Sick Leave (Nonexempt & Administrative Support Staff)

The college complies with all aspects of the Massachusetts Earned Sick Time law, which provides employees with up to 40 hours of paid sick leave per year.

Eligibility

If you are employed in a regular, casual, limited-term, or hold a temporary position, you are eligible for paid sick leave. If you work a regular part-time schedule of half time or more, you are eligible for prorated sick leave based on the number of hours you are regularly scheduled to work.

Employees who do not meet the College's benefits eligibility criteria, may accrue up to five (5) days of earned sick time in accordance with Massachusetts Earned Sick Time law. Please refer to the Massachusetts Earned Sick Time policy (Section 523) for more information regarding this law.

Sick Leave Availability

You accrue sick leave at the rate of one day per month of eligible service. If you work a 9-, 10-, or 11-month schedule, your sick leave entitlement is prorated based on the amount granted to 12-month employees (i.e., one day per month of eligible service). You begin to earn sick leave starting with your date of hire and earn prorated hours each month. Your sick leave accrual (in hours) appears on your pay stub.  If you are a casual employee, you earn one hour of sick leave for every thirty hours of work.

The college encourages you to accumulate sick leave in order to protect yourself in the case of a lengthy illness or disability. Earned but unused sick leave may be carried forward and accumulated from year to year. Earned but unused sick leave is not paid upon termination of employment.

Terms and Conditions of Sick Leave Use

Paid sick leave is based on your regular rate of pay. The length of paid sick leave to which you are entitled for a certified illness or injury will depend upon the number of days of sick leave you have available. Please note the following:

• To care for the employee’s child, spouse, parent, or parent of a spouse, who is suffering from a physical or mental illness, injury, or medical condition that requires home care, professional medical diagnosis or care, or preventative medical care.
• To care for the employee’s own physical or mental illness, injury, or medical condition that requires home care, professional medical diagnosis or care, or preventative medical care.
• To attend a routine medical appointment or a routine medical appointment for the employee’s child, spouse, parent, or parent of spouse.
• To address the psychological, physical or legal effects of domestic violence.
• To travel to and from an appointment, a pharmacy, or other location related to the purpose for which the time was taken.
• A staff member is entitled to charge up to forty (40) hours of absence in any fiscal year (July 1–June 30) for time off under this policy. A medical statement may be required for approval.
• If possible, you should schedule medical or dental appointments outside of regular work hours. If this is impractical, check with your supervisor in advance about adjusting your work schedule. Sick leave may be used for doctor, dentist, and other medical appointments which cannot be scheduled outside of work hours.
• If your paid sick leave is exhausted, available personal time or vacation time may be used.  You may also be eligible for an unpaid leave under one of the College’s leave plans. See the sections Family Leave, Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Short-term Absence Without Pay, and Leave Without Pay for additional information.

Effect of Sick Leave on Other Paid Time and Benefits

While on paid sick leave, you continue to earn personal time and vacation time, unless you are out of work for more than 12 consecutive workweeks. All benefits remain in effect. You may be eligible, upon certification, for paid holidays and bereavement leave while you are on paid sick leave of up to 10 work days. Recess time cannot be rescheduled to extend paid sick leave. You earn sick leave during all absences except the following:

• FMLA Leave
• Leave Without Pay
• Long-Term Disability Leave

Medical Certification

If you are absent for more than twenty-four consecutively scheduled hours due to illness, accident, or surgery, or at other times at the discretion of the college, the college may require you to submit a doctor's statement or other medical evidence supporting your use of sick leave and indicating your degree of fitness and your ability to resume the duties of your job.  

Unauthorized or excessive absences will be cause for disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.

Notification

If you need to use sick leave, you are responsible for notifying your supervisor or department head as soon as possible.     You are expected to call and inform your supervisor each day that you will not be reporting to work. Such notice will assist your supervisor in scheduling or reassigning work.

If your medical leave will be lengthy, you should contact your supervisor or department head on a regular basis to report on your progress and the estimated or actual date of your return to work.

Long-Term Disability

In the event of serious or permanent disability (either full or partial) which will prevent you from returning to work for an extended period of time, you should contact the Office of Human Resources regarding your potential eligibility for long-term disability (LTD) benefits. The Office of Human Resources will review your situation with you and will assist you in completing the LTD application.