Sick Leave Benefits

Wilkes University provides paid sick leave benefits to all eligible employees for periods of temporary absence due to illnesses or injuries and disabilities.
Employees in the following employment classification(s) are eligible to earn and use sick time as described in this policy:
* Full-time employees (Minimum 35 hours per week for 9 months)
* Part-time employees (Minimum 1,000 work hours for 12 months)
* Introductory employees

Sick leave benefits are calculated on the basis of a "fiscal year" (June 1 through May 31). Paid sick leave can be used in minimum increments of one hour. An eligible employee may only use sick leave benefits for an absence due to personal illness, injury or disability.

Full-time employees scheduled to work a minimum of 35 hours per week for twelve months, will accrue sick leave benefits at the rate of 10 days (5.84 hours or 6.67 hours per month depending on work schedule) per year. Full-time employees scheduled to work a minimum of 35 hours per week for a minimum of nine months, but less than 12 months will accrue sick leave benefits at the rate of 7 days (5.84 hours per month worked).New employees whose first day of work falls on a day after the first of that month will be eligible to accrue sick leave the first day of the following month.

Employees who are unable to report to work due to illness or injury should notify their direct supervisor on or before the scheduled start of their workday. In an emergency situation when the employee is unable to report off in a timely fashion, they or someone so designated should notify the supervisor as soon as possible. The direct supervisor must also be contacted on each additional day of absence, unless the employee has submitted a physician's certification that indicates the expected duration of the illness. An employee who fails to notify their supervisor of their inability to report to work for each and every day of absence, unless on an approved medical leave, will be considered on an unexcused absence. This may result in loss of pay for missed time. Excessive and/or unexcused sick leave will result in sanctions up to and including termination.

An employee is expected to coordinate any extended sick leave (more than 3 days) with their supervisor and the Human Resources Development Office in accordance with the Family and Medical Leave Policy #601. If an employee is absent for three or more consecutive days due to illness or injury, a physician's statement may be requested verifying the disability and its beginning and expected ending dates. Such verification may be requested for other sick leave absences as well and may be required as a condition to receiving sick leave benefits.

Sick leave benefits will be calculated based on the employee's base pay rate at the time of absence and will not include any special forms of compensation.  Unused sick leave benefits will be allowed to accumulate until the full-time employee terminates employment with Wilkes University. Unused, accumulated sick leave is not compensable upon termination. Upon accumulation of 34 days of sick leave, an employee can opt to have Wilkes University pay for unused sick days at the rate of 1 day for every 4 sick days, thus reducing sick leave by 4 days.   Requests for such payment are accepted during the month of June.  Payments will be processed with the first payroll in July to active employees only.  To avail of the buy back feature, an employee must always have at least 30 days of sick leave available after the buy back.

Sick leave benefits are intended solely to provide income protection in the event of illness, injury or disability, and may not be used for any other absence.

Part-time Employees (Minimum 1,000 work hours for 12 months):
Employees who work an average of 20 hours/week for 12 months and have at least 1,000 recorded work hours will be eligible for sick leave in accordance with the following schedule:

After (1) one full fiscal year of service = 3 days (12 hours) sick leave
In the event that sick time is not used by the end of the fiscal year, part-time employees may carry a maximum of 3 days (12 hours) unused time forward to the next fiscal year. Unused, accumulated sick leave is not compensable upon termination. Upon accumulation of 3 days of sick leave, an employee can opt to have Wilkes University pay for unused sick days at the rate of 1 day for every 3 sick days, thus reducing sick leave by 3 days, once a year only during the month of June.

Sick leave benefits are intended solely to provide income protection in the event of illness, injury or disability, and may not be used for any other absence.