Employee Handbook – Section 305 Sympathy Leave

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305 Sympathy Leave

305.1 Definition

Sympathy Leave is an authorized paid absence from work granted when a death occurs in an employee’s immediate family. Immediate family members are the employee’s spouse, parents, parents-in-law, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, grandparents, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, children, and members of the same household.

305.2 Eligibility

All regular, full-time employees and regular, part-time employees are eligible upon hire for Sympathy Leave.

305.3 Length of Leave

Eligible employees may be granted up to three (3) days of Sympathy Leave for the death of an immediate family member.

305.4 Compensation and Benefits

Employees maintain their regular pay and benefits while absent from work on an approved Sympathy Leave.

305.5 Requests and Approvals

Employees should request Sympathy Leave from their immediate supervisor by informing him or her of the death and the number of days requested. Supervisors are responsible for obtaining departmental decisions and communicating them in writing to the employees. Approvals must clearly define the duration of the absence and the date the employee is expected to return to work. Department Heads are authorized to approve requests for Sympathy Leave.

305.6 Other Provisions

Under special circumstances, an employee may require more than the three-day Sympathy Leave period. An employee may request additional time off from his or her supervisor. The additional time off must be charged to accrued Vacation Leave, available Personal Days, available Compensatory Time Off, or taken as Unpaid Time Off.

An absence from work in the event of the death of a person who is not an immediate family member will be charged to the employee’s accrued Vacation Leave, available Personal Days, or taken as Unpaid Time Off. Employees must request such absences from their immediate supervisor. Supervisors are responsible for obtaining the departmental decisions and communicating them in writing to the employees.

305.7 Related Policies

301   Vacation Leave
303  Personal Days
309  Compensatory Time Off
313   Unpaid Time Off

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THIS POLICY STATEMENT IS PART OF THE EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK, AND SHOULD BE READ IN CONJUNCTION WITH ALL OF THE POLICIES THAT COMPRISE THE HANDBOOK. THE PROVISIONS OF THE EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK DO NOT CONSTITUTE AN EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT AND DO NOT ALTER THE AT-WILL STATUS OF AN EMPLOYEE.

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