Shared Leave Program

Testimonial: Anna's experience

The Shared Leave Program at MUHC was life changing for my family. Although I had enough paid time off saved up to cover my maternity leave, my daughter, Violet, came four weeks early and had a rough start. Violet was diagnosed with Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy, which meant she had to stay in the NICU for a month and half. Once she was released, Violet had a very complicated, 45-minute feeding process, which involved thickened feeds. This process had to be repeated every three hours.

Violet had only been home for five weeks when I was supposed to return to work. My maternity leave had flown by, and my return date loomed as a deadline I could not begin to process. Violet’s health complications meant there was no daycare willing to accept her unless we had someone on hand to manage her feedings, and we could not afford to hire an in-home nurse or a nanny. Even if we could, we were so fortunate to have Violet in our lives that it was terrifying to trust a stranger to care for her safely.

Regardless, we knew we could not afford for me not to return to work. So, when I received a message that a group of people in my department had donated vacation hours that would allow me to extend my leave, I felt like I could breathe again. The additional leave meant I could care for Violet without worrying about being able to afford the therapies she needed. It gave us time to make the best decisions possible for our beautiful baby girl. Let’s be honest, it gave us money. Financial pressure can be crushing, and this gift eliminated that stressor.

Had I not received time through the Shared Leave Program, my family would likely have had to decide if we would fit Violet with a g-tube or if I would quit my position to stay home and care for her. Instead, during the additional time I was granted, we were able to schedule a swallow study. Violet passed with flying colors, which meant she could come off of the thickened feeds and begin feeding regularly. At the same time, we were able to find and secure a spot at an incredible daycare that specifically accommodates her ongoing needs. There are no words that can describe the gratitude I feel for the donated hours I received. What the donators did was selfless, kind and caring, and my family will be forever grateful to those individuals, as well as to MUHC for supporting the program.

Testimonial: Janine's experience

When I was 13, I had a major spinal fusion for scoliosis. The surgery was effective for 40 years, but soon after, I started experiencing pain in my hips, lower back and neck. When I talked to a health care professional, I found that everything above and below the fused section of my spine had deteriorated. I would need another major fusion.

I tried to put surgery off as long as possible. The paid time off I had earned wouldn’t be enough to cover the long period my surgeon told me was necessary to recover. Even though I was in constant pain, the financial stress that went alongside the physical discomfort kept me from doing what was best for my health. Finally, though, I reached a point where I hurt so badly I knew I had to have surgery.

As I was recovering after my surgery, I learned that several of my co-workers had donated vacation hours that would help keep me in paid status while I healed. These generous donations lifted an enormous amount of stress from my shoulders and allowed me to focus on healing and becoming physically stronger.

I am so very grateful to have this program and the people who donate to it. The leave I received was a great gift to my heart, body and soul. Anyone might find themselves in a situation like mine, but it's an amazing feeling to know the University community is there to help you in a time of need. I am forever grateful for this support, and will certainly pay it forward to help others when they are in need.

To be eligible to donate shared leave time, staff must be regular administrative, service and support employees who have successfully completed the probationary period. In addition, non-regular academic employees who are eligible for paid leave plans and have been employed for at least six months in a leave-accruing position may also donate.

If you choose to donate, you must donate a minimum of eight hours, regardless of your FTE. Please note, you must retain a minimum balance of 40 hours of vacation.

Donations are voluntary on the part of the contributor, and may not be rescinded.

Donate to the MU, UMKC, Missouri S&T, UMSL or UM System pool

Eligible MU, UMKC, Missouri S&T, UMSL and UM System employees can donate leave time in myHR.

To do so, access myHR and select the navigation icon (top-right corner). Then, choose Navigator > Self Service > Time Reporting > Report Time > Timesheet. Enter leave time as you normally would in your timesheet using the code DSL. Note, you must donate a minimum of eight hours of time. If you choose to donate more, donations must be made in one-hour increments.

Paper applications may be submitted to your pool's Shared Leave Administrator if you do not have regular access to a computer.

Donate to the MUHC pool

Eligible employees can donate leave time in Kronos by completing the steps outlined in the Procedure to Donate Shared Hours document.

Paper applications may be submitted to your pool's Shared Leave Administrator if you do not have regular access to a computer.

To be eligible to receive shared leave time, employees must:

1. Be regular administrative, service and support employees or non-regular academic employees who are eligible for paid leave plans;
2. Have successfully completed the probationary period or been employed for at least six months in a leave-accruing position;
3. Be experiencing a catastrophic event (defined below); and
4. Have exhausted all forms of paid leave (i.e., vacation, sick, personal and compensatory time).

For the purpose of the Shared Leave Program, immediate family may be defined as it is outlined in HR-404.

For the purposes of shared leave eligibility, a catastrophic event is defined as a major illness, injury or medical condition which is life threatening, terminal or likely to result in a substantial permanent disability as certified in writing by a health provider.

Any approved recipient may receive shared leave for a qualifying minimum of 30 continuous hours, with a maximum of 160 hours granted per application, and a maximum of 480 hours per fiscal year. If approved, you may not receive shared leave that exceeds the anticipated period of medical incapacity as identified by your health care provider.

Shared leave is applied as donations are available and approved, according to the recipient’s pay cycle (monthly or bi-weekly).

Subsidization of long-term disability or workers compensation benefits will not be permitted, other than during the initial period of waiting for such benefits to commence.

Members of our University community who are eligible and may benefit from receiving paid shared leave time are welcome to submit an application. Shared leave hours are available for distribution when the applicable shared leave pool has received enough donations to offer support to eligible recipients.

Regardless of your location, all eligible faculty and staff interested in receiving Shared Leave Program hours must submit the following to the UM System Leave Team:

1. A complete application;
2. A certifying statement from a health care provider indicating either the employee's own serious health condition or the serious health condition of a family member; AND
3. Written approval for time off from your department.

Application packets may be submitted prior to reaching an unpaid status. Please note, you may not receive shared leave that exceeds your anticipated period of medical incapacity as designated by your health care provider.

Yes. This program applies to eligible faculty and staff, regardless of funding source. Employees may donate and receive shared leave funds, regardless of how their position is funded.

As of July 1, 2018, there are six pools labeled as: MU, MU Health Care, UMKC, Missouri S&T UMSL and UM System. Eligible faculty and staff may only donate to their own pool based on their benefit-eligible appointment. Likewise, faculty and staff will receive donated funds from their own pool based on their benefit-eligible appointment.

When do shared leave donations become available for use by eligible employees?

Donations may be available in the campus shared leave pool as early as the first day of the pay period following donation. However, due to the approval and payroll confirmation process, availability of donated hours may vary. For example: Monthly employees may donate at any point in the month. If the donation is approved by the time payroll is processed, the hours will be available the first of the month following donation. If the donation is made after the payroll has processed for the month, the hours will not be available until the second following month.

Payroll calendars can be found on each campus’s payroll website:

• MU, UM System, or UMSL - https://hrs.missouri.edu/benefits-pay/payroll
• MU Health Care – http://www.muhealth.org/payroll (see Application Quick Links)
• UMKC - https://info.umkc.edu/hr/hr-operations/
• MS&T - https://hr.mst.edu/resources/faculty-and-staff/payroll-info/

No. Donating time to a shared pool is not a taxable event.

Unlike making a cash donation directly to a charity, the shared leave program does not use any of your taxable earned income. We recommend you consult a tax advisor if you require a definitive answer.

Yes, the policy requires a minimum of 8 hours with each donation.

In order to donate, you must ensure the amount you're donating will not take your personal vacation balance below 40 hours. For example, if your vacation balance before you donate to a shared pool is 240 hours, you may donate up to 200 vacation hours at that time, which will keep your vacation balance at 40 hours.

Donated hours are computed based on their dollar value. For example:

For all pools except MU Health Care, when employees donate hours, departments will not be charged beyond what they have already paid in the benefit flat rate.

For MU Health Care, departments are charged the expense when vacation is earned. Donated hours will have no effect on departmental budgets.

When will my vacation accrual balance be reduced by the amount of hours that I have donated?

For MU Health Care employees

The accrual balance in KRONOS will be reduced on the day the donation is placed in the KRONOS timecard.

For MU, UMKC, Missouri S&T, UMSL and UM System employees

The accrual balance shown on the Time & Labor timesheet is reduced immediately upon submission of the donation. The reduction in the myHR accrual balance will depend on the approval and payroll confirmation process. Therefore, the timing in which donated hours are reduced from total vacation accruals may vary.

For example: Monthly employees may donate at any point in the month. If the donation is entered and approved by the time payroll is processed for the donation month, the myHR accrual balance will be reduced before that month’s pay day. If the donation and/or approval is made after the payroll has processed for the donation month, the myHR accrual balance will not be reduced until the next month’s pay day.

For more information, payroll calendars can be found on each campus’s payroll website:

• MU, UM System, or UMSL - https://hrs.missouri.edu/benefits-pay/payroll
• MU Health Care – http://www.muhealth.org/payroll (see Application Quick Links)
• UMKC - https://info.umkc.edu/hr/hr-operations/pay-schedules/
• MS&T - https://hr.mst.edu/resources/faculty-and-staff/payroll-info/

Yes. However, not all hours requested may be approved and your rate of pay will not include shift differential or premium pay. The amount approved may be less based on the available pool balance.

Not necessarily. The requirements for FMLA and shared leave are separate. Employees receiving shared leave pay may or may not also be on FMLA; the circumstances will vary.

No. Shared Leave is not available for intermittent hours.

No. Only base pay is include in shared leave payments. Shared leave is a voluntary program funded by employees donating their vacation time to a pool. This voluntary program is not a guarantee and is not a 100% income replacement program.

Yes. Shared leave is a form of compensation, similar to vacation leave or sick leave. When an employee uses vacation/sick/shared leave, the time used is taxable income and will show on the recipient's W-2. Regular deductions apply.

Maybe. However, this is not based on shared leave pay. Whether or not time is pension-creditable towards vesting, service, or salary credit is based on the type of leave (i.e. FMLA leave) you are on while receiving shared leave pay. Please consult with the UM System Human Resources Retirement Team.

Possibly. Applying for LTD does not disqualify an employee’s application for shared leave. However, employees applying for LTD and shared leave are encouraged to contact the UM System Benefits Team to discuss coordinating shared leave pay with the LTD application process to ensure maximum benefit and avoid delays or overpayments.

The UM System Leave team reviews eligibility, maintains communication with shared leave applicants, and applies approved leave on employees’ timesheets. The Shared Administrative Services Manager makes final decisions and approals of leave and funds approved.

For the purposes of this policy, a catastrophic event is defined as a major illness, injury or medical condition which is life threatening, terminal or likely to result in a substantial permanent disability as certified in writing by a health provider. Absent a documented health condition which may meet the definition of catastrophic event, the following circumstances may not typically meet the criteria:

• Flu
• Chicken pox
• Broken ankle
• Migraines
• Seasonal allergies
• Pregnancy/delivery  

Information from your health care provider determines whether the medical situation meets the definition of “life threatening, terminal or likely to result in a substantial permanent disability.” A job-related injury or illness that is covered by workers compensation does not qualify for shared leave.

Yes, applications could be denied for reasons that include incomplete application materials or ineligibility, or if the purpose of the leave does not meet the catastrophic event definition. Additionally, lack of funds available in the leave pool may result in a denial of application. Contact the UM System Leave Team for questions or assistance with the application process, and see HR-414 Shared Leave to appeal a denial of your request.