Sick Leave

State law A.C.A. 21-4-207 provides Sick Leave for State Employees

Q.  If I am a full-time, benefits eligible non-faculty employee of UCA, when do I start accruing sick leave and how much do I get?

A.  After the first full-month of employment you will have accrued eight (8) hours of sick leave and will continue to accrue at the rate of eight (8) hours per month.

 Q.  How much sick leave per month will I accrue?

A.  All administrative personnel with faculty rank, who assumed administrative positions after January 1, 1989 and twelve-month staff and administrators will accumulate sick leave at the rate of eight (8) hours per month.

 Q.  What if I am an administrator with faculty rank who was employed before January 1, 1989?  Do I accrue sick leave at the rate of eight (8) hours per month?

A.   No. All twelve-month administrative personnel holding faculty rank in the employment of the University before January 1, 1989, will be subject to the sick leave policy in existence prior to that date. These employees have not earned nor reported sick leave in the past; however, this policy will allow maximum absences due to sickness not to exceed six consecutive months.

 Q.  If I am a full-time, benefits eligible nine-month faculty employee of UCA, when do I start accruing sick leave and how much do I get?

A.   Nine-month faculty members do not earn sick leave on a monthly basis.  As per the Faculty Handbook regarding sick leave a collegial approach is followed.  Faculty are expected to notify their chairs when an illness occurs and colleagues are asked to assume class responsibilities.  A faculty member may be on sick leave a maximum of six consecutive months leave with pay.  After that period, at the discretion of the president upon recommendation by the provost, leave without pay may be granted.

 Q.   I was discharged from the service, but was rated to have a military service connected disability.  From time to time I have to go to the doctor to be reexamined or treated for this disability.  Do I get extra days to cover this sick leave?

A.  Yes, state law A.C.A. 21-4-105 provides that you may use an extra six (6) days per year for these doctor visits.

Q.  What is the maximum amount of sick leave an employee can accrue?

A.  An employee may only carry over as of January 1 of each year, 120 days or 960 hours.

Q.What qualifies a person to use sick leave?

A.  Sick leave can be used when an employee is unable to work because of sickness, injury, medical, dental, or optical treatment.

 Q.  Is a doctor’s note required when I use sick leave?

A.  Not usually, but employees who are on sick leave for five (5) or more consecutive days must furnish a certificate from an attending physician or certificate from a Christian Science practitioner listed in the Christian Science Journal may be submitted in lieu of a physician’s certificate.  Also, an employee may be required to furnish a certificate from an attending physician if the employee has been sick fewer than five (5) consecutive days if the employee has an attendance problem.

Q.  Can I use sick leave if my child is sick?

A.  Yes. Sick leave may also be granted to employees due to serious illness or death of a member of the employee’s immediate family.

Q.  I’ve had several illnesses this year and used all my sick and annual leave, which required me to be on leave without pay for 10 days this month.  Will I earn any sick leave this month?  What about vacation leave?

A.  No, you will not be able to earn any sick or vacation time.   When the leave without pay is for 10 or more days in a calendar month no sick or vacation time is accumulated for that month.

Q.  Who are included as members of my immediate family?

A.  Immediate family shall mean father, mother, sister, brother, husband, wife, child, grandparents, grandchildren, in-laws, or any individual for whom the employee is acting as a parent or guardian.

 Q.  Where can I find the sick leave policy for UCA?

A.  The sick leave policy is currently stated in the UCA Staff Handbook and can be found at: http://www.uca.edu/hr/documents/staffhb.pdf

 Q.  I just resigned my position at the University of Central Arkansas. I know I will receive pay for my accrued annual vacation hours. Will I receive pay for my accrued sick leave hours?

A.  No. Employees who leave University employment are not entitled to be paid for accrued sick leave.

Q.  I just retired from my position as a Secretary II at the University of Central Arkansas. I know I will receive pay for up to 240 of my accrued annual vacation hours. Will I receive pay for my accrued sick leave hours?

A.  Yes, as a classified employee of UCA, State law A.C.A. 21-4-501 provides that you will be compensated, up to $7,500, for your unused sick hours based upon the number of unused days of sick leave you have accumulated:

1. If the employee has accumulated at least fifty (50) days, but less than sixty (60) days of sick leave, the employee shall receive an amount equal to fifty percent (50%) of the number of accrued sick leave days (rounded to the nearest day) times fifty percent (50%) of the employee’s daily salary.

2.   If the employee has accumulated at least sixty (60) days, but less than seventy (70) days of sick leave, the employee shall receive an amount equal to sixty percent (60%) of the number of accrued sick leave days (rounded to the nearest day) times sixty percent (60%) of the employee’s daily salary.

3.  If the employee has accumulated at least seventy (70) days, but less than eighty (80) days of sick leave, the employee shall receive an amount equal to seventy percent (70%) of the number of accrued sick days (rounded to the nearest day) times seventy percent (70%) of the employee’s daily salary.

4.  If the employee has accumulated at least eighty (80) or more days of sick leave, the employee shall receive an amount equal to eighty percent (80%) of the number of accrued sick leave days (rounded to the nearest day) times eighty percent (80%) of the employee’s daily salary.

            Your average daily salary is your annual salary divided by 260.