Volume VI: Human Resources Chapter E: Leaves of Absence Responsible Executive: Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer Responsible Office: Office of the Vice President for Human Resources Date Issued: January 1, 1999 Date Last Revised: April 1, 2022
Contacts Statement of Policy Reason for This PolicyIndividuals and Entities AffectedExclusionsResponsibilities Definitions (defined terms are capitalized throughout the document)Related Documents, Forms and ToolsWebsite Address for This PolicyHistory and UpdatesAppendix
Office of the Vice President for Human Resources – Benefits765-494-2222 or 877-725-0222 (toll free) | hr@purdue.edu
Fort Wayne: HR260-481-6840 | hr@pfw.edu
Northwest: HR219-989-2251 | hr@pnw.edu
West Lafayette: HR Benefits765-494-2222 or 877-725-0222 (toll free) | hr@purdue.edu
Purdue University provides the following leaves of absence to Benefits-Eligible faculty and staff, subject to the eligibility requirements stipulated for each type of leave:
Employees who have an FMLA covered medical or family reason for taking leave should refer to the standard on Family and Medical Leave (S-26) for the appropriate application of leave time to FMLA events.
Employees who transfer from one position with the University to another may be eligible to retain or transfer certain leave balances. Employees should review and discuss the effect a transfer will have on their leave benefits with the hiring supervisor or Human Resources.
Purdue University provides paid vacation leave to Benefits-Eligible employees primarily so they will have time away from the workplace for recreation, travel and relaxation. The University encourages faculty and staff to use this benefit for these and other similar purposes.
Refer to the policy on Academic-Year Employment (VI.F.12) and consult the relevant academic calendar for the timing and other terms and conditions of vacation leave for faculty and staff with academic-year appointments.
Eligible employees in positions classified under Faculty, Executive, Management (levels 3-6), Professional (levels 4-6), Continuing Lecturer, Postdoctoral Researcher, Clinical Intern, and Clinical Resident who are employed on a fiscal-year basis will accrue up to 22 workdays (i.e., 176 hours) of vacation leave during each year of service.Eligible employees in positions classified under Management (levels 1-2), Professional (levels 1-3), and Operations/Technical who are employed on a fiscal-year basis will accrue up to 15 workdays (i.e., 120 hours) of vacation leave during the first year of service and up to 22 workdays (i.e., 176 hours) in each subsequent year of continuous service.The following provisions apply to paid vacation time for these employees:
Eligible employees in positions classified under Administrative and Operational Support and Police, Fire and Skilled Trades accrue vacation as of their date of hire in direct proportion to the time they are in paid status. Employees are considered to be in pay status if they are working or on a paid leave of absence approved by the University.
The following provisions apply to paid vacation time for these employees:
Vacation benefits will be paid in the employee’s regular paycheck and will not be paid in advance. No payments will be made in lieu of taking accrued vacation, except at the time of termination.
Subject to supervisor approval, an employee may use vacation to supplement sick or other paid leaves under University policy.
Accrued vacation may be taken at any time during the year, provided it is approved by the employee’s immediate supervisor.
Exempt employees may take vacation in increments of no less than one-half day (i.e., four hours). Non-Exempt employees may take vacation in increments of no less than one-tenth hour.
All employees must follow the appropriate steps for requesting and documenting paid vacation leave.
An employee whose employment with the University terminates for any reason will be paid for their accrued, unused vacation as of the date of termination, up to the maximum allowable days, in their final paycheck. Vacation payable upon termination will not extend the employee’s employment termination date. Employees may not use vacation in any manner that would extend their employment termination date.
If a paid holiday observed by the University occurs during an employee’s vacation leave, the employee will be paid holiday pay and will not be charged for the vacation leave.
An employee who converts from a fiscal-year position to an academic-year position will be paid any unused, accrued vacation leave to the maximum allowable days in the employee’s paycheck upon converting to the academic-year position.
The University recognizes that an employee’s inability to work due to medical reasons may cause economic hardship. To minimize the effect that such absences can have on an employee, the University provides paid sick leave as set forth below.
Employees may use accrued, paid sick leave for the following reasons:
Eligible employees in positions classified under Faculty, Executive, Management, Professional, Continuing Lecturer, Postdoctoral Researcher, Clinical Intern, Clinical Resident, and Operations/Technical receive sick leave as follows:
Upon hire, employees receive paid sick leave in the amount that corresponds to the month in which their employment began, as outlined in the table below.
Eligible employees in positions classified as Administrative and Operational Support and Police, Fire and Skilled Trades accrue paid sick leave as follows:
When planning medical treatment, an employee must consult with their supervisor and make a reasonable effort to schedule the leave so as not to unduly disrupt the University’s operations.
If the sick leave is foreseeable, the employee must give their supervisor as much advance notice of the need for leave as is practicable under the circumstances.
If the sick leave is not foreseeable, the employee, or another person on the employee’s behalf, must notify the employee’s supervisor or department head as soon as practicable and consistent with any departmental rules or practices.
An employee who fails to satisfy the foregoing notice requirements may be disciplined, up to and including termination.
When paid sick leave is used concurrently with Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave, the employee must satisfy the medical certification requirements of the University’s FMLA standard.
When FMLA does not apply, the requirements for a medical statement are as follows:
Employees must provide a return-to-work statement to their department if their own sick leave exceeds 10 consecutive workdays. The statement must indicate the date upon which the employee has been released to return to work. It must also specify any physical or other limitations on the employee’s ability to perform regular or other duties and the duration of those limitations.
A return-to-work statement is not required if the sick leave was for an Immediate Family Member’s medical condition.
If the employee does not provide a statement upon returning to work, reinstatement may be delayed until the employee submits a statement. If the employee fails to submit a statement within a reasonable period of time from the department’s request, they may be disciplined, up to and including termination of employment.
With the employee’s written consent and subject to all applicable laws, a representative of the campus HR department may contact the employee’s Health Care Provider to clarify and authenticate the return-to-work statement.
If an employee qualifies for paid sick leave and FMLA leave, the sick leave must be used concurrently with the FMLA leave, subject to the terms and conditions of the standard on Family and Medical Leave (S-26).
Paid sick leave may be used, but is not required, to supplement weekly wage-replacement benefits paid under worker’s compensation; however, the total weekly compensation paid during the leave may not exceed the employee’s normal weekly pay.
If a paid holiday observed by the University occurs during an employee’s paid sick leave, the employee will be paid holiday pay and will not be charged for the sick leave.
The University will continue to pay its share of the cost of an employee’s group health insurance during paid sick leave. The employee’s share of the cost will be deducted from the employee’s pay in accordance with normal payroll practices.
All information, whether written or verbal, including, but not limited to, medical statements, return-to-work statements and notes relating to the employee’s or their Immediate Family Member’s health condition will be kept confidential to the maximum extent possible. All medical documentation will be kept in a confidential, secure medical file, separate from the employee’s personnel file.
The purpose of this leave is to permit employees to conduct personal business during their regularly scheduled work time.
Employees in positions classified under Faculty, Executive, Management, Professional, Continuing Lecturer, Postdoctoral Researcher, Clinical Intern, Clinical Resident, and Operation/Technical are eligible for paid personal business leave upon their first day of employment.
Employees may take up to three workdays (i.e., 24 hours) of paid personal business leave without loss of benefits each fiscal year. Employees will be paid their regular salary for each workday of personal business leave. Unused paid personal business leave does not carry forward from one fiscal year to the next.
Personal business leave may not be taken in increments of less than one-half workday (i.e., four hours).
Employees must follow the appropriate steps for requesting and recording personal business leave.
Unused, paid personal business leave will be forfeited upon termination of employment.
Benefits-Eligible employees may request unpaid personal leave. This leave is discretionary and requests will be considered in light of employee, departmental and University needs. Employee requests for unpaid personal leave require approval by the employee’s supervisor and department head. Requests for more than 22 days must be reviewed and approved by Human Resources.
The University will continue to pay its share of the cost of an employee’s medical insurance during unpaid personal leave. The employee must make arrangements with the University to pay their share of the premium. If the employee fails to pay their share of the premium, the University may cancel coverage, as permitted by law.
If a paid holiday observed by the University occurs during an employee’s unpaid leave of 22 days or less, the employee will be paid holiday pay. Holiday pay will not be paid for unpaid leaves over 22 days.
The policy on Conflicts of Commitment and Reportable Outside Activities (III.B.1) specifies the number of days tenured and tenure-track Faculty may be approved to consult. For all other situations, employees may use paid vacation leave or unpaid personal leave for their approved outside activities. The appropriate steps must be followed to document which type of leave is used.
Purdue University provides paid and unpaid military leave to eligible employees consistent with the requirements of state and federal law including, but not limited to, the Uniformed Services Employment and Re-Employment Rights Act (USERRA). Where this policy provides that an employee is eligible to be paid during military leave, this policy governs.
All USERRA-eligible employees are entitled to take military leave. Temporary Employees are not eligible for military leave, except as may be authorized by the employee’s department head or director.
Military leave will be granted for (1) voluntary or involuntary service in the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, Army National Guard and Air National Guard when engaged in active duty for training or (2) full-time National Guard duty, the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service, and any other category of service designated by the President of the United States in time of war or national emergency.
Eligible employees who also are Benefits-Eligible are entitled to 15 workdays (as defined by their work schedule) of paid military leave without loss of benefits each calendar year. Travel time required to report to the location of military duty is included in the 15-day allowance.
Exempt employees will be paid their regular salary in their paycheck for each workday of paid military leave. Non-Exempt employees will be paid their straight-time hourly rate of pay in their regular paycheck for each workday of paid military leave.
Paid military leave may not be taken in increments of less than one-half workday. For Exempt employees, one-half workday is four hours. For Non-Exempt employees, one-half workday is defined by their work schedule.
Military leave exceeding 15 workdays in a calendar year will be unpaid, except for where Military Differential Pay applies.
In the instance that a Benefits-Eligible employee’s military pay is less than their regular salary, including shift differential, the University will pay the difference in salary from day 31 through 24 months of leave, upon the employee’s request. This differential pay is paid through the employee’s regular payroll cycle.
All employees should request military leave by following the appropriate steps for requesting and documenting leave, if possible. However, military leave will not be denied if an employee gives at least verbal notice to his or her department. Further, no notice is necessary where circumstances make giving notice impossible or unreasonable or giving notice is precluded by military necessity. Employees are required to provide to their departments a copy of their official orders to report for military leave, if not prior to leave, at least upon return from military leave.
An employee is eligible for reinstatement upon return from paid or unpaid military leave if:
The time frames within which employees need to apply for reinstatement to their department are outlined below.
Notwithstanding an employee’s eligibility for reinstatement as described above, an employee will not be reinstated if:
The position to which an employee will be reinstated depends upon the length of military service and their ability to perform the duties of the job as set forth below:
The University may terminate an employee who is not eligible to be reinstated under this policy.
Employees on military leave without pay will receive any across-the-board compensation adjustments that they would have received if they had not been on leave. If a compensation increase is tied to skill, ability or qualifications and the employee’s department determines that the employee’s skill and performance upon returning to work measure up to those of other employees who have received merit increases, the employee will be given an increase.
An employee’s length of service will accrue during military leave.
Employees who are reinstated upon returning from military leave without pay are entitled to all seniority-based benefits they had when their leave began plus any seniority-based benefits that would have accrued but for their leave. Employees who are reinstated upon returning from military leave without pay are entitled to the same level and extent of non-seniority-based benefits they would have received on a non-military leave of absence.
Generally, health insurance is provided by the military during active service. However, subject to the requirements listed below, an employee may continue to receive University-provided health insurance (includes both medical and dental insurance) for up to 24 months from the date military leave begins, or until the deadline for applying for reinstatement expires, whichever occurs first.
The following benefits do not continue during an employee’s military leave without pay:
Upon reinstatement, seniority-dependent provisions of paid sick leave and vacation leave will be calculated as if the employee was actively employed and/or in paid status during the military leave.
Holiday pay will not be paid during unpaid military leave lasting more than 22 days.
Upon reinstatement, employees participating in PERF will be given creditable service for military leave.
Upon reinstatement, employees participating in any other University-sponsored retirement plan will receive credit towards their applicable waiting period and vesting period for any time on military leave.
Employees are permitted to use accrued, unused paid vacation leave during unpaid military leave. The University, however, may not require employees to use any accrued, unused paid leave during unpaid military leave.
Employees whose military service was 31-180 calendar days may be terminated during the first six months following their return to work only for just cause.
Employees whose military service was 181 calendar days or more may be terminated during the first year following their return to work only for just cause.
Purdue University provides paid and unpaid jury duty leave and witness duty leave to eligible employees as set forth below so that they may fulfill their civic duties competently and reliably.
This policy applies to all Benefits-Eligible employees of the University. These employees are eligible for paid jury duty leave without loss of benefits when they are involuntarily summoned to serve as a juror in any federal, state, or county court or a federal or state administrative agency. Similarly, any such employee involuntarily summoned to appear as a witness in any federal, state, or county court or a federal or state administrative agency will be eligible for paid witness duty leave without loss of benefits.
An employee who is a defendant in a criminal proceeding or an employee who appears as an expert witness is not eligible for paid jury duty or witness duty leave.
Exempt employees will be paid their regular salary for each workday of leave. Non-Exempt employees will be paid their straight-time hourly rate of pay as per the documented work schedule on the day of leave for each workday of leave, excluding overtime.
Paid leave will not be offset by any per diem compensation for jury service paid to the employee. The benefit will be paid in the employee’s regular paycheck.
Employees summoned to serve as a juror or as a witness must notify their supervisor immediately and provide the supervisor with a copy of the summons upon request.
Upon completion of jury duty or witness duty, employees must furnish their supervisor with official verification that the leave was due to jury service or witness service. Employees must follow the appropriate steps to record the leave.
The University will make no attempt to have an employee’s service on a jury postponed, except when business conditions necessitate such action.
An employee will be reinstated to the same position they held when the leave began, unless the position has been eliminated due to business necessity or the employee is otherwise unable to perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation, as required by law.
Purdue University recognizes that a time of bereavement is very difficult for an employee. The University provides paid bereavement leave to eligible employees to ensure that they are able to attend to such matters.
This policy applies to all Benefits-Eligible employees of the University.
Benefit allowances in items 1, 2 and 3 above include the death of an unborn or stillborn child. The relation of the unborn or stillborn child to the employee determines the number of days of bereavement leave.
Exempt employees will be paid their regular salary for each workday of leave. Non-Exempt employees will be paid their straight-time hourly rate of pay, including shift differential, as per the documented work schedule on the day of leave for each workday of leave, excluding overtime. The benefit will be paid in the employee’s regular paycheck.
Paid bereavement leave must be requested by following the appropriate steps for requesting and documenting leave. Supporting documentation is not normally required.
Purdue University provides worker’s compensation benefits to eligible employees as required by the Indiana Worker’s Compensation Act and the Occupational Diseases Act (jointly “the Act”). Generally, under the Act, an injured employee is eligible to receive weekly wage replacement benefits (temporary total disability benefits), medical benefits and benefits for any permanent partial impairment or permanent total disability caused by a work-related injury or illness.
All University employees are eligible for worker’s compensation benefits. Eligible employees will receive worker’s compensation benefits if they sustain an injury or illness that arises out of and in the course of their employment as provided under the Act.
Any employee who sustains an injury or illness that they believe may be work-related must report the injury or illness to their supervisor immediately. Failure to report an injury or illness promptly may result in the University denying the employee’s claim for worker’s compensation benefits.
The University will normally reinstate employees on worker’s compensation leave for 12 continuous months or less to their regular position if they can perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation as required by law. If the employee is on leave more than 12 continuous months, the University will terminate the employee’s employment, as permitted by law. The employee will continue to receive worker’s compensation benefits as required under the Worker’s Compensation Act, regardless of their right to reinstatement or employment status.
Subject to certain exceptions, which can only be granted by Human Resources, employees must provide to their department a return-to-work statement from the employee’s principal attending Health Care Provider. The statement must indicate that the employee has been released to return to work. It must also specify any physical or other limitations on the employee’s ability to perform regular or other duties and the duration of those limitations.
An employee on worker’s compensation for more than seven days will receive a weekly wage replacement benefit in lieu of their regular pay. An employee may use accrued, unused paid sick leave and vacation leave to supplement the weekly wage replacement benefit; however, the total weekly compensation paid during the leave may not exceed the employee’s normal weekly pay. The employee must request supplemental leave by following the appropriate steps for requesting and documenting leave. If worker’s compensation wage replacement benefits extend beyond 21 days, the employee will be retroactively paid for the first seven days of lost time at the wage replacement benefit rate.
An employee on worker’s compensation leave will receive holiday pay from the University unless the individual has been in an unpaid status for more than 22 days.
If an employee qualifies for worker’s compensation leave and FMLA leave, the two leaves will run concurrently. The employee must meet the requirements of both leave policies while the leaves are running concurrently and upon returning to work. If the employee exhausts their FMLA leave and remains on worker’s compensation leave, the worker’s compensation leave policy will govern the leave including, but not limited to, the employee’s right to be reinstated. If the employee is no longer eligible for worker’s compensation leave, but continues to be eligible for FMLA leave, the FMLA leave policy will govern.
All matters relating to an employee’s medical condition or treatment will be kept confidential to the maximum extent possible. All medical documentation will be filed in the employee’s confidential, secure medical file, separate from the employee’s personnel file.
An employee who fails to notify their supervisor or department head of the reason for their absence from work for three consecutive workdays may be considered to have abandoned their job and may be separated from the University on that basis.
Any deviation from the leave policies described in this policy requires approval by an executive vice president, vice president, vice provost or chancellor, or their designees, unless the leave policy in question specifically authorizes or requires otherwise.
The University recognizes the need for employees to take time away from their University responsibilities for various reasons. This policy sets forth a consistent method for utilizing various types of leave and promotes compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
All campuses, colleges, schools, departments, offices, units and employees of the University.
This policy does not apply to individuals who are not paid through the University’s payroll. Graduate Student Staff are not mentioned in this policy, but may be eligible for some of the leaves contemplated in this policy. Refer to the standard on Graduate Student Staff Benefits (S-3) for eligibility requirements and benefit limitations.
Human Resources
Supervisors and Department Heads
Employing Departments
Employees
All defined terms are capitalized throughout the document. Refer to the central Policy Glossary for additional defined terms.
Administrative and Operational Support See the policy on Terms and Conditions of Employment of Staff (VI.F.5).
Benefits-Eligible An employee of the University who meets one of the following criteria:
Clinical Intern See the policy on Terms and Conditions of Employment of Postdoctoral Researchers, Clinical Residents and Clinical Interns (VI.F.13).
Clinical Resident See the policy on Terms and Conditions of Employment of Postdoctoral Researchers, Clinical Residents and Clinical Interns (VI.F.13).
Continuing Lecturer See the policy on Terms and Conditions of Employment of Lecturers (VI.F.4).
Executive See the policy on Terms and Conditions of Employment of Staff (VI.F.5).
Exempt An employee who is not subject to the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Faculty For the purposes of this policy, tenured and tenure-track faculty, research faculty, clinical/professional faculty and Visiting Faculty.
FTE The full-time equivalent of an employee’s appointment, with one (1) being full time.
Health Care Provider An individual who meets one of the criteria below.
Immediate Family Member The employee’s spouse, parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, corresponding in-law and step-relative, and any other relative residing in the employee’s home.
Management See the policy on Terms and Conditions of Employment of Staff (VI.F.5).
Non-Exempt An employee who is subject to the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Operations/Technical See the policy on Terms and Conditions of Employment of Staff (VI.F.5).
Police, Fire and Skilled Trades See the policy on Terms and Conditions of Employment of Staff (VI.F.5).
Postdoctoral Researcher See the policy on Terms and Conditions of Employment of Postdoctoral Researchers, Clinical Residents and Clinical Interns (VI.F.13).
Professional See the policy on Terms and Conditions of Employment of Staff (VI.F.5).
Temporary Employees Individuals employed with the University, whether part-time or full-time, in a position that is not expected to continue for more than one year. For the purposes of this policy, Temporary Employees also include individuals with appointments of less than full-time as Visiting Faculty, Postdoctoral Researchers, Clinical Interns and Clinical Residents.
Visiting Faculty This term includes individuals employed by the University who hold the title visiting instructor, visiting assistant professor, visiting associate professor or visiting professor.
Other types of leaves of absence are described in the following policies:
Other policies and standards referenced:
University Holidays webpage
www.purdue.edu/vpec/policies/human-resources/vie2
April 1, 2022: Added bereavement leave for the death of an unborn or stillborn child. Included general statement referring to the FMLA policy in lieu of specific language in Paid Sick Leave section. Included general statement about the effect on leave benefits from transferring positions in lieu of specific language in Paid Vacation and Paid Sick Leave sections. Clarified supervisors’ responsibility to notify HR of possible FMLA qualifying events.
December 1, 2020: Revised section I under the subheading Sick Leave Accrual, Payment and Coordination with Disability Leave to eliminate the condition that employees on continuous leave as of January 1 only receive their annual allotment of sick leave once they return to work.
October 1, 2019: Corrected the Weekly Wage Replacement Benefits section under Worker’s Compensation Leave to state that benefits begin after seven days and clarified when University holidays are paid.
January 1, 2019: Title of this policy changed from Leave for Faculty, Continuing Lecturers, and Administrative, Professional, Clerical, and Service Staff. The Revised and New Leave of Absence Policies for Faculty, Continuing Lecturers, and Administrative and Professional Staff (Executive Memorandum No. C-46) and the Revised and New Leave of Absence Policies for Clerical and Service Staff (Executive Memorandum No. C-45) both dated January 1, 1999, are superseded and subsumed by this policy. Changes include:
January 1, 2017: References to Domestic Partner were removed in accordance with the Board of Trustees resolution of December 19, 2015.
July 1, 2015: The Benefit Allowance section under Paid Bereavement Leave was updated to clarify the relatives each level of leave applies to and to reflect a change in days for immediate family, relatives living in the employee’s home and fellow employees.
November 18, 2011: Policy number changed to VI.E.2 (formerly IV.10.2).
August 1, 2006: The Group Health Insurance section of the procedures for Paid and Unpaid Military Leave was updated.
April 15, 2005: Policy IV.10.2 was created to supersede Executive Memorandum C-47, dated January 1, 1999. Executive Memorandum C-47 became outdated when the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provisions it contained were rewritten and issued in Policy IV.10.1. This policy supersedes the following:
There are no appendices to this policy.