UMES Policy II-2.30 (A)
UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF MARYLAND POLICY II-2.30
POLICY AND PROCEDURE FOR IMPLEMENTING NON-CREDITABLE SICK LEAVE FOR FACULTY
(For UMES Policy and Procedures for Non-Creditable Sick Leave for Faculty Members,
See Campus Policy II.2.30 (A), January 1, 1992.)
I. DEFINITION
Collegially supported, non-creditable sick leave is the practice whereby colleagues of the faculty -on a voluntary basis-take over the classes and other essential functions of a faculty member incapacitated due to short-term illness or injury.
II. OBJECTIVES:
A. To minimize the disruption of instruction to students while a faculty member is incapacitated due to a short term illness or injury
B. To protect the interests of students by insuring
the supply of qualified substitutes who are familiar with the incapacitated faculty member’s educational objectives, methods, and standards.
C. To allow for a regularized and equitable basis for determining the eligibility of faculty members to receive salary payments during brief periods of incapacity for reasons of illness, injury, or childbirth.
III. PROVISIONS
A. Non-creditable sick leave is credited on the day the eligible faculty member begins work in accordance with his or her
contract.
B. Non-creditable sick leave for faculty may be employed when practicable up to a maximum of twenty-five (25) workdays for each faculty member in one fiscal year. After that time, creditable sick leave shall be charged.
C. The maximum collegially supported leave available during the summer to a faculty member eligible for non-creditable sick leave, is one-seventh (1/7) of the contract period. This will be included as part of the faculty member’s yearly limit.
D. Collegially supported leaves for an individual faculty member in two fiscal years must be separated by active service of at least twenty-five (25) days.
E. Collegially – supported sick leave is not credited toward retirement and cannot be carried over to a subsequent fiscal year.
F. Eligibility
1. An eligible faculty member, appointed for at least a semester but less than an academic year, may receive no more than half of the collegial protection awarded persons who are appointed for an academic year. (USM Policy II-2.30-2)
2. A faculty member appointed for a period of less than one semester is not eligible to receive collegial benefits.
IV. PROCEDURES
A. The following procedures concerning non-creditable sick leave shall apply to cover illness, injury, or childbirth.
1. Method of record keeping:
a. Persons requesting non-creditable sick leave in advance
i. Shall have the initial responsibility of identifying a colleague to assume their responsibilities during their non-creditable sick leave.ii. Shall complete and submit the university form designated for that purpose. The Non-creditable Leave Request Form requires the faculty member to provide:
a. The beginning and ending times and dates of the requested sick leave;
b. The person or persons who will take responsibility for the requesting faculty members’ university obligations (class and laboratory instruction, committee assignments, service responsibilities to the institution);
c. The reason for the requested non-creditable sick leave;
d. The signatures of:(1) The person requesting the non-creditable sick leave,
(2) The person assuming the requestor’s responsibilities, and
(3) The immediate supervisor of the requestor, the dean of the school.b. If short notice cannot be avoided, the incapacitated faculty member and his or her immediate supervisor should resolve the issue of coverage or should notify the Dean
c. The faculty member requesting non-creditable sick leave (except in emergency situations) shall complete the designated form and submit it to the Chairperson.
d. In cases of emergency, the form shall be completed as soon as it is possible for the incapacitated faculty member to do so.
2. System for covering long-term absences beyond the non-creditable sick leave period
For the policy and procedures associated with long-term absences beyond non-creditable sick period, the UMES policy/procedures for long-term absences beyond the non-creditable sick leave period will apply.
3. Reporting
a. Department Chairs are to distribute a written copy of procedures governing non-creditable sick leave for faculty during at least one of the first two (2) departmental meetings for the semester.
b. Department Chairs shall maintain a record of all faculty members requesting and taking non-creditable sick leave each semester.
c. Department Chairs will submit a report of all collegially supported absences to the Dean of the School and the Vice President for Academic Affairs at the close of each fiscal year.
