Policy No. C. 6.00
Date of Issue 12/22/2022
Revised 07/01/2024
Sick leave is an absence from work due to personal illness or injury. The sick-day allowance will accrue every bi-weekly pay period. An eligible full-time employee must work 60% of a pay period to earn the full-time or prorated accrual. Employees working less than 23.25 hours/week (non-benefits eligible) accrue at the rate outlined by the Chicago Paid Leave Ordinance. Use of accrued sick leave for medical appointments of the employee is permissible. In accordance with and to the extent provided for by Illinois law, employees may also use sick leave, upon the same terms as it is used for their own illness or injury, for an illness, injury, medical appointment, or the personal care of the following covered family members: child, stepchild, spouse, domestic partner, sibling, parent, parent-in-law, grandchild, grandparent or stepparent. Pursuant to applicable law, leave used by employees for covered family members may not exceed ten business days annually.
An employee must personally contact his/her supervisor to report the use of a sick day before the work day begins. For consecutive days absent for sick leave, the employee should contact the supervisor each day unless the absence is excused by the supervisor for a specific duration. Absences of more than 3 consecutive days, meaning an employee is out, at least partially, on a fourth consecutive day, (i) require a physician’s release upon the employee’s return or, in the case of leave for a covered family member, a note from the family member’s physician stating the dates upon which the covered family member was ill, injured, had a medical appointment, or required personal care, and (ii) will generally require an employee to apply for family and medical leave. The university may also require a physician’s release or note from a family member’s physician in instances of fewer than 3 consecutive days where a pattern of absences becomes apparent.
The university reserves the right to evaluate the causes for absence and to deny compensation when circumstances warrant denial. An employee who falsifies information and uses sick leave for other than a use authorized by this policy will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.
6.01(a) | Full-Time Employees A full-time employee accrues sick days at a rate of 2.99 hours per bi-weekly pay period to a maximum of 1100 hours. |
6.01(b) | Full-Time Faculty A full-time faculty employee will receive a balance of 40 hours paid sick leave on the first day of employment or the first day of the 12-month accrual period. |
6.02(a) | Part-Time Employees (>23.25 hours per week) A part-time employee regularly scheduled at least 23.25 hours per week accrues pro-rated sick days. The maximum accrual is also pro-rated. |
6.02(b) | Part-Time Employees (including staff, faculty, and students <23.25 hours per week, non-benefits eligible) Employees will start accruing paid sick leave hours effective July 1, 2024 and may begin using accrued paid sick leave hours July 31, 2024. Employees hired after July 1, 2024 will begin accruing sick leave upon hire and can begin to use their paid sick leave after July 31, 2024. Anyone hired after July 31, 2024 will accrue paid sick leave and can begin using it immediately. |
6.03 | Union Employees Union employees are governed by the applicable provisions of the appropriate labor agreement. |
6.04 | Limitations on Sick Leave Time for Family Care Pursuant to applicable law, leave used employees for covered family members may not exceed ten business days annually. Employees who use sick time that is earned pursuant to the City of Chicago Sick Leave Ordinance are not subject to this limitation. Additionally, nothing in this policy is intended, and shall not be deemed or construed to have intended, to extend the maximum amount of leave an employee may take under the Family and Medical Leave Act. |