Paid and Unpaid Leave
Jacksonville State University offers a variety of generous and flexible leave benefits to all eligible employees. The University recognizes that all employees should enjoy occasional time away from work using vacation and holiday time, and that both personal and medical situations may temporarily interfere with an employee's ability to work. All leave, other than emergencies, must be approved by the supervisor in advance.
Employees must complete a Leave Request Form and may need to provide supporting documentation (court summons, military documentation, etc.)
Annual Leave
All full-time regular staff earn annual leave at JSU. NOTE: Athletic Coaches and Faculty do not accrue annual leave.
The rate of accrual is as follows:
- 0-9 years of service, 8 hours per month for an annual maximum of 192 hours;
- 9-19 years of service, 10 hours per month for an annual maximum of 240 hours;
- 19 years of service and over, 12 hours per month for an annual maximum of 288 hours.
On August 31 of each year, any excess annual leave (over the maximum) will automatically be added to the employee's sick leave balance.
Sick Leave
Sick leave is accrued to an unlimited amount by all full-time faculty and staff at the rate of eight (8) hours per month. With the exception of Tier 2 Employees, upon retirement, employees are allowed to convert unused sick time into service time for the purpose of retirement.Educational Leave
Education Leave provides opportunities for faculty to pursue the completion of a terminal degree. The guidelines provide some flexibility to department heads and deans in shaping educational leave proposals for faculty, so no deadline for applications is imposed. Faculty who are interested in educational leave are invited to work with their dean or designee and department head to prepare an application.
Applications for Faculty Educational Leave should be submitted twelve (12) months in advance to the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs, Room 235 Angle Hall.
Family Medical Leave (FMLA)
FMLA refers to the Family and Medical Leave Act, which is a federal law that guarantees certain employees up to 12 workweeks of unpaid leave each year with no threat of job loss. FMLA also requires that employers covered by the law maintain the health benefits for eligible workers just as if they were working.
FMLA Fact Sheet (PDF) Employee’s Guide to the FMLA (PDF)
In addition to your applicable Leave Request form, you will be required to fill out some or all of the following:
FMLA: Health Care Certification Employee
FMLA: Health Care Certification Family
The Department of Labor Website
If you participate in the Sick Leave Pool program, you will benefit from filling out the following form:
Military Leave
The federal Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) provides employment protections for members of the National Guard and Reserves who are called to serve in the military. Paid and unpaid military leave and re-employment rights shall be provided to employees consistent with federal and state laws. A request for such leave should be made in advance to the employee’s supervisor and the appropriate Leave Request Form submitted with supporting military documentation, to the Department of Human Resources.Special Circumstances Leave
Administrative Leave
When the President or designee has reason to believe that the presence of an employee on University property presents a threat to the health or safety of the employee or anyone in the University community, or represents a threat of substantial disruption or interference with the normal operations of the University community, the President or designee may place the employee on leave pending an investigation of the occurrence. Under such circumstances, a Leave Request Form will be completed and submitted by the Department of Human Resources. Leave pending investigation is approved leave with pay and with no reduction of accrued leave. Accountability for this form of leave will be managed by the Department of Human Resources.
Bereavement Leave
The University provides up to three days to an employee upon the death of an Immediate family member. If the leave extends beyond three days, employees are required to obtain supervisory approval for the use of accrued sick or annual leave. A request for such leave should be documented on the appropriate Leave Request Form and submitted to the Department of Human Resources
Court Summons
Paid leave shall be provided to an employee summoned as a witness in regard to university matters only. Paid leave shall not be provided to an employee serving as an expert witness. Witness pay shall be retained by the employee.
Jury Duty
Upon receipt of a summons to report for jury duty, employees must immediately provide their supervisor with a copy of the summons. Employees summoned as a member of a jury panel, shall be granted leave with pay and any jury fees shall be retained by the employee. Leave granted by the University during jury duty shall not affect the employee’s accrued annual or sick leave balance. Paid leave shall not exceed the number of hours in the employee’s normal workday. If jury duty does not require absence for the entire workday, the employee shall return to work immediately upon release by the court. (Acts 1969, No. 619, p. 1126; Act 2005-311, 1st Sp. Sess., §1.) Employees must complete a Leave Request Form.
Salary and Benefits Continuation
Salary and Benefit Continuation, if approved, continues until the long-term disability claim is approved or denied; however in no case will salary and benefit continuation extend longer than six months from disability date. In order to apply for salary and benefit continuation, the employee must be (1) covered by the long-term disability plan, (2) have a disability that is expected to last longer than six months, (3) provide proof of disability from a physician, (4) apply for social security and TRS disability (if applicable), and (5) have exhausted all accrued leave time.On-the-Job Injury
JSU is not subject to the Worker’s Compensation Laws of Alabama. However, JSU provides certain benefits for job-related injuries. On-the-job injuries requiring medical treatment are covered under the employee’s personal health insurance contract. Employees may file a claim with the State Board of Adjustment to be reimbursed for co-insurance, deductibles, and non-covered items. For information concerning a State Board of Adjustment claim, contact Human Resources. Employees who are injured on the job may be entitled to paid leave, subject to the approval by the appropriate vice president, under the following conditions:
- A doctor’s certification must be presented stating that the employee is not able to work as a result of the injury. The University reserves the right to seek a second opinion.
- An application for On-the-Job Injury leave must be completed. These are available in Human Resources.
- On-the-Job Injury Leave will not be granted until the beginning of the sixth (6th) full workday; (i.e., at least five days of sick leave, annual leave, or compensatory time or leave without pay must be charged before On-the-Job Injury Leave will commence. Occasional leave following an injury, but prior to the extended absence, will not count toward the five day wait for benefits.)
- The injury must have been incurred on the job. A verbal report to the supervisor following the injury is required, as well as a written accident report.
- If the injury is incurred while engaged in “horse play” or an act contrary to University policy or federal, state, or local statute, On-the-Job Injury Leave will not be granted.
- On-the-Job Injury Leave will continue until you are released by your doctor to return to work or when you are picked up on the long-term disability coverage, but in no case will On-the-Job Injury Leave exceed six months from the date of injury. A doctor may release an individual to return to light duty. If so, Jacksonville State University will attempt to make this accommodation. Absences for follow-up treatments and exams related to this injury will be included in the On-the-Job Injury Leave, but only during the six-month period referenced above.
- An employee absent from work under this policy must return to work when released to do so by his/her physician. In addition, the employee must present documentation from the physician that he/she is released to return to work. Overstaying a leave without proper notification and approval or seeking and accepting other employment without previous authorization constitutes an automatic resignation and subsequent loss of benefit.
Certification of Health Care Provider-Employee
Board of Adjustments Claim for Personal Injury - On The Job Form