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SICK LEAVE
Section 1. An Employee shall earn sick leave in accordance
with applicable law and regulations.
Section 2.
a. Sick leave shall be approved for an employee who is
incapacitated for the performance of his/her duties.
b. An employee who becomes incapacitated because of illness while on duty
shall request sick leave from the watch supervisor. Such leave shall not
unreasonably be denied.
c. Sick leave is warranted under circumstances involving a contagious
disease (as defined by the public health authorities) which requires
isolation, quarantine or restriction of movement and if it involves:
(1) a member of an employee's immediate family, and,
(2) if the employee is required to care for the patient or his/her
presence at work might endanger the health of his/her coworkers.
d. Sick leave for medical, dental or optical examination
or treatment shall be granted provided it is requested in advance and the
employee can be spared from work. The Employer shall make every reasonable
effort to approve such leave.
e. Requests for unanticipated sick leave shall be made as soon as possible
prior to the scheduled starting time of the employee's shift. If the degree
of illness precludes compliance with advance notification, the employee
shall notify the facility as soon as possible after the start of the shift.
When the degree of illness precludes providing supporting information at the
time the request for sick leave is made, such information shall, upon
request, be provided upon the employee's return to duty. Requests for sick
leave shall be made to the duty supervisor or controller in charge (CIC).
Section 3. There shall be no sick leave counseling based
solely on the number of sick leave hours used.
Section 4. An employee shall not be required to furnish a medical certificate
to substantiate a request for sick leave of 4 days or less. An employee shall
be required to furnish a medical certificate for absences of more than 4
consecutive workdays except that this requirement may be waived by the
Employer in individual cases. If a physician was not consulted, a signed
statement from the employee giving the facts about the absence, the treatment
used, and the reasons for not having a physician's statement shall be accepted
as supporting evidence by the supervisor. An employee who, because of illness,
is released from duty, shall not be required to furnish a medical certificate
for the day released from duty.
Section 5. In individual cases, where there is just and sufficient cause to
believe the employee may be abusing sick leave, the employee shall be advised
in writing of the reasons a medical certificate may be required for each
subsequent absence. This letter shall remain in effect no longer than 6
months. If just cause continues to exist, an employee may be given advance
written notice the he/she will be required for a period of time, not to exceed
6 months, to furnish such a certificate. When it has been determined by the
Employer that the requirement is no longer necessary, the employee shall be
notified and the previous notice(s) shall be removed from the records.
Section 6. Whenever an employee's request for sick leave is disapproved,
he/she shall be given a signed written reason if he/she so requests.
Section 7. Request for sick leave and individual sick leave records shall not
be available or distributed as general information or publicized.
Section 8. Normal sick leave usage shall not be a factor for promotion,
discipline or other personnel action.
Section 9. Each employee shall be entitled to an advance of 30 days sick
leave, for serious disability or ailment, except when:
a. it is known that he/she does not intend to return to
duty or when available information indicates that his/her return is only a
remote possibility;
b. he/she has filed or the agency has filed an application for disability
retirement;
c. he/she has signified his/her intention of resigning for disability.
Section 10. The Employer shall arrange for transportation
for a seriously ill or injured employee at work to a physician, medical
facility or other employee designated location. The Employer shall be
responsible for notification of the occurrence and location of the employee to
the employee's family or designated party if requested by the employee.
Section 11. If management directs an employee to transport an ill or injured
employee as specified in Section 10 of this Article, the transporting employee
shall be in a duty status and will receive all benefits and protections under
the law.
Section 12. When an employee is unable to do so because of serious injury or
illness, the Employer shall make every reasonable effort to assist the
employee's family in filing appropriate documents for entitlements to the
employee or the employee's family.
Section 13. Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) employees shall be
eligible upon retirement for a Sick Leave Buy Back option as follows:
An employee who attains the required number of years
service for retirement shall receive a lump sum payment for forty (40)
percent of the value of his or her accumulated sick leave as of the
effective date of their retirement.
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