HR-404 Sick Leave

Summary

The University provides paid sick leave to eligible employees to encourage time off to care for one’s own health, and the health of immediate family members. The following sick leave applies to all benefit-eligible administrative, service and support staff and certain non-regular academic employees as approved by the chancellor and president. Employees with primary titles that are administrative, service and support who are exempt from classification because their positions are primarily directing instructional, or research activities are not subject to this policy.

If any part of this policy does not reflect the Collected Rules and Regulations (CRR), the provisions of the CRR will govern.

Policy

1. Eligibility – Regular benefit-eligible administrative, service and support positions and certain non-regular academic employees as approved by the Chancellor and President who have accrued available sick leave balances as of the effective date of Collected Rule and Regulation 340.025 Paid Time Off (PTO).
2. Beginning Balance – Beginning sick leave balance is the number of sick hours recorded in the university's central payroll system at the time of implementation of this rule.
3. Using Sick Leave – Eligible employees may use sick leave balances under the following circumstances:
   
   1. Short-Term Disability - Payment during the required elimination period may be allowed by the use of Sick Leave or other available paid time off. Use of Sick Leave may also be allowed to make up the difference between what is paid by Short-Term Disability and the employee’s regular pay.
   2. Workers’ Compensation - Payment during the required waiting period may be allowed by the use of Sick Leave or other available paid time off. Use of Sick Leave may also be allowed to make up the difference between what is paid by Workers’ Compensation and the employee’s regular pay.
   3. Illness and Injury, Other – After an employee has exhausted PTO, Short-Term Disability (if applicable), and Parental and Caregiver Leave (if applicable), an employee may use available Sick Leave subject to limits stated in the sick leave policy in effect one day prior to the effective date of this rule, as defined in HR Policy provisions in section I below.
4. Separation of Employment – Upon separation of employment, employees will not receive payment for any unused accumulated sick leave.
5. Retirement – Employees will receive additional creditable service in calculating retirement benefits for all unused accumulated sick leave, subject to the terms of the applicable retirement plan. Sick leave credit is allowed only upon retirement and does not apply to deferred vested benefits.

Further HR Policy Provisions

Additional HR-404 policy provisions below in accordance with CRR 340.030 and 340.031:

1. Using Sick Leave - Eligible employees may use sick leave balances under the following circumstances:
   
   1. Short-Term Disability - Payment during the required elimination period may be allowed by the use of Sick Leave or other available paid time off. Use of Sick Leave may also be allowed to make up the difference between what is paid by Short-Term Disability and the employee’s regular pay.
   2. Workers’ Compensation - Payment during the required waiting period may be allowed by the use of Sick Leave or other available paid time off. Use of Sick Leave may also be allowed to make up the difference between what is paid by Workers’ Compensation and the employee’s regular pay.
   3. After an employee has exhausted PTO, Short-Term Disability (if applicable), and Parental and Caregiver Leave (if applicable), an employee may use available Sick Leave to cover absences related to the following reasons, subject to any limits stated below:
      
      1. For the employee’s own illness, injury, pregnancy, or preventative care; or
      2. For an immediate family member’s illness, injury, pregnancy, or preventative care.
      3. The placement of an adoptive or foster child in the employee’s home or care of that child within twelve (12) months after placement; or
      4. The care of an employee’s child within twelve (12) months after birth.
      5. When used in these instances, the amount of accrued sick leave plus all other forms of paid leave (e.g., PTO, short-term disability, parental, and caregiver paid leave) used by an employee may not exceed 480 hours for each instance of placement and associated care of child or care of child after birth. This 480-hour limit will apply on a basis of 100% full-time equivalence and will be reduced on a pro-rata basis for an employee working on a basis of 75 percent – 99 percent full-time equivalence. In instances where both parents are eligible employees, each will have a 480-hour limit.
2. Definition of “immediate family”
   
   1. For purposes of this policy, immediate family is defined as spouse, sponsored adult dependent, children, other individuals with whom the employee is standing in loco parentis, parent, individual who stood in loco parentis to an employee when the employee was a child, siblings, and persons for whom the employee is legally responsible.
   2. Children are defined as biological, adopted, foster child, stepchild, a legal ward, or a child with whom the employee is standing in loco parentis.
3. Unused Sick
   
   1. Any balance of unused sick leave is transferred with an employee transferring between benefit-eligible administrative, service, and support positions.
   2. Any balance of unused sick leave is banked and unavailable for use when an employee transfers from a benefit-eligible administrative, service, and support position to a benefit-eligible academic position. See HR-112 Transfers for more details.
4. Separation of Employment
   
   1. Upon separation of employment from the University of Missouri System or an employment change to a non-benefit-eligible position, employees will not receive payment for any unused sick leave.
   2. Upon retirement, employees will receive additional creditable service in calculating retirement benefits for all unused accumulated sick leave, subject to the terms of the applicable retirement plan. Sick leave credit is allowed only upon retirement and does not apply to deferred vested benefits.
5. Procedure Information
   
   1. Sick leave must be recorded in the university's central payroll system as part of the regular payroll processing cycle.
   2. Employees may be required to furnish satisfactory proof of illness, injury, or of medical or dental appointment.

See Also

CRR Section 340.025: Paid Time Off (PTO)
HR-112 Transfers
HR-404 Sick Leave Q&A (as of Jan 2024)
HR-407 Family and Medical Leave Act

Date Effective: Posted 10-01-2023 with an effective date of 01-01-2024
Date Revised: