The COVID-19 Unpaid Leave of Absence Policy provides employees who may not be able to return to work on campus due to COVID-19 related issues and have exhausted other leave balances with the opportunity to take a leave of absence without pay. This temporary Unpaid Leave of Absence Policy will be in place until December 31, 2021, and may be modified as needed. The College may reevaluate the appropriateness of an unpaid leave of absence at any time, particularly after the pandemic has subsided.
Regular and casual employees are eligible under this Policy. Employees interested in requesting an unpaid leave of absence should make a request in writing. The request must include a start date and a return to work date. The request is subject to approval by the supervisor/department chair and the Office of Human Resources. Reasonable advance notice is important so that arrangements can be made to cover the duties of the employee during the leave
An employee on approved unpaid leave of absence may continue coverage under our health benefits program, provided that the employee continues making their premium payments while on leave. Leave accrual will stop during the unpaid leave of absence period, and will resume when the employee returns to work. Vacation, family medical leave, and other benefits related to service time will be prorated according to the time actually worked during the benefit year. Retirement plan contributions are suspended for any period of unpaid leave. Employees on unpaid leaves of absence are not eligible for holiday pay.
If, while on authorized unpaid leave of absence, an employee engages in other employment without the consent of the College, or fails to report for work at the beginning of the first regular day of employment after such leave, the employee may be subject to termination. Upon return to work after a leave of absence, the College will attempt to restore the employee to his or her original position, or to a position of similar status and pay, without loss of seniority.