The Sick-Leave Fund allows University employees to share accumulated sick leave with other eligible employees according to guidelines developed by the Board of Regents to comply with 2-18-618, M.C.A.
Employees may contribute sick-leave credits to the Sick-Leave Fund for use by fund members or transfer sick-leave credits by making a direct grant to a specific employee who suffers an extensive illness or accident.
To enroll in the Sick Leave Fund, employees must meet the following requirements:
- Complete a Sick Leave Fund contribution form.
- Complete the 90-day qualifying period for use of sick leave.
- Maintain a minimum balance of 40 hours of sick-leave credits following each contribution.
- Contribute a minimum of 8 sick-leave hours to the fund.
- Continue to contribute 8 sick-leave hoursvannually to the fund after becoming a member. Human Resource Services will automatically transfer these hours annually to the Sick-Leave Fund unless the employee requests in writing to discontinue membership in the fund or terminates employment.
All contributions are voluntary, irrevocable, and automatic after initial enrollment. Employees may resign from the fund at any time by notifying Human Resource Services in writing. They may later rejoin the fund if they meet all eligibility requirements.
To be eligible to receive a grant of sick leave from the Sick Leave Fund, an employee must meet the following criteria:
- Complete the 90-day qualifying period to take sick leave,
- Suffer from an extensive illness or accident that results in absence from work of at least 10 consecutive working days,
- Must be ineligible for workers' compensation benefits,
- Exhaust all personally accrued sick, annual leave, and compensatory time,
- Have taken 5 days leave without pay in addition to exhausting all other paid leave,
- Provide the supervisor with a physician's certificate documenting extensive illness or accident,
- Receive approval from the supervisor for a leave of absence and approval from the Dean/Director and the Associate Vice President of Human Resource Services to receive a grant of sick leave from the fund, and
- Must be a member of the Sick Leave Fund for at least 90 days.
Participation in the Sick Leave Fund or meeting the eligibility requirements does not guarantee that receipt of sick leave shall be approved.
Employees do not have to be participating members in the Sick Leave Fund in order to give or receive direct grants. Employees may make a direct grant of sick leave to an employee who is suffering from an extended illness or accident that results in an absence from work of at least 10 consecutive days.
To be eligible to make a direct grant, an employee must have completed the 90-day qualifying period for use of sick leave and have a minimum balance of 40 hours of accrued sick leave following the contribution, credited to his/her personal balance. An employee may grant a maximum of 40 hours of sick leave in a 12-month period through the direct grant program.
An employee may contribute no more than a combined total of 40 hours of sick leave to either the Sick Leave Fund or as direct grants in any 12-month period. The 12-month period is calculated from the first day an employee makes a direct grant or contribution to the Sick Leave Fund. All contributions are irrevocable.
An employee may receive no more than a maximum of 240 hours of sick leave in any continuous 12-month period in direct grants. The 12-month period is calculated from the first day the employee takes sick leave that is a direct grant or a grant from the Sick Leave Fund. To be eligible to receive a direct grant of sick leave, an employee must meet the following criteria:
- Have met the 90-day qualifying period to take sick leave,
- Suffer an extensive illness or accident that results in absence from work of no less than 10 consecutive working days,
- Exhaust all personally accrued sick leave, annual leave, and other accrued paid leave and compensatory time,
- Take 5 days of leave without pay following exhaustion of all accrued leave and compensatory time,
- Receive approval from the supervisor for leave,
- Receive approval from the Dean/Director and Associate Vice President of Human Resource Services, and
- Provide a physician's certificate to supervisor.
An employee may receive a direct grant of sick leave to provide necessary care of or attendance to an immediate family member until other attendance can reasonably be obtained.
An employee may receive a combined total of no more than 240 hours of sick leave from the fund or direct grants in any 12-month period.
The department employing the recipient of a grant from the Sick Leave Fund or a direct grant of sick leave shall pay all costs of the use of that sick leave.
Permanent part-time employees are eligible to contribute and use sick leave, as defined above, on a pro-rated basis according to FTE.
Exceptions to this policy may be granted with the approval of the appropriate Associate Vice President of Human Resource Services and/or Vice President/Provost.