9-Month Professionals, Professional Faculty, Instructional Faculty, & Postdocs Leave

University Sick/Disability and Paid Dependent Leave Plan

Eligible employees may elect the university sick and disability plan that offers 120 calendar days of paid sick/disability and paid dependent leave. Please note that ORP participants are automatically enrolled in this plan. Employees who use all or any portion of the initial 120 days of paid disability leave during any contract year shall be credited with up to 30 additional days of paid disability leave effective the beginning of each subsequent contract year.  All eligible employees may not accumulate or use more than 120 days of paid disability leave during any contract year. 

When employees on 12-month contracts take disability/sick leave for more than ten working days (cumulative) or when they take annual leave, they must report their leave to the Office of Human Resources (available under the “Employee” tab on Banner).

The following kinds of dependent care leave may qualify for up to 120 days of paid leave:

• care for an ill or injured family member (“family care”);
• care for the employee's child, including a step-child, under the age of one without regard to illness or injury (“infant care”); and
• care for the employee's newly adopted child under the age of seven during the first year of adoption without regard to illness or injury (“newly-adopted child care"). Paid leave for family care, infant care or newly-adopted child care leave is available only when the employee is the person who primarily provides for the physical care of the family member, infant or newly-adopted child. When practicable, paid leave for infant care or newly-adopted child care should be taken wholly within one semester. Disability leave associated with pregnancy and dependent care leave may be combined, provided that the total paid leave does not exceed 120 days (per III.D.3.a.); except under exceptional circumstances and subject to approval by the Provost, instructional faculty leave must be taken during a single semester for a single pregnancy/birth.

Eligible employees may not take more than 120 calendar days for sick leave and/or paid dependent care leave.

Resources:

• Access the Faculty Handbook.
• Access the Professional Handbook.

Virginia Sickness and Disability Program (VSDP)

If you choose the Virginia Retirement Plan, you may choose to enroll in the Virginia Sickness and Disability Program (VSDP) rather than the university's Long Term Disability plan. VSDP provides eligible employees with income security when they cannot work due to a partial or total disability.  The program includes sick, family and personal leave; short-term disability; long-term disability and a long-term care program.  VSDP benefits cover non-work related and work related conditions.  Employees must satisfy a one year waiting period to be eligible for short-term and long-term disability; as well as long-term care.  Only participants who elect VRS as their retirement plan are eligible to participate in the VSDP plan.

Access the VSDP Handbook for more information.

This sickness and disability leave program provides employees supplemental or replacement income during periods of partial or total disability.

Who Is Covered

Effective January 10, 2003 all active employees were converted to VSDP unless they opted out. (Employees hired after January 1, 1999 were automatically enrolled in this program. Active employees were given the option to opt into this program until April 24, 1999.)

Effective Coverage Dates

The effective coverage date is the first day of employment and includes sick leave, family and personal leave, short-term and long-term disability coverage for work-related illnesses or injuries and long-term care benefits.

If you were hired or rehired effective July 1, 2009 you must complete one year of continuous employment before becoming eligible for short-term and long-term disability coverage for non-work related illnesses or injuries. 

New Employee Sick and Family/Personal Leave

This leave does not carry over. The following set hours will be initially credited on your first day of employment.

Full-Time or Quasi Full-Time:

Part-Time:

Annual Renewal of Sick and Family/Personal Leave

This leave does not carry over. VSDP leave is credited as follows on January 10 each year.

Full-Time or Quasi Full-Time:

Part-Time:

When to Use Sick Leave vs. Family and Personal Leave

Sick leave may be used if you are sick or injured, or for medical appointments. Your supervisor may request the proof of any illness requiring the use of sick leave. Family and personal leave can be used for any reason, such as but not limited to vacation, personal sickness, or sickness or death of a family member.

When to Use Disability Leave

A VSDP eligible employee may qualify for short term disability benefits if they experience an illness, surgery or accidental injury that requires the employee to be absent from work more than seven (7) calendar days.

Note: Employees with VSDP must call the Reed Group at 877-928-7021, the state disability administrator to initiate disability benefits as well as University Human Resources to complete forms. To schedule an appointment with University Human Resources regarding your absence, please contact [[AskHR]].

Parental Leave

Provided to employees who are enrolled in VSDP upon the birth or placement of a child to allow time for bonding. Up to 320 leave hours may be available for eligible full-time employees to use within 6 months of the birth or placement. Detailed information about the program is available in the parental leave frequently asked questions page.

Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) (pdf) is a law entitling eligible employees to take unpaid leave in certain situations where the employee, or a member of the employee’s immediate family, suffers a qualifying injury or illness. An eligible employee is an employee who has been employed for at least one year, and who has worked 1,250 hours within the previous 12-month period. The required 1,250 hours do not have to be worked during consecutive months. The hours of work requirement applies to the 12 months immediately preceding the start of leave date.

Eligible employees are entitled to 12 weeks of unpaid FMLA leave, which is equivalent to 480 work hours, or 60 workdays.