Leaves of Absence
Types of Leaves
Sabbatical Leave
Academic employees and certain administrative officers, with at least six (6) years of consecutive College employment, or those who have completed at least six (6) years of service since their last sabbatical leave, are eligible for sabbatical leave.
The objective of sabbatical leave is to increase your value to the College through planned travel, study, formal education, research, writing, and/or other experience of professional value.
The President may grant a sabbatical leave for one (1) year at half basic salary, or for six months at full basic salary. Eligible employees on sabbatical leave may, with prior approval, accept fellowships, grants-in-aid, or earned income. In such cases, the sabbatical leave salary may be adjusted to reflect such income; however, in no case shall the sabbatical leave salary be reduced if the total anticipated earnings are less than an employee’s full basic salary. You do not earn vacation or sick leave credits while on sabbatical leave. You must agree in writing to serve a minimum of one year upon return, and you must submit a report of professional activities and accomplishments while on sabbatical leave.
Jury Attendance Leave
Whenever an employee is required to serve on a jury or is subpoenaed or otherwise ordered to be a witness in court, they are entitled to leave with pay without charge to leave credits, providing they are not a party to the court action. A copy of the jury summons or other court document should be submitted with the monthly attendance report.
Other Leaves for Faculty and Professional Staff
The President may recommend to the Chancellor other leaves of absence for employees at full salary or reduced salary, or may grant employees leaves of absence without salary. Consistent with the Policies of the Board of Trustees, a Title F leave may be granted “for the purpose of professional development, acceptance of assignments of limited duration with other universities and colleges, government agencies, foreign nations, private foundations, corporations and similar agencies, as a faculty member, expert, consultant or in a similar capacity, or for other appropriate purposes consistent with the needs and interests of the University.” Leaves of absence at full or reduced salary shall be subject to the approval of the Chancellor. Vacation and sick leave credits shall not be accrued or used during a period of leave.
Other Leaves of Absence
Leaves of absence, with or without pay, may be available to all employees for sufficient cause, such as ordered military duty, family medical care or as may be prescribed by law. Each case is considered on its individual merits. Further information is available from the Human Resources Office.
Sick Leave
An employee may request sick leave when they are unable to perform their duties because of temporary mental or physical disability. Sick Leave may also be used for medical or dental appointments. A maximum of thirty (30) days per year may be requested for illness or death in the immediate family. Immediate family includes any relative or relative-in-law, or any persons with whom an employee makes his/her home.
All full-time faculty and professional staff employees earn sick leave credits in accordance with the graduated scale noted below:
Sick Leave Accrual Schedule for Full-time Professional Employees:
Calendar Year
| Years of Service | Days Accrued per Month | Yearly Total (Based on working 12 months) |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Year | 1 1/4 | 15 (Days) |
| 2nd Year | 1 1/3 | 16 (Days) |
| 3rd, 4th & 5th Years | 1 1/2 | 18 (Days) |
| 6th Year | 1 2/3 | 20 (Days) |
| 7th & Subsequent Years | 1 3/4 | 21 (Days) |
Sick Leave Accrual Schedule for Part-Time Professional Employees:
Part-time calendar and college year employees in the United University Professions (UUP) bargaining unit earn sick credit on the basis of their annual salary:
| Effective July 1, 2018 - Annual Salary | Accruals Earned/Month |
|---|---|
| Up to $14,335 | 1/4 day |
| $14,336 to $21,629 | 1/2 day |
| $21,630 to $28,920 | 1 day |
| $28,921 or higher | 1 1/4 day |
| Effective July 1, 2019 - Annual Salary | Accruals Earned/Month |
|---|---|
| Up to $14,622 | 1/4 day |
| $14,623 to $22,062 | 1/2 day |
| $22,063 to $29,498 | 1 day |
| $29,499 or higher | 1 1/4 day |
| Effective July 1, 2020 - Annual Salary | Accruals Earned/Month |
|---|---|
| Up to $14,914 | 1/4 day |
| $14,915 to $22,503 | 1/2 day |
| $22,504 to $30,088 | 1 day |
| $30,089 or higher | 1 1/4 day |
| Effective July 1, 2021 - Annual Salary | Accruals Earned/Month |
|---|---|
| Up to $15,212 | 1/4 day |
| $15,213 to $22,953 | 1/2 day |
| $22,954 to $30,690 | 1 day |
| $30,691 or higher | 1 1/4 day |
Sick Leave Accrual Schedule for Part-Time Hourly/Fee paid Professional Employees:
Part-time hourly/fee paid employees in the United University Professions (UUP) bargaining unit earn sick leave credit on the basis of their full-time equivalency (FTE):
| Effective July 1, 2018 - FTE | Accruals Earned/Month |
|---|---|
| < .20 FTE | 0 Accruals |
| .20 to <.40 FTE | 1/4 day |
| .40 to <.60 FTE | 1/2 day |
| .60 to <.80 FTE | 1 day |
| .80 to < 1.00 FTE | 1 1/4 day |
Sick Leave Accrual Schedule for Full-time Faculty:
Faculty are eligible to accrue credits for sick leave for each month during the term of their professional obligation.
Sick Leave Accrual Rate in Days
| Years of Service | Days/Month | Yearly Total |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Year | 1 1/4 | 11 1/4 (Days) |
| 2nd Year | 1 1/3 | 12 (Days) |
| 3rd, 4th & 5th Years | 1 1/2 | 13 1/2 (Days) |
| 6th Year | 1 2/3 | 15 (Days) |
| 7th & Subsequent Years | 1 3/4 | 15 3/4 (Days) |
Sick Leave Accrual Schedule for Part-Time Faculty:
Part-time Faculty in the United University Professions (UUP) bargaining unit earn sick leave credits on the basis of the number of courses taught during the semester:
| Number of courses | Credit Earned/Month |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1/4 day per month |
| 2 | 1/2 day per month |
| 3 | 1 day per month |
Leave Donation Program
Any state employee who earns vacation credits may donate their vacation leave credits to another state employee who has exhausted their sick leave accumulation. The intent of this program is to provide a means to assist employees who, because of long-term personal illness, have exhausted their leave benefits and would otherwise be subject to a severe loss of income during a continuing absence from work. Further information about the program is available from the Human Resources Office.
Family Medical Leave Act
The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allows employees up to twelve (12) weeks job-protected leave for certain family and medical reasons. Employees are eligible if they:
- work for a covered employer;
- have worked for the employer for a total of 12 months;
- have worked at least 1,250 hours over the previous twelve (12) months; and
- work at a location in the United States or in any territory or possession of the United States where at least 50 employees are employed by the employer within 75 miles.
Leave may be requested under the Family Medical Leave Act for the following reasons:
- to care for the employee’s child after birth, or placement for adoption or foster care;
- to care for the employee’s spouse, child or parent who has a serious health condition;
- for a serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform their job;
- for qualifying exigencies arising out of the fact that the employee’s spouse, son, daughter or parent is on active duty or call to active duty as a member of the National Guard in support of a contingency operation.
FMLA Military Family Leave Entitlements allows an eligible employee who is a spouse, son, daughter, parent or next of kin of current member of the Armed Forces, including a member of the National Guard or Reserves, with a serious injury or illness up to a total of 26 work weeks of unpaid leave during a “single 12-month period” to care for a service member.
An employee is required to provide at least thirty (30) days advance notice and medical documentation for foreseeable leave including planned medical treatment for a serious injury or illness of a covered service member unless not practical.
If you have any questions regarding FMLA, please contact Noemi Spaziante, Benefits Coordinator at (914) 251-6448.
For questions regarding Sick Leave Accruals, please contact Susan Ciliberti (Time and Attendance Coordinator) at 914-251-6057.