Unpaid Leave Accrued compensatory time off may be used at the employee’s discretion, with management approval, after exhaustion of 100% sick leave (No. 3 above). However, FLSA compensatory time off shall not be counted against the employee’s four (4) month (nine [9] pay period [720 hours]) family or medical leave entitlement. Therefore, any use of FLSA compensatory time off under this Section shall extend the employee’s family or medical leave by the total amount of FLSA compensatory time off used.
Unpaid Leaves Employees on unpaid leaves may not participate in the matching program while on leave.
Unpaid Leave of Absence If an employee is on an unpaid leave of absence, then vacation leave, compensatory time, or sick leave cannot be used for the purpose of maintaining eligibility for an Employer Contribution by keeping the employee on a State payroll for one (1) working day per pay period.
Unpaid Leaves of Absence 24.01 An employee who has completed one (1) year of continuous service with the Employer may be granted a leave of absence without pay or benefits because of injury, illness, education purposes, employment by the Union, or other personal reasons, including maternity leave. The decision to grant the leave or the length of the leave period will be at the discretion of the Employer with due consideration given to the reasons and evidence presented by the employee to the Employer. Such requests shall not be unreasonably denied.
24.02 All leaves of absence (and any extensions thereof) must be applied for and granted in writing on forms provided by the Employer (with a copy to the employee). Except in cases of emergency, the leave request shall be filed with the employee's Department Head not later than two (2) weeks prior to the date on which the leave is to start. Along with the request for the leave, he shall supply any and all available documentation in support of said leave. This documentation shall consist of medical proof of disability in cases where the leave is for medical purposes and the specific reason for the leave when the leave is for other purposes. An employee will be notified in writing within five (5) working days from the date the application was made of the approval or disapproval of the leave of absence request for ten (10) working days or less. For a leave request in excess of ten (10) working days, the employee will be notified within two (2) weeks from the date the application was made of the approval or disapproval of the leave. An employee who is granted such a leave shall not accrue any benefits during his absence, including seniority.
24.03 Leaves of absence will not be granted for the employee to seek employment with another employer, nor shall any employee work for another employer during the time period he is on leave. Any employee who works for another employer while on leave shall have his leave canceled immediately and be subject to disciplinary action.
24.04 When an employee returns to work after a leave of absence, he will be assigned to the position which he formerly occupied or to a similar position if his former position no longer exists at the applicable rate of pay, provided the employee is able to perform the work.
24.05 An employee may, upon request, return to work prior to the expiration of any leave of absence, provided that such early return is agreed to by the Employer.
24.06 Employees absent from work without authorization or approval shall be considered on an unauthorized leave. An unauthorized leave for a period of more than four (4) eight (8) hour consecutive working days may, at the Employers discretion, subject the employee to disciplinary action, including discharge.
Sick Leave Separation Cash Out At the time of retirement from state service or at death, an eligible employee or the employee’s estate will receive cash for their compensable sick leave balance on a one (1) hour for four (4) hours basis. For the purposes of this Section, retirement will not include “vested out of service” employees who leave funds on deposit with the retirement system.
Pre-Paid Leave The Employer agrees to introduce a pre-paid leave program, funded solely by the employee, subject to the following terms and conditions:
(a) The plan is available to employees wishing to spread four (4) years’ salary over a five (5) year period or three (3) years’ salary over a four (4) year period, in accordance with Part LXVII of the Income Tax Regulations, Section 6801, to enable them to take a maximum one (1) year leave of absence following the four (4) years or three (3) years of salary deferral. The plan is not to provide benefits to employees on or after retirement.
(b) The employee must make written application to the appropriate Director at least three (3) months prior to the intended commencement date of the program (i.e., the salary deferral portion).
(c) The number of employees that may be absent at any one (1) time shall be three (3), with a maximum of one (1) per program or department, subject to operational requirements.
(d) Written applications will be reviewed by the appropriate Director or designate and granted subject to operational requirements. The principle of seniority shall govern in cases of suitable applications greater than the number outlined in (c). Decisions will be made twice a year, February 15th and September 15th.
(e) During the years of salary deferral, twenty percent (20%) or twenty-five percent (25%) as applicable, of the employee’s gross annual earnings will be deducted and held for the employee and will not be accessible to her or him until the year of the leave or upon withdrawal from the plan.
(f) The manner in which the deferred salary is held shall be at the discretion of the Employer.
(g) All deferred salary shall be paid to the employee at the commencement of leave or in accordance with such other payment schedule as may be agreed upon between the Employer and the employee.
(h) Accrued interest, if any, shall be payable to the employee in the year that it is earned.
(i) All benefits shall be kept whole during the years of salary deferral.
(j) During the year of the leave, seniority will be retained but will not accumulate. Service for the purpose of vacation and salary progression and other benefits will be retained but will not accumulate during the period of leave. Employees shall become responsible for the full payment of premiums for any health and welfare benefits in which they are participating. Contributions to the Pension Plan will be in accordance with the Plan. Employees will not be eligible to participate in the disability income plan during the year of leave.
(k) An employee may withdraw from the plan only as a result of financial or other hardship, provided one (1) month’s notice is given to the Director. Deferred salary, plus accrued interest, if any, will be returned to the employee, within a reasonable period of time.
(l) If the employee terminates employment, the deferred salary held by the Employer plus accrued interest, if any, will be returned to the employee within a reasonable period of time. In case of the employee’s death, the funds will be paid to the employee’s estate.
(m) If the Employer intends to fill the temporary vacancy, then Article 10 shall apply. If the Employer is unable to find a suitable replacement, it may postpone the leave. The Employer will give the employee as much notice as is reasonably possible. The employee will have the option of remaining in the plan and rearranging the leave at a mutually agreeable time or of withdrawing from the plan and having the deferred salary, plus accrued interest, if any, paid out to the employee within a reasonable period of time.
(n) The employee will be reinstated to her or his former position unless the position has been discontinued in which case the employee may exercise her/his seniority to bump as per Article 11. The employee must plan to return for a minimum of one (1) year.
(o) Final approval for entry into the pre-paid leave program will be subject to the employee entering into a formal agreement with the Employer in order to authorize the Employer to make the appropriate deductions from the employee’s pay. Such agreement will include:
i) A statement that the employee is entering the pre-paid leave program in accordance with Article 13.10 of the Collective Agreement.
ii) The period of salary deferral and the period for which the leave is requested.
iii) The manner in which the deferral salary is to be held.
iv) The letter of application from the employee to enter the prepaid leave program will be appended to and form part of the written agreement.
Paid Leave Contributions will continue whilst a member of a fund is absent on paid annual leave, sick leave, long service leave, public holidays, jury service, bereavement leave, or other paid leave.
Unpaid Leave - Union Business
(a) Short-term leave of absence without pay to a maximum of fourteen (14) days at one time shall be granted to employees designated by the Union to transact Union business including conventions and conferences unless this would unduly interrupt the operation of the department provided, however, that these designated employees shall be paid by the Employer for time lost in attending meetings during working hours whenever their attendance is requested by the Employer. The Union shall give reasonable notice to minimize disruption of the department and the Union shall make every effort to give a minimum of seven (7) days’ notice.
(b) Long-term leave of absence without pay shall be granted to employees designated by the Union to transact Union business for specific periods of not less than fourteen (14) days unless this would unduly interrupt the operation of the department. Such requests shall be made in writing sufficiently in advance to minimize disruption of the department. Employees granted such leave of absence shall retain all rights and privileges accumulated prior to obtaining such leave. Seniority shall continue to accumulate during such leave and shall apply to such provisions as annual vacations, increments and promotions.
(c) Leave of absence without pay shall be granted to employees designated by the Union for the purpose of collective bargaining. Seniority and all benefits shall accumulate during such leave.
(d) The foregoing provisions shall not limit the provisions of Article 5.10, 9.01, 9.02, 9.03, 11.05, 11.06, 12.01, 12.
(e) Every effort will be made by the Employer to retain employees on unpaid leave of absence for Union business on the Employer’s payroll and where such employees are retained, the Union shall reimburse the Employer for the wages and benefits involved. This provision does not apply to employees on extended leaves of absence who are employed by the Union on a regular full-time basis.
Accrued 100% sick leave The use of sick leave under this subsection is at the employee's discretion.
Sick Leave Cash Out Eligible employees may elect to receive monetary compensation for accrued sick leave as follows: In January of each year an employee whose sick leave balance at the end of the previous year exceeds four hundred eighty (480) hours may elect to convert the sick leave hours earned in the previous calendar year, minus those hours used during the year, to monetary compensation. No sick leave hours may be converted which would reduce the calendar year end balance below four hundred eighty (480) hours. Monetary compensation shall be paid at the rate of twenty-five percent and shall be based on the employee’s current salary. All converted hours will be deducted from the sick leave balance. Employees who separate from University service due to retirement or death shall be compensated for the unused sick leave accumulation from the date of most recent hire in a leave eligible position with the State of Washington at the rate of 25%. Compensation shall be based upon the employee’s wage at the time of separation. For the purpose of this section, retirement shall not include vested out of service employees who leave funds on deposit with the retirement system. Former eligible employees who are re-employed within three (3) years of their separation from service shall be granted all unused sick leave credits, if any, to which they are entitled at time of separation.
