Support Staff Policies & Procedures
Support Staff Policy & Procedure for Leave of Absence Without Pay
Policy
Applies to: Regular University support staff who have completed initial probationary period. (VARIES: CTU employees must complete 520 hours of actual work.)
- The University grants eligible employees leaves of absence without pay in excess of ten consecutive working days in accordance with the appropriate Collective Bargaining Agreement and/or the provisions stated below.
- Eligible employees, with the approval of their supervisor(s) and MSU Human Resources, may be authorized to take leaves of absence for up to two years for the following reasons (unless specifically stated otherwise in individual Collective Bargaining Agreements):
- sickness and disability (including pregnancy),*
- settlement of an estate,
- serious illness of a member of the employee's family* child care when the employee is the parent or designated guardian (parent or guardian must provide evidence to demonstrate child needs special care that only the parent or guardian can deliver),*
- employees who become parents of or who adopt a child shall be entitled to parental or adoption leave of up to three months to commence on or before the date of birth or the date of adoption as determined by the employee,*
- governmental service, if elected to a full-time position for the term of office (subsequent elections may extend this leave),
- educational leave after two years of employment (employee must demonstrate benefit to be gained by University and provide proof of enrollment and/or continuing course work (VARIES: 1585 requires five years of continuous full-time employment for educational leave),
- military leave (extended tours) granted for up to two years from the last day of work for eligible employees (NOTE: Veterans with satisfactory military service records have re-employment rights for up to four years. Re-employment is extended to five years if fifth year is at request of government.); veterans must apply at their department or MSU Human Resources for return to their positions within 90 days of discharge (see Policy and Procedures for military duty pay - short-term),
- to accompany spouse when spouse accepts University reassignment from MSU,
- extended vacation after five years of employment (department must hold position for employee's return; VARIES: 1585 and SSTU employees must have completed probationary period to be eligible for extended vacation leave),
- mutual agreement leave where both the employee and the department agree on granting the leave (departments are required to hold the position for the employee's return), or
- other reasons deemed appropriate by the University.
* May qualify for special provisions under Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
Conditions of leave without pay:
- All leaves without pay will be granted without loss of seniority. Contractual benefits or rights accumulated by an employee prior to the effective date of the leave will be carried forward and credited to the employee upon his/her return.
- Employees will not accrue sick leave nor vacation leave credits while on leave of absence without pay.
- Optional benefit coverages include health and dental plans, Employee-Paid Life, and Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D).
- An employee may continue benefit coverages by making timely premium payments during the period of their leave without pay. Employees who allow coverages to lapse due to non-payment will automatically be reinstated to the coverage in effect prior to the leave upon their return to an eligible status.
- An employee on a family medical leave (FMLA) will have his/her health and dental benefits continued at the same level and with the same premium contribution as the employee had prior to his/her FMLA leave unless premiums have changed for all active employees during that time. Any share of premiums paid by the employee prior to the leave must continue to be paid by the employee during the leave, otherwise coverage will be canceled.
- Automatic benefit coverages include Long-Term Disability, Basic Life (VARIES: AP flexible appointments; see Policy and Procedures for Basic Life section on death benefit), and Travel Accident.
- Base Retirement Plan: All deferrals and contributions to the retirement plan(s) are suspended during the period of a Leave of Absence without pay.
- Accrued sickness quotas must be used prior to being placed on a leave of absence without pay due to illness or disability.
NOTE: For information regarding leaves of absence without pay for 10 days or less, see Policy and Procedures for attendance. For additional information concerning leaves of absence, see Policy and Procedure for Workers' Compensation, Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and layoff - reduction in force. For individuals that have met the minimum retirement requirements to be an official MSU retiree and is in a benefits eligible position at the time of the leave of absence, the optional benefits as described in #3 above will be processed as if the individual has retired during the leave of absence. For further information, please contact MSU Human Resources at 517-353-4434, toll free at 800-353-4434, or email solutionscenter@hr.msu.edu.
Procedure
Initiating leave without pay:
Employee:
- Requests a leave of absence without pay from immediate supervisor.
- Provides documentation as required by University policies and individual policy statement.
- Pays benefit premiums to MSU Human Resources as appropriate.
Department:
- Submits a Support Staff Request for Leave of Absence, and Return form to MSU Human Resources stating whether position is to be held for the employee's return. (NOTE: For certain leaves, positions must be held.)
- Reports paid leave in the EBS Portal or through unit level absence reporting procedures (except FMLA continuous leaves).
MSU Human Resources:
- Upon receipt of the Support Staff Request for Leave of Absence, Extension and Return form, MSU Human Resources approves or disapproves the Leave of Absence Without Pay.
- Completes leave of absence in SAP and notifies employee of leave approval and conditions for return to University employment.
MSU Human Resources: Bills employee for optional benefit premiums, as appropriate.
Payroll Office: Adjusts employee's paycheck accordingly.
Return from leave (see Policy and Procedure for health assessment for return from sick leave):
Employee: Notifies department of impending date of return if department has been holding position for employee. If department did not hold position, it is employee's responsibility to contact MSU Human Resources sufficiently in advance of leave return date so a suitable position may be located (where possible). Two-year leaves of absence are not extended while an employment search is being conducted.
Department: Submits Support Staff Request for Leave of Absence,and Return form to MSU Human Resources if employee is returning to current department.
- Employees are eligible to receive specified pay adjustments upon return from leave of absence. MSU Human Resources will calculate appropriate employee wage and notify employing department.
- The Support Staff Request for Leave of Absence, and Return form is normally updated and submitted to MSU Human Resources by the unit in which employee last worked.
- If employee returns to a different department, the former department is notified by MSU Human Resources to sign the Support Staff Request for Leave of Absence, and Return form and forward it to new department for completion. The new department submits the Support Staff Request for Leave of Absence, and Return form to MSU Human Resources.
- If employee fails to contact the University at end of a two-year leave, MSU Human Resources will initiate termination procedures. A registered letter, Return Receipt Requested, is sent by MSU Human Resources to employee at employee's last address record listed in official personnel folder notifying him/her of automatic termination unless employee responds to MSU Human Resources within 30 days of receipt of letter. Department submits Support Staff Request for Leave of Absence, and Return form to MSU Human Resources.
MSU Human Resources: Notifies Payroll Office of return from leave of absence.
Payroll: Takes appropriate action to reactivate employee's pay.
MSU Human Resources: Reinstates coverage and contributions according to policy provisions.
Refer questions to: MSU Human Resources, 517-353-4434, or e-mail).
Back to Support Staff Policies and Procedures