Sick Time

ROWAN UNIVERSITY POLICY

Title: Sick Time
Subject: Employee Benefits
Policy No: HR: 2015:02
Applies: University-Wide
Issuing Authority: President
Responsible Officers: Senior Vice President for Finance and CFO and the Chief Human Resources Officer
Adopted: 07/01/2013
Last Revision: 07/12/2023
Last Reviewed: 07/12/2023

I.  PURPOSE

To set policy regarding the accrual and use of paid sick time for employees.

II. ACCOUNTABILITY

The Senior Vice President for Finance and CFO and the Chief Human Resources Officer shall implement this policy and the Provost, and Vice Presidents and Deans shall ensure compliance with this policy.

III. APPLICABILITY

This policy applies to regular full-time, full-time temporary, regular part-time, and temporary part-time employees.  Always refer to the appropriate collective bargaining agreements for any variations or additional details that apply.

IV. POLICY

1. Sick Time Accruals
   a. Employees accrue paid sick leave as follows:
   1. 1. On January 1 of each calendar year:
         1. Full-time and full-time temporary Glassboro and CMSRU CWA, IFPTE, FOP, CWA, and AFT Professional employees are credited with 15 days.
         2. Part-time and part-time temporary Glassboro and CMSRU AFT professional and three-quarter time AFT temporary professionals are credited with 15 days.
         3. Full-time Rowan SOM CWA employees are credited with 13 days.
         4. Full-time Rowan SOM teamsters, FOP 74, FOP 155, HPAE, IUOE, and AAUP Librarian employees are credited with 12 days; part-time employees in these categories are credited with a prorated number of days.
         5. Rowan SOM full-time AAUP faculty are credited with 22 days; part-time employees in this category are credited with a prorated number of days.
      2. On September 1 of each calendar year:
         1. Full-time, full-time temporary and three-quarter time temporary Glassboro and CMSRU AFT 10-month faculty are credited 12.5 days.
         2. Full-time and full-time temporary Glassboro and CMSRU AFT 12-month faculty are credited 15 days.
      3. On July 1 of each calendar year:
         1. Full-time and full-time temporary Glassboro and CMSRU managerial employees are credited with 15 days.
         2. Rowan SOM full-time managerial employees are credited with 12 days; part-time employees in this category are credited with a prorated number of days.
         3. Rowan SOM non-union faculty administration are credited with 22 sick days; part-time employees in this category are credited with a prorated number of days.
   2. Newly hired Rowan employees accrue their first month of sick time according to their hire date. Days 1-8 accrue 1 day of sick time. Days 9-23 accrue .5 days of sick time. Dates 24-31 accrue no sick time.
   3. Part-time temporary (hourly) employees, including student employees, will accrue sick time by pay period in accordance with New Jersey’s Earned Sick Leave Law (“ESLL”), which is one (1) hour of paid sick leave for every thirty (30) hours worked, with a maximum annual accrual of forty (40) hours of paid sick leave. To the extent that they may be absent for the reasons in Section 3 below, adjuncts paid by stipend are afforded protection under the ESLL and should notify the appropriate supervisor when sick time is used.
   4. Although sick time may be credited (granted) to employees up front, it is in anticipation of continued employment and, therefore it accrues over time.
   5. Employees in an unpaid leave status shall not accrue sick leave during that status.
2. Carry-over and Limitations
   1. Employees are liable for sick days taken in excess of their entitlement and shall reimburse the University for such.
   2. Sick time accruals are cumulative from one year to the next with no limitation as to the amount of accumulation.
   3. Employees shall not be reimbursed for accrued, but unused sick time when separating from the University except for eligible employees at retirement as provided in N.J.A.C. 4A:6-3.
3. Use of Sick Time
   1. Employees may use sick time for the following reasons:
      1. Time related to diagnosis, care, treatment, or recovery from a mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition, including preventative medical care.
      2. Time to care for a family member during diagnosis, care, treatment or recovery from a mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition, including preventative medical care.
      3. Time for treatment or counseling, or to prepare for or attend legal proceedings, in circumstances related to the employee or a family member’s status as a victim of domestic violence or sexual violence.
      4. Time to attend a school-related conference, meeting or event requested or required by the employee’s child’s school, or to attend a meeting regarding the child’s health condition or disability.
      5. Time during which the employee is not able to work because of a closure of the University, or the school or place of care of an employee’s child, by order of a public official due to a public health emergency, or because of the issuance by a public health authority of a determination that the presence in the community of the employee, or a member of the employee’s family in need of care by the employee, would jeopardize the health of others.
   2. FMLA runs concurrently for any sick leave that is used for more than 5 concurrent days.

V. DOCUMENTATION AND CONFIDENTIALITY REQUIREMENTS

Documentation is required for absences of 5 days and more or upon reasonable request by Human Resources.  Documentation must be submitted by employee directly to the Human Resources Department. Supervisors should never accept documentation from an employee.