the act of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking;
(C) Evidence from the court or prosecuting attorney that the employee appeared, or is scheduled to appear, in court in connection with an incident of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking;
(D) An employee’s written statement that the employee is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking;
(E) Documentation that the employee is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, from any of the following persons from whom the employee sought assistance in addressing the domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking: an advocate for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking; an attorney; a member of the clergy; or a medical or other professional.

(2) The university should consider other methods of addressing the employee’s needs such as modified duty, modified hours, flextime, or special assignments in lieu of shared leave.

(3) The receiving employee shall be paid at the regular rate of pay; therefore, the value of one hour of shared leave may cover more or less than one hour of the recipient’s salary.

(4) Any shared leave not used by the recipient shall be returned to the donor(s).

(5) Shared leave processing shall be conducted through the human resources department in accordance with established procedures.

(6) The Uniform Service Shared Leave Pool (USSLP) policy identified in the CWUP 2-30-270 (Uniformed Service Shared Leave Pool) will be followed for exempt employees.

[2/2010: Responsibility: Exempt Employee Association Governing Board; Authority: CFO/BFA; Reviewed/Endorsed by: Cabinet/PAC; Review/Effective Date: 9/5/12; Approved by: James L. Gaudino, President]

CWUR 6-60-110 Sick Leave Accrual Plan

(1) Sick Leave Usage

(A) When accrued paid sick leave has been exhausted under this section, approved absence will be charged to other available paid leave before charging absence to leave without pay.

(B) Accruals shall be credited as of the last day of the month and may not be used until the first day of the following month. If accrued sick leave is not sufficient to cover an authorized absence, the balance of the absence shall be taken without pay. Sick leave credits shall not accrue during a period of professional leave or leave of absence without pay which exceeds eighty (80) hours in any calendar month.

(2) Reporting and Verification

(A) Employees shall report their absence prior to or at the beginning of any period of sick leave use and daily thereafter, unless prearranged, and shall report all sick leave usage on the standard university form.

(B) For absences from work longer than three days, exempt employees may be required by the supervisor to provide a written verification of illness from a health care provider.

(C) Upon returning to work, the employee may be required by the supervisor to submit a written verification from a health care provider releasing the employee to return to work.

1. Verification may be required when employees request sick leave to seek assistance if the employee or employee’s family member, is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, verification may include:

a. A police report indicating that the employee or the employee’s family member was a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking;

b. A court order protecting or separating the employee or employee’s family member from the perpetrator of the act of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking;

c. Evidence from the court or prosecuting attorney that the employee or the employee’s family member appeared, or is scheduled to appear, in court in connection with an incident of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking;

d. An employee’s written statement that the employee or the employee’s family member is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking;

e. Documentation that the employee or the employee's family member is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, from any of the following persons from whom the employee or employee's family member sought assistance in addressing the domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking: an advocate for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking; an attorney; a member of the clergy; or a medical or other professional.

2. An employee who seeks to take sick leave due to the deployment or return from deployment of a military spouse must provide their supervisor with notice within 5 business days of receiving official notice of an impending call or order to active duty or a leave from the deployment of the employee’s intention to take leave.

[2/2010: Responsibility: Exempt Employee Association Governing Board; Authority: CFO/BFA; Reviewed/Endorsed by: Cabinet/PAC; Review/Effective Date: 9/5/12; Approved by: James L. Gaudino, President]