Department of Human Resources

UNIT 9 (UEA) UNIVERSITY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION CONTRACT
July 1, 2006 - June 30, 2009

600.000 LEAVES OF ABSENCE

603.000 Sick, Medical, And Disability Leaves

603.050 Confidential Medical Information. Any documents which include confidential medical information shall be retained in a confidential file separate from all other personnel files. Documents in this confidential medical file are subject to release only as provided by State and Federal laws and regulations.

Note: At UMD, these documents are to be kept in a locked file in the UMD Department of Human Resources. No medical information should be contained in any other file. In addition, no Member may be questioned about their medical condition or any other health related issues.

603.100 Informal Sick Leave Eligibility. A Member may be absent with pay because of h/her bona fide illness or injury, or a bona fide illness or injury of the Member's child, spouse, or registered domestic partner. Informal sick leaves are limited to 15 calendar days or less.

603.110 Procedure. If a Member anticipates that s/he will be unable to perform h/her normal duties because of illness or injury of h/herself or h/her child, spouse, or registered domestic partner for a period of fifteen calendar days or less, s/he must notify the head of the department or other academic unit in which s/he is employed. The notification can be either oral or written, and it must state the date on which s/he anticipates that s/he will be able to resume h/her normal duties.

Note: If the Member is not able to perform normal duties for more than three consecutive days, UMD HR should be notified so that the legally-required Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) documents can be prepared.

603.120 Instructional Responsibilities. A Member who takes an informal sick leave shall make reasonable efforts to ensure that classes are taught by others or made up later.

603.200 Formal Medical Leave Eligibility. Members may apply for a formal medical leave if the bona fide illness or injury of the Member would render h/her unable to perform h/her normal duties for a period of longer than fifteen calendar days.

603.210 Procedure. If an eligible Member anticipates that s/he will be unable to perform h/her normal duties because of illness or injury, for a period of longer than fifteen calendar days, or if the illness or injury extends beyond the initial informal sick leave, s/he must apply for a formal medical leave. The Member must complete the required University application form and submit it to UMD Human Resources who will then notify the Department Head and the Principal Administrator.

Note: The Member may provide the information for the UEA Application for Medical Leave in writing, via the telephone, or in person.

For three months (including the fifteen calendar days of Informal Sick Leave) or less the UMD HR is responsible for sending out the appropriate FMLA documents. Once the medical documents are received, they are also responsible for reviewing and approving the leave and notifying the Member’s department.

603.220 Instructional Responsibility. For formal medical leaves the department or college is responsible for making other arrangements to make up classes and to cover other duties.

603.230 Medical Leave Limit. Eligible Members may have up to three months of paid medical leave, including the informal sick leave, upon approval. For longer periods of illness or injury, the Member must apply for disability leave in accordance with the Employer’s policies and procedures. Where long term disability is involved, for Members on nine month appointments, part or all of the three month medical leave may be unpaid if it occurs during off-contract periods.

Note: Should it seem as if the medical leave might need to be longer than three months, Kathy Donohue of the University’s Employee Benefits Department will contact the Member directly. She will be the one who coordinates the transition from Medical Leave to Disability Leave. UMD HR and a representative of the Member’s college will work with Kathy during this period.

603.240 Effective Date of Medical Leave. Medical leave periods, except in cases of long term disabilities, begin on the business day that the Member is first unable to fulfill h/her normal duties, and they include the fifteen calendar day informal sick leave. Where long term disability is involved, medical leave periods begin at the onset of disability, as certified by appropriate medical authority and the insurance company.

604.000 Parenthood Leaves

604.100 Eligibility. The Employer shall provide each Member with a parenthood leave with full salary if part or all of the delivery or leave period, or the adoption, occurs during the period of h/her appointment.

604.200 Leave for the Birth of a Child. Two parenthood leave options for a female Member are described in (1) and (2) below; and the parenthood leave option for a male Member is described in (3).

(1) A female Member shall be entitled to six weeks' leave with salary following the birth of her child. The Member need not prove actual disability during the six week period.

(2) Upon request and with consent by the Principal Administrator, a female Member shall be entitled to a three month leave with salary during the semester of her child's birth or the following semester, if the Member agrees to a teaching load of a total of 3-5 credits beyond the Member's normal load, to be taught within 2 semesters of the birth. The Member need not prove actual disability during the leave period.

(3) Upon request, a male Member shall be entitled to up to six weeks of consecutive leave, four of which shall be with salary, following the birth of his child. The leave shall commence on the date requested by the Member but may not commence more than six weeks after the date of birth.

604.300 Leave Following Adoption of a Child. Upon request, a Member shall be entitled to up to six consecutive weeks of leave, four of which shall be with salary, following the adoption of h/her child. The leave shall commence on the date requested by the Member but shall not commence more than six weeks after the date the child arrives in the adoptive parent's home.

604.400 Family and Personal Leaves Without Pay

604.410 Eligibility. This Section 604.400 applies to all Members in accordance with the Employer's guidelines as stated www.d.umn.edu/umdhr/fmla/uea.htm at except as may be modified by this agreement.

604.420 Coverage. Upon request, a Member is entitled to a leave of absence without salary for up to twelve months following the birth or adoption of a child or in the case of a child, spouse, parent, parent-in-law, or other dependent as defined in the Internal Revenue Service Code with a serious health problem. A Member is entitled under the same circumstances to an additional unpaid leave of up to twelve months unless the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs determines after consultation with the Member and h/her Principal Administrator that the leave will create substantial and exceptional hardships for students and other faculty. Except in the case of unforeseen circumstances, a Member requesting leave under this section 604.400 should make the request to the head or chair of h/her department or division at least four months prior to the expected beginning date of the leave. This leave may begin immediately following a disability leave related to childbirth or at the end of a parenthood leave. A Principal Administrator and the Member may agree to shorten or lengthen the duration of the leave or to make the leave part-time.

See also http://www1.umn.edu/regents/policies/humanresources/Employee_WorkLife.pdf