AFSCME 2005-2008 Contract

ARTICLE 12 - EXTENSION OF SICK LEAVE

Section 1.

Five (5) working days after an employee has exhausted all of his/her sick leave, vacation leave, and personal leave, he/she shall be eligible for an extension of sick leave; provided that such employee has been employed a minimum of twelve (12) consecutive months prior to the commencement of such extension of sick leave.

In anticipation of the exhaustion of all paid leave, an employee shall forward a request to the CEO of the Campus on the form entitled Request for Extension of Sick Leave Form (Appendix B). The Campus CEO shall act upon such request and forward the decision in writing to both the employee and the appropriate union official of the employee’s unit within ten (10) working days of receipt. The approval of such request will be effective at the beginning of the sixth (6th) day of unpaid leave. The granting of an extension of sick leave shall be subject to the sole discretion of the CEO of the Campus. All requests for an extension of such leave shall be given due consideration.

Such extensions shall be available only for illness of the employee and not for illness of his/her immediate family. Further, an employee on an industrial accident leave shall not be eligible for an extension of sick leave.

Section 2.

Extensions may be available for a period of up to sixty (60) working days annually beginning on the date of the first extension. An employee, having been granted an extension of sick leave, shall be required to submit a physician’s statement after each twenty (20) working days of granted leave.

Notwithstanding the above, in extraordinary circumstances, and in accordance with the terms and conditions governing the application and granting of leaves as such are set forth in Section 1 of this Article, an employee may be granted an additional fifteen (15) working days of extension of sick leave during the twelve (12) month period commencing upon the granting of the first such extension. Such additional extension of sick leave may commence immediately upon the conclusion of an earlier extension of sick leave or may be granted at any time during the remainder of the applicable twelve (12) month annual period. An employee need not serve a period of unpaid leave prior to being eligible for this fifteen (15) working days additional extension of sick leave.

Section 3.

Understanding that the health and welfare of unit members is of mutual concern, the CEO of the Campus, in evaluating a request, shall consider the following:

Cost: Consideration shall be given to the projected cost incurred to implement the request, including the temporary filling of the position, if necessary.

History of sick leave usage: Consideration shall be given to the previous use of leave benefits. Input must be sought from the employee’s supervisor(s) and pertinent attendance or personnel records. Length of request: The provision is not intended to provide for long term or permanent disabilities. There should be a reasonable expectation of return to full-time duties as evidenced by a physician’s statement.

Section 4.

During the period of an extension of sick leave, an employee shall not be entitled to accrual of vacation or sick leave as provided for in Articles 11 and 13 of this Agreement.

Section 5.

Grievances involving the interpretation or application of the provisions of this Article may be processed through Step IV of the grievance procedure as set forth in Article 29 of this Agreement, but shall not be processed to Step V thereof.