340.035 Organ and Bone Marrow Donor Leave

Chapter 340: Employee Absences

Bd. Min. 11-21-19 with an effective date of 12-01-19; Amended 1-1-24.

1. Purpose
   The University of Missouri will provide a leave of absence with pay to eligible employees for organ and bone marrow donation and recovery.
2. Eligibility
   The following positions are eligible for organ and bone marrow donor leave, regardless of the funding source of their salaries:
   
   1. Staff - Regular employees as defined in Section 320.050 of the Collected Rules and Regulations who have completed at least one year of continuous benefit-eligible employment immediately before the leave; and
   2. Academic - Academic staff with fully benefit eligible academic appointments as defined in Section 320.050 of the Collected Rules and Regulations who have completed at least one year of continuous benefit-eligible employment immediately before the leave.
3. Definition
   Organ and bone marrow donor leave is paid leave to be used only during the approved leave time for a qualifying event as defined in this rule. Paid leave is not to exceed the number of hours of the employee’s regular work schedule, with 99% to 75% FTE employees to receive leave on a pro-rata basis.
4. Qualifying Events
   Donations covered under this policy include solid organ and bone marrow donation, upon approved application.
   
   1. Solid Organ – Solid Organ is defined as an internal organ that has a firm tissue consistency and is neither hollow (such as the organs of the gastrointestinal tract) nor liquid (such as blood). Such organs include the kidney, liver, lungs, and pancreas.
   2. Bone Marrow – Bone marrow is defined as the soft tissue that fills human bone cavities.
   3. Employees are only eligible for leave if the employee is the person serving as the donor.
5. Leave and Compensation
   
   1. Eligible employees approved for leave receive a leave of absence without reduction in salary for the time necessary to permit the employee to serve as a donor, up to the limits specified in this policy.
   2. Solid Organ Donation Leave – Up to thirty (30) consecutive calendar days of paid leave may be approved for organ donation.
   3. Bone Marrow Donation Leave – Up to seven (7) consecutive calendar days of paid leave may be approved for bone marrow donation.
   4. Pay – Employees approved for leave will receive the base rate of pay, plus applicable shift differential per HR-213 Shift Differential, for the employee’s regularly scheduled work hours.
   5. Leave will not be deducted from an employee’s available accrued paid time off (e.g., PTO, sick) balances.
   6. Leave is available for a continuous absence associated with donation and recovery.
6. Approval
   All Organ and Bone Marrow Donor Leave requests are subject to approval by the appropriate university, MU Health or UM System Human Resources office.
7. Return to Work
   A health care provider’s statement must be presented before the employee may be returned to the work schedule. The return to work statement must document the nature and duration of work restrictions if any. If the employee is able to return to work earlier than the date indicated, the employee will be required to notify the supervisor and/or the applicable Human Resources office at least two (2) workdays before the date the employee intends to return for work.
8. Failure to Return to Work
   If an employee fails to return to work following the expiration of the leave and has not requested further leave, the employee may be considered to have voluntarily resigned from the University as of the day their leave paperwork expired.