Eligible employees may donate accrued vacation leave to another eligible employee for use as sick leave during a catastrophic illness or injury, or for use as vacation leave during a family member’s catastrophic illness or injury. Eligible employees are faculty and staff who accrue vacation.
When leave is medically necessary due to an employee's own catastrophic illness or injury, contributions to that employee are converted to sick leave. The contributions are used when the employee has exhausted all the leave (sick leave, vacation, converted sick leave and compensatory time) to which they are entitled, and has not yet satisfied the 90 working day waiting period for long-term disability benefits.
When leave is necessary for a catastrophic illness or injury in an employee’s family (spouse, domestic partner, child, or parent), contributions to that employee are converted to vacation. The contributions are used when the employee has exhausted all the Family Caregiving Leave, vacation, and compensatory time to which they are entitled.
INDEX
- How Catastrophic Leave Works
- Employee in Need of Donations
- Employee Donations
- Information for Departments
- Listing of Employees in Need
- Forms
How It Works
Own Illness or Injury
Rules
- DEFINITION OF CATASTROPHIC ILLNESS OR INJURY: "Catastrophic illness or injury" means an illness or injury resulting in a medical condition for which a physician has certified the condition is likely to result in a loss of 30 or more work days during a 12 month period.
- ELIGIBILITY: All faculty and staff who accrue vacation are eligible to receive donations provided they meet the standard above and provide the required certification that they will have to miss at least 30 work days, have exhausted all paid leave, and are not receiving any other supplemental payments (e.g., long-term disability payments).
- DONATIONS: Leave is pledged in increments of one hour or more. Donations may be made only to a specific employee, not to a “pool”.
- USE OF DONATIONS: The total leave donations used by an employee shall not exceed:
- The six-week period immediately following the birth of a child (non-medically required bonding beyond six weeks must be taken as unpaid leave
- The amount necessary to cover the long-term disability (LTD) waiting period;
- One year (12 months) if the employee is not eligible for the Long-Term Disability Insurance
- The 12 months may be extended for the same illness/injury if the individual is not eligible for LTD. New medical documentation must be provided AND a new 30 day waiting period must be met.
Procedure
- Have your treating physician complete the application (individual). Send the completed form to the Benefits Office.
- If you qualify, an approval letter and blank donation forms will be sent to you and your department approximately 7-10 business days after the Benefits Office receives your application.
- The Benefits Office will process donations as you need them for absences due to this injury or illness beyond those that can be covered by your own vacation and sick leave accruals.
- Communicate absences related to this injury or illness regularly to your department so the correct number of hours is reported to the Benefits Office.
Family Illness or Injury
Rules
- DEFINITION OF FAMILY CATASTROPHIC ILLNESS OR INJURY: "Family catastrophic illness or injury" means an illness and injury resulting in a medical condition for which a physician has certified the condition is likely to result in the inability of the employee to report to work for more than 30 or more work days in a 12 month period to attend to an ill or injured immediate family member, (spouse, children, or parents) on a consecutive or intermittent basis.
- ELIGIBILITY: All faculty and staff who accrue vacation are eligible to receive donations provided that they meet the standard above and provide the medical certification as set forth in item 1 above that states they will have to miss at least 30 work days, and have exhausted all Family Care-giving leave and Vacation time.
- Leave is pledged for donation in increments of one hour or more.
- The total leave donations received by an employee shall not exceed one year (12 months).
- Donations are made to a specific employee, and not a “pool.”
Procedure
- Have the treating physician complete the application Family Application. Send the completed form to the Benefits Office.
- If you qualify, an approval letter and blank donation forms will be sent to you and your department approximately 7-10 business days after the Benefits Office receives your application.
- The Benefits Office will process donations as you need them for absences for this injury or illness beyond those which can be covered by your own vacation and Family Caregiving Leave accruals.
- Communicate absences related to this injury or illness regularly to your department so the correct number of hours is reported to the Benefits Office.
Employee in Need of Donation FAQs
Can I find out who donated time to me?No. The names of employees donating leave are confidential.
How can I thank the employees who donated leave?
This is a confidential program and, therefore, there is no way to do so.
What happens if I run out of donations before I can return to work?
Prior to exhausting donations, you should discuss the continued need for absences with your HR representative.
When should I apply for Catastrophic Leave?
As soon as it is apparent that you have an injury, condition, or illness that will require you to be absent at least six weeks or 30 work days in a calendar year.
Why can’t my department solicit donations for me?
The University does not allow management to solicit donations. Your department may post an announcement that you are accepting donations and coworkers may be able to solicit for you. Each department sets its own policy regarding the posting of these announcements. Any questions must go to your department.
Are donated hours immediately transferred to my sick leave account?
No. Transfers are made as needed.
Are Catastrophic Leave Medical Certification and Family Medical Leave Certification the same?
No. They are two different programs with different requirements – they do usually run concurrently.
Can I receive Catastrophic Leave and work when possible at the same time?
Yes. You can work and necessary absences which cannot be covered by your own vacation and sick leave accruals can be covered with Catastrophic Leave. Missed time is recorded as regular and/or FMLA sick time as appropriate to the situation.
Does my department need to approve my absences if I receive Catastrophic Leave?
Yes.
Who can donate vacation to me?
Any employee who accrues vacation.
Do employees donate their sick leave to me?
No. Only vacation time can be donated.
How do employee vacation hours get transferred to my sick leave account?
The Benefits Office communicates with your department monthly and processes the paperwork. The information is then forwarded to the Payroll Office. Payroll transfers the donated hours from the donor’s Vacation accrual to your Sick Leave accrual.
How many hours of vacation can an employee donate to my account?
Employee: Donations are unlimited. The total leave donations you can receive shall not exceed : (1) the amount necessary to cover the long-term disability waiting period or, (2) one year (12 months) if the employee is not eligible for the Long-Term Disability Insurance, or (3) the six-week period immediately following the birth of a child (non medically required bonding time beyond six weeks must be taken as unpaid leave).
Family: Donations are unlimited. The total leave donations you can receive shall not exceed one year (12 months).
When are the vacation hours of the donating employee moved from their account to my sick leave account?
The hours are moved as they are needed. The Donor will receive a memo when any or all of their donation is used.
How are my accruals used each month when I also receive Catastrophic Leave Donations?
Accruals are to be utilized first, then Catastrophic Leave donations are to be used.
Can I use the Catastrophic Leave program following the birth of my children for medically disabled maternity leave?
You can apply. If you exhaust your sick and vacation accruals before the end of the 6 week medically disabled maternity/recovery leave period immediately following the birth of a child, you can take unpaid FMLA up to total of 12 weeks. Bonding time beyond 6 weeks must be taken as unpaid leave.
Information
Rules
- Eligible employees are Faculty and Staff who accrue vacation.
Procedure
- Complete the correct donation form ( Individual or Family ) and send the completed form to the Benefits Office.
- You will receive written notification when the donation is used.(NOTE: The leave is not taken from your account until the recipientactually needs it. It could be several months to a full yearfrom the time you make your pledge until the donated leaveis used. If the recipient leaves the program and your hours are no longer needed, your donation form will be returned to you, and your hours are no longer considered pledged. This can be over a year after you have pledged the hours.
Donation FAQs
I have a lot of sick time. Can I donate any of it to another employee?
No. You may only donate vacation time.
I have the maximum amount of vacation time accrued and I am losing vacation time. I don’t know anyone in the program. Is there a pool I can donate to?
There is no pool; however, there is a list of individuals in need of donations. The donation form must have a recipient’s name.
I sent a donation form in several months ago. Why hasn’t the time been deducted from my account yet?
The leave is not taken from your account until the employee actually needs it. It could be several months to over a year from the time we receive your donation form until the leave is used.
I received notice that you only used part of the leave I donated. What happened to the other hours?
The employee has only used a portion of the pledged hours. The remaining hours will continue as pledged for future use. Your donation form will be returned if the employee no longer needs the hours, and your hours are no longer considered pledged.
What happens to unused hours when the employee leaves the program?
Hours are not taken from a donor until they are needed. If the recipient leaves the program, your donation form will be returned to you, and your hours are no longer considered pledged.
Procedure
- The department will receive an approval letter from the Benefits Office when the faculty or staff member is approved for Catastrophic Leave.
- The Benefits Office will process the paperwork to place the hours in the employee’s accounts, and will call the department monthly to determine the number of donated hours needed.
- The department or the employee will complete the Monthly Time Record. The Benefits Office will communicate with the department monthly to verify the Records. Once the employee’s accruals are used, code donated time as sick leave for personal use and vacation for family Catastrophic Leave. This may be regular sick or vacation time or FMLA sick or vacation time, depending on the situation.
Department FAQs
How do we notify our departmental employees that someone is participating in the program?
The University does not allow management to solicit donations. Each department should have guidelines for notification – check with your HR Representative. The department may post an announcement that an employee is accepting donations, and coworkers may solicit for each other. Each department sets its own policy regarding the solicitation of donations. It is important that departments remain consistent in their actions on behalf of their faculty and staff members.
What do we do when a staff member’s sick/vacation/comp. time runs out?
Use donated time. Code donated hours as regular or FMLA sick or vacation time as appropriate for the situation.
What happens when donated time runs out?
Prior to leave exhaustion, the department should discuss leave and employment options with the employee.
What happens if donated hours come in after a LOA has been put in the system?
The Benefits Office notifies the department of the donation, and the department completes a revised time record and LOA.