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311 Unpaid Personal Leave of Absence 

Under certain circumstances, employees who are not eligible for any other leave of absence and/or have exhausted all other leave entitlements under University policies may be granted an unpaid leave of absence from work. Whether to grant an Unpaid Personal Leave of Absence is to be determined by the University in its sole discretion.  

 

311.1 Eligibility 

All regular, full-time employees and regular, part-time employees are eligible upon hire for an Unpaid Personal Leave of Absence.  

Before being eligible for an Unpaid Personal Leave of Absence, an employee must have exhausted all available time off applicable to their leave.  

311.2 Use 

An Unpaid Personal Leave of Absence may be granted for personal or medical reasons. If requested for medical reasons, the University generally will require submission of medical certifications prior to granting leave and may require additional periodic submission of medical certifications at various times during the leave. 

311.3 Accrual/Length of Absence/Usage 

Normally, an Unpaid Personal Leave of Absence is granted for a period of up to 90 days.  Under unusual circumstances, an Unpaid Personal Leave of Absence may be extended provided that a written request for an extension is made prior to the expiration of leave, and the request is granted. These time limitations do not apply to leaves taken for an employee’s own medical reasons. 

An Unpaid Personal Leave of Absence is granted only in whole-day increments.   

311.4 Compensation and Benefits 

Employees do not accrue Vacation Leave or Sick Leave after they have been out of work for 10 consecutive days on an Unpaid Personal Leave of Absence and are not eligible for holiday benefits or Intersession when a holiday or Intersession Closing falls within the period of the leave. 

311.5 Requests and Approvals 

If the request is being made for reasons unrelated to the medical condition of the employee, and the leave is for less than ten (10) consecutive days, the employee must submit a written request for an Unpaid Personal Leave of Absence to their immediate supervisor at least 24 hours in advance of the desired time off. The written requirement may be waived in emergency situations. If the request is for more than ten (10) consecutive days, the employee must submit a written request at least one (1) month in advance of the desired time off. The one (1) month requirement may be shortened in emergency or other exceptional situations. Employee requests must specify the reason for the leave and the specific dates of the leave period. 

An Unpaid Personal Leave of Absence for personal reasons will be approved only if it is expected that the employee will return to their position when the leave is completed. Approval decisions will take into consideration the staffing and budgetary needs of the department, as well as employees’ performance. 

If an Unpaid Personal Leave of Absence request is made due to an employee’s own medical condition, the leave must be requested and administered as a request for reasonable accommodation in accordance with the University’s Reasonable Accommodation Policy. Determinations about leave as a reasonable accommodation are made on a case-by-case basis, taking into account individual circumstances. 

311.6 Employment Status during Unpaid Personal Leave 

An employee on an approved Unpaid Personal Leave of Absence for eight (8) weeks or less is entitled to return to the same or similar position without loss of employment benefits for which the employee was eligible on the date the leave commenced.  

Upon completion of an Unpaid Personal Leave of Absence that is greater than eight (8) weeks, the University will attempt to return employees to either their original job, or to a similar position, subject to prevailing business considerations. Reinstatement, however, is not guaranteed unless required by law.  

 311.7 Notice of Return to Work 

If an approved Unpaid Personal Leave of Absence for personal reasons is taken for a period of one (1) month or longer, the employee must give their supervisor written notification of intent to return to work. Notification must be received at least two (2) weeks in advance of the expected return date.  

If an Unpaid Personal Leave of Absence is taken for a medical reason, an employee’s return to work is governed in accordance with the Reasonable Accommodation Policy and applicable, federal, state and local laws. 

311.8 Other Provisions 

Employees who are absent from work without approval of their supervisor may be subject to discipline and discharge.  

An employee who fails to return to work by the expected return date will be considered to have resigned voluntarily from the University, unless otherwise prohibited by applicable law. 

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