Formerly Known As Policy Number: 22.6
This Guide Memo describes paid sick time accrual and usage policies for regular staff employees, regular academic staff-research staff, and regular academic staff-professional librarians, except clinician educators in the School of Medicine.
Applicability:
Applies to regular staff employees not covered by a collective bargaining agreement, regular Academic Staff-Research Staff, and regular Academic Staff-Professional Librarians, except Clinician Educators in the School of Medicine, as defined in Administrative Guide Memo 2.2.1 (https://adminguide.stanford.edu/chapters/human-resources/general-employment-policies/definitions): Definitions. For purposes of this Guide Memo, all these types of employees will be referred to as "regular staff employee(s)."
For policies that apply to employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement, refer to the agreements at Labor Relations & Collective Bargaining (http://cardinalatwork.stanford.edu/hr-processes-policies/labor-relations-collective-bargaining). Procedures for SLAC employees may vary.
Regular staff employees of the University delineated in the Applicability section above accrue and use sick time as described below.
Sick time may be used when a regular staff employee's illness or injury prevents the regular staff employee from working.
Sick time may be used for all medical and dental appointments. Medical and dental appointments may also be charged to vacation, PTO or floating holiday. Medical and dental appointments include:
Sick time may be used by a regular staff employee who is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking in order to:
For holidays that occur on days when a regular staff employee's absence due to illness/injury is fully charged to sick time, and the regular staff employee is not on other leave status, the time off is charged as a paid holiday.
When a regular staff employee is hospitalized or confined to bed by medical direction while on vacation, the time of hospitalization/confinement should be charged to accrued sick time. If appropriate, a claim should be submitted for disability plan benefits. (For instructions about submitting a disability claim, see Administrative Guide Memo 2.3.5 (https://adminguide.stanford.edu/chapters/human-resources/employment-benefit-programs/disability-and-family-leaves): Disability and Family Leaves.)
If a regular staff employee has to use vacation, PTO or floating holiday for certain days during Winter Closure, accrued sick time may be used instead but only in the following limited circumstances:
Regular staff employees may use a maximum of 15 sick days during a calendar year of service (January 1 to December 31) for diagnosis, care or treatment of an existing health condition of, or preventive care for, a regular staff employee's family member. For the purpose of this policy, family member includes, as the terms below are defined by law, only the regular staff employee's:
Regular staff employees may use up to 3 days out of the maximum of 15 available family sick days for diagnosis, care or treatment of an existing health condition of, or preventive care for, a designated person. “Designated person” means a person identified by the regular staff employee at the time the regular staff employee requests paid sick days. A regular staff employee is limited to one “designated person” per 12-month period for such paid sick days.
Regular staff employees may also apply for family sick leave. (For instructions about submitting a family sick leave claim, see Administrative Guide Memo 2.3.5 (https://adminguide.stanford.edu/chapters/human-resources/employment-benefit-programs/disability-and-family-leaves): Disability and Family Leaves.)
Unless the regular staff employee applies to their department in writing for an exception, which is approved, the university uses a regular staff employee's accrued sick time to maintain the regular staff employee's base pay during times when the regular staff employee is receiving disability benefits payments. (For more information, see Administrative Guide Memo 2.3.5 (https://adminguide.stanford.edu/chapters/human-resources/employment-benefit-programs/disability-and-family-leaves): Disability and Family Leaves.)
Unless otherwise specifically allowed by this Guide Memo 2.1.7, sick time may only be used for an absence that a regular staff employee has during scheduled work hours.
The regular staff employee reports the absence (or planned absence) to the supervisor. The department is responsible for establishing and communicating rules on how regular staff employees notify the department of absences. If the need for sick time use is foreseeable, the regular staff employee shall provide reasonable advance notice. If the need for sick time use is unforeseeable, the regular staff employee shall provide notice of the need for sick time use as soon as practicable. Regular staff employees may be asked to schedule appointments at a time convenient for the department. Where flexible schedules are possible for the department, supervisors are encouraged to accommodate appointments by flexing a regular staff employee's work hours.
The University uses the human resources management system (Axess/PeopleSoft HRMS) to record sick time credited, used and accumulated for all regular staff employees. Records must be updated each pay period for all employees who used sick time. (For more information, see Administrative Guide Memo 2.1.5 (https://adminguide.stanford.edu/chapters/human-resources/staff-employment-policies/compensation-staff-employees): Compensation of Staff Employees. For information about Axess see the Time & Leave System (http://www.stanford.edu/group/fms/fingate/staff/payemployee/time_leave_reporting.html) overview.)
Sick time is credited at the beginning of each month of service. An adjustment is made at the beginning of the following month when the actual accrual is different than anticipated.
Sick time is taxable income. Federal, state, and FICA taxes are deducted.
Acceptable medical evidence may be required for the use of sick time. However, for a regular staff employee's use of the first 40 hours of sick time (or five scheduled work days, whichever is greater) during each year of employment, excepting circumstances involving abuse or misuse of sick time as stated in subpart (2) below, supervisors may not require acceptable medical evidence, and supervisors should not deny sick time use based on a regular staff employee's failure to provide details about the sick time use. The supervisor who approves the use of sick time is responsible for confirming that the conditions for use of sick time are met. The University may request supporting documentation for any sick leave used in excess of 40 hours (or five scheduled work days, whichever is greater) per year of employment.
If the University has reasonable basis to believe that a regular staff employee may have engaged in abuse or misuse of sick time at any time (even during the first 40 hours or five scheduled workdays of sick time use during each year of employment), the University may ask for acceptable medical evidence or other proof showing that a regular staff employee has not engaged in abuse or misuse of sick time. Abuse or misuse of sick time, failure to follow sick time notification procedures (e.g., failing to provide reasonable advance notice for foreseeable sick time use, not providing requested medical information when abuse or misuse is suspected, or not giving notice as soon as practicable for unforeseeable sick time use) may be a basis for discipline, up to and including termination of employment. Also, use of sick time may be denied if there is abuse or misuse of sick time.
Acceptable medical evidence includes, but is not limited to, a healthcare practitioner's statement that certifies a medical need for sick time, the expected duration of absence and anticipated return to work date, and any work-related limitations or restrictions (including the duration of those limitations or restrictions) when a regular staff employee is released to return to work.
A regular staff employee must apply for disability benefits if using sick time for more than 5 consecutive working or 7 consecutive calendar days for the same illness or injury.