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Small Necessities Leave Policy

Eligible employees receive unpaid Small Necessities Leave in accordance with this Small Necessities Leave Policy.    

Eligibility   

All regular full-time and regular part-time employees who have worked at the University for 12 months and have worked at least 1250 hours during the 12 months are eligible for Small Necessities Leave (“SN Leave”) under the Small Necessities Leave Act in accordance with the provisions of this policy.   

Length of Leave   

Eligible employees may take up to twenty-four (24) work hours of unpaid leave during a rolling 12-month period measured backward from the date an employee uses SN Leave.   

The twenty-four (24) hours of unpaid leave are in addition to leave permitted by the FMLA and Parental Leave (pursuant to the Massachusetts Parental Leave Act).     

Reasons for Leave  

Eligible Employees may use SN Leave for the purpose of tending to certain family matters which include:   

1. Participating in school activities directly related to the educational advancement of an employee’s son or daughter, for instance, a parent-teacher conference or an interview at a new school;   

1. Accompanying an employee’s son or daughter to a routine medical or dental appointment; for instance, a check-up or vaccination; or   

1. Accompanying an elderly relative to a routine medical or dental appointment or one related to the elder’s care, for instance, to an interview at a nursing or group home.   

    

Use of Leave     

SN Leave does not have to be taken consecutively.  An eligible employee may take SNL leave intermittently and need not use the entire twenty-four (24) hour leave at once.  However, the leave taken cannot exceed twenty-four (24) hours during the twelve 12-month period.   

If an employee is entitled to any paid leave under the University’s paid time off policies, other than sick time, that leave must be used before any unpaid leave under this policy will be granted.   

Notice and Documentation    

Whenever the need for leave is foreseeable, employees must provide the University with at least seven (7) days’ notice prior to taking SN Leave.  In all other instances, employees are requested to provide as much notice as possible.  The University may request written certification confirming the necessity for the leave.   

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