PURPOSE:
To establish the terms and conditions for full-time academic appointments (Tenure-Line and Non-Tenure-Line), to include paid and unpaid academic sick leave during the Fall and Spring Semesters. Unless otherwise specified below, the term faculty member includes the academic appointment employees noted above. These guidelines are not intended for short duration absences that can be handled in other ways. These guidelines are for longer-term illnesses or medical needs (i.e., continuous absences of more than five business days in a row).
SICK LEAVE:
Faculty members in the College of Earth and Mineral Science will be eligible for paid sick leave under the following schedule:
| Length of Continuous University Service as a Full-Time University Employee at Beginning of Absence | Allowance for Each Absence (Business Days) |
|---|---|
| Less than 2 years | 20 days * |
| More than 2, but less than 5 years | 40 days * |
| More than 5, but less than 10 years | 90 days * |
| More than 10 years | 120 days * |
* Non-tenure-line contracts/appointments 1) will not be renewed for the purpose of depleting the absence allowance; and 2) will not be terminated solely because of an absence due to illness.
If the faculty member returns to active service, and within sixty calendar days returns to leave status for the same illness or injury, the amount of time charged to leave with pay for the previous absence shall be counted against the allowance for the subsequent absence when determining the new allowance.
Approval for paid or unpaid sick leave for absences must be supported by Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) medical certification form completed by the health care provider and submitted to Penn State’s Human Resource’s office of Absence Management. Contact the EMS Human Resources Office for consultation, information and required forms. See also HRG11- Family and Medical Leave at https://policy.psu.edu/policies/hrg11.
At the onset of the absence, any faculty member with assigned teaching responsibilities will need to communicate with the supervisor to ensure that appropriate action has been taken to have teaching duties covered during the absence.
Following the period of paid sick leave, the faculty member will be eligible for unpaid sick leave in accordance with Penn State’s Policy HR16 - Leave of Absence without Salary (https://policy.psu.edu/policies/hr16).
For faculty members paid from federal grants or contracts, budgetary arrangements for paid or unpaid sick leave must be made in accordance with agency regulations.
RESOURCES:
AC61 – Faculty Contracts
AC76 - Faculty Rights and Responsibilities
HR16 – Leave of Absence without Salary
HRG11 – Family and Medical Leave
HRG18 – Paid Parental Leave for Faculty
Effective date: January 1, 2024