Unauthorized Sick Leave. Sick time is not to be used by employees as vacations or simply to take time off with pay; but employees shall not be disciplined for the legitimate use of earned and accrued sick time for medically-related reasons. Excessive absences from work when not documented as a major illness, disability, or injury on duty are unacceptable. This includes the misuse or abuse of available medical time, as well as dock time. Notwithstanding any other prior agreement between the Employer and the Union, an employee will be terminated if they has 10 or more unauthorized days of absence (or 80 hours) during a rolling 365 day period (leaves of absences or all non-attendance related suspensions stop the running of the 365 day period). Unauthorized absences include calling in absent because of an alleged medical condition when an employee does not have sick time to cover the absence; attempting to use a certain kind of benefit time, e.g. vacation, personal or C/E time, when the employee does not have that type to cover the absence no call (a NC); or when an employee calls in FMLA but does not have the FMLA certification to cover the absence and later fails to get the absence(s) properly and timely certified or re-certified as an FMLA approved absence. . For all unauthorized absences that occur prior to the tenth unauthorized absence in a rolling 365- day period that warrant discipline, the Employer shall use progressive discipline, which could include termination. In rare circumstances, a period of compassionate leave - may in good faith be granted to an employee whose approved FMLA leave has expired who does not have any remaining ordinary disability credits (if applicable) yet still needs to tend to a serious medical condition of themselves or an immediate family member. The Employer will provide written, quarterly reports to all employees who have incurred· an unauthorized absence during the past quarter advising them of their available benefit time and their total number of unauthorized days of absence within the last 365-day period. All employees will start zero unauthorized absences for the rolling 365-day calendar on 11/1/2016.
Unauthorized Sick Leave. (a) If an employee uses sick leave benefits for reasons other than those for which sick leave is intended, such employee shall be subject to disciplinary action.
