Prcessing a Leave f Absence Prcessing a Leave f Absence Overview There are many different reasns why an emplyee may need t take a leave f absence (LOA). Accrding t the Family and Medical Leave Act, emplyees can take a jb prtected leave because f: A serius health cnditin The birth f a child Placement f a child fr adptin r fster care Needing t care fr a family member with a serius health cnditin Needing t take time ff t deal with issues arising ut f a family member s active duty military status, r ntificatin f an impending call r rder t active duty status fr Natinal Guard r Reserves. Needing t care fr a family member in the Armed Frces wh is underging medical treatment fr a serius injury r illness Other reasns why emplyees may need t take a leave include: Persnal reasns that d nt qualify fr Family and Medical Leave Military respnsibilities On the jb accident r injury Depending n the situatin, emplyees may be eligible fr ne f the fllwing: LOA with pay: Emplyee has sick and/r vacatin time available t supplement Shrt Term Disability benefits, Lng Term Disability benefits, r wrker s cmpensatin payments. LOA withut pay: Emplyee has exhausted all leave balance and des nt receive any salary frm Hpkins; may be eligible fr Shrt Term Disability benefits, Lng Term Disability benefits, military differential pay, r wrker s cmpensatin. LOA with pay while wrking reduced hurs: Emplyee receives Shrt Term Disability r Lng Term Disability benefits while wrking a reduced schedule. Page 1
Prcessing a Leave f Absence Key Questins When an emplyee requests a LOA, it s imprtant t begin by answering certain key questins. Is the emplyee eligible fr a leave f absence? Family and Medical Leave (FML): Emplyees may be eligible if they ve been emplyed fr at least 12 mnths and have wrked at least 1,250 hurs during the previus 12 mnth perid. Exempt salaried emplyees wh have wrked fr 12 mnths are presumed t meet the hurly test. Leave f Absence Withut Pay: Leaves f absence withut pay granted t full time and part time staff members emplyed less than 12 mnths cannt exceed 30 calendar days. Leaves f absence withut pay granted t full time staff members and part time staff members wh have been cntinuusly emplyed by the university in a regular status fr at least 12 mnths can exceed 30 calendar days. A department head may grant a leave f absence withut pay fr a perid f 90 calendar days. A leave f up t ne year may be granted with the cncurrence f the apprpriate vice president r dean. Maryland Medical Flexible Leave: Prvisins f the Maryland Flexible Leave Act apply nly t emplyees wrking in Maryland. An emplyee can use earned leave with pay t care fr an immediate family member (child, spuse, parent, r same sex dmestic partner) with an illness. Page 2
Prcessing a Leave f Absence Military Leave: All regular, full time and part time emplyees are eligible fr military leave. Temprary, limited, and casual emplyees are nt eligible fr military leave. Military leave will be granted fr vluntary r invluntary service in the Army, Air Frce, Navy, Marines, the Army Natinal Guard, and the Air Natinal Guard when engaged in active duty fr training, r full time Natinal Guard duty, the cmmissined crps f the Public Health Service, and any ther categry f service designated by the President f the United States in time f war r natinal emergency. Military leave will be granted t thse wh serve as an intermittent disaster respnse appintee upn activatin f the Natinal Disaster Medical System (NDMS) r as a participant in an authrized training prgram in supprt f their Federal missin. Emplyment Related Injury r Accident: In rder t determine eligibility, the Reprt f Incident Frm must be submitted by the supervisr t the divisinal Occupatinal Injury Clinic r divisinal Occupatinal Health Services Office. Des the emplyee have sick time r vacatin time available? The supervisr r timekeeper must check the emplyee s time recrd (r E210 ) t determine whether the emplyee has any sick r vacatin time available. But first, the E210 has t be cmpleted with the apprpriate cdes, since sme leaves are gverned by plicies that require the use f vacatin time rather than sick time. The supervisr r timekeeper shuld cmplete the E210 if the emplyee is unable. It s imperative t maintain an accurate E210 since this will determine the accuracy f all subsequent ISR and leave transactins. Has the emplyee elected Shrt Term Disability benefits? Is the emplyee eligible t receive Lng Term Disability benefits, military differential pay, r wrker s cmpensatin? The emplyee must cntact Hartfrd Insurance Cmpany t cmplete the required dcumentatin t receive Shrt Term Disability benefits if he r she elected this benefit. Lng Term Disability benefits fr an emplyee n Shrt Term Disability will be initiated by Hartfrd Insurance. An emplyee wh has nt elected Shrt Term Disability cverage and has been absent due t a health cnditin fr 90 cnsecutive Page 3
Prcessing a Leave f Absence days shuld cntact the Benefits Service Center t initiate a request fr Lng Term Disability. If the emplyee will be n military leave, he r she will need t prduce the military rders. Wrker s cmpensatin is crdinated thrugh the Occupatinal Injury Clinic r Occupatinal Health. Please check with yur HR representative fr guidance. What is the emplyee s expected return date? It s imprtant t knw the emplyee s anticipated return date t cmplete the E210 accurately and ensure the absence des nt exceed the apprved leave. The Apprval Prcess After answering these key questins and gathering the necessary infrmatin, yu re ready t prceed. Yur next step is t ensure that the emplyee has permissin t take a LOA. The prper prcedure is presented belw. Family and Medical Leave (FML): The emplyee s supervisr r HR representative sends an FML Transmittal Letter, the Ntice f Eligibility and Rights and Respnsibilities, and the apprpriate Health Care Prvider frm t the emplyee, and frwards a cpy t the Divisinal HR Office. The letter prvides the emplyee with infrmatin abut FML, and instructs the emplyee t submit a Health Care Prvider frm t the Divisinal Human Resurces ffice. The emplyee s health care prvider is required t cmplete certain prtins f this frm. Upn receipt f the Health Care Prvider frm, the Divisinal Human Resurces ffice frwards it t Occupatinal Health Services (OHS). OHS determines if the emplyee qualifies fr FML. Once OHS makes the determinatin, Divisinal HR is ntified and frwards the determinatin t the emplyee and the HR representative wh ntifies the supervisr. Supervisr r HR representative sends FML Transmittal Letter, Ntice f Eligibility and Rights and Respnsibilities frm, and Health Care Prvider frm t the emplyee. Emplyee submits a Health Care Prvider frm t Divisinal Human Resurces Office, wh frwards it t Occupatinal Health Services. Occupatinal Health Services decides if the emplyee qualifies fr FML and infrms Divisinal HR. Divisinal HR infrms the supervisr and emplyee. Page 4
Prcessing a Leave f Absence Leave Withut Pay Nt Cvered by Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA): After speaking with the emplyee abut the leave request, the emplyee s supervisr shuld cnsider the fllwing: Whether the emplyee has presented a cmpelling need fr the leave f absence Whether the extended absence f the emplyee will adversely affect the peratin f the department (i.e., department needs) Whether the department has resurces t recruit qualified temprary persnnel t replace the emplyee during the perid f absence The request fr a leave withut pay is made and respnded t in writing. If the emplyee is eligible, the department head makes the final determinatin f apprval fr up t 90 days f leave. Military Leave: Emplyees are nt required t get their supervisrs permissin t perfrm service in the military. Emplyees are nly required t give their supervisrs ntice f pending service and prvide a cpy f the cnfirmatin rders. Prcessing the LOA in SAP Next steps depend n the type f leave that the emplyee is taking. Emplyee is taking an LOA and is nt eligible fr supplemental pay If the emplyee has accrued sick and vacatin time available t cver salary at 100% while n leave, n ISR is required. If the emplyee has n sick r vacatin time available r exhausts available leave: The HR representative submits an LOA withut pay ISR. The LOA percentage field is left blank. Fr mre infrmatin n hw t prcess Leave f Absence ISRs in SAP, navigate t: http://cnnect.jhnshpkins.edu/p21651657/ Page 5
Prcessing a Leave f Absence Emplyee is supplementing with Shrt Term Disability benefits while n LOA If the emplyee is eligible, benefits will begin n the 15 th calendar day frm the 1 st day f disability (there is a 14 calendar day eliminatin perid). The emplyee will receive 60% f weekly earnings paid directly frm Hartfrd Insurance Cmpany. The emplyee cntacts Hartfrd and requests Shrt Term Disability benefits. Hartfrd makes a determinatin n the claim, and ntifies the emplyee and the supervisr ( reprts t in SAP). Divisinal HR extracts the determinatin frm Hartfrd s website. Divisinal HR ntifies the department abut the claim status/determinatin. Accrued leave must be used t supplement payment received frm Hartfrd. Leave will cntinue t accrue at 100% while the emplyee is n LOA with pay. The HR representative wrks with the supervisr t cmplete the emplyee s E210 and determine pay status. Next steps: If the emplyee is within the 14 day eliminatin perid: N actin is required if the emplyee is using accrued leave. If the emplyee exhausts accrued leave during the eliminatin perid, the HR representative submits an LOA withut pay ISR effective the first day withut leave. If the emplyee is n lnger within the 14 day eliminatin perid: If the emplyee has accrued leave, the HR representative reduces the pay by submitting an LOA with pay ISR. The HR representative uses the apprpriate percentage f salary, as instructed by Divisinal HR. The Expected Return date is either the day after the Shrt Term Disability perid ends r the day after the accrued leave is exhausted, whichever cmes first. Salary is pr rated frm the first day f the Shrt Term Disability perid thrugh the last day f the pay perid that cntains the Expected Return frm Leave date indicated n the ISR. If the emplyee has exhausted accrued leave but remains n LOA, the HR representative submits an LOA withut pay ISR. Page 6
Prcessing a Leave f Absence Emplyee is apprved t wrk a reduced schedule fr health reasns while supplementing pay with Shrt Term Disability benefits The emplyee ntifies the supervisr f a need t wrk a reduced schedule. The emplyee must be cleared by OHS t return t wrk n a reduced schedule. If the emplyee is nt n Family and Medical Leave, the supervisr must apprve the reduced wrk schedule. After getting OHS clearance, the emplyee cntacts Hartfrd and requests partial Shrt Term Disability benefits. Hartfrd ntifies the emplyee and supervisr f the determinatin. The supervisr then ntifies the HR representative that the emplyee will be wrking reduced hurs. The emplyee must use accrued leave t supplement the Shrt Term Disability benefit. The HR representative ntifies Divisinal HR that the emplyee is wrking reduced hurs. Divisinal HR calculates the percentage f pay t be entered n the LOA with pay ISR. The HR representative cmpletes the LOA with pay ISR, using that calculatin. Emplyee is cleared t wrk a reduced schedule but is nt supplementing his/her pay with Shrt Term r Lng Term Disability benefits and has exhausted accrued leave The emplyee ntifies the supervisr f a need t wrk a reduced schedule. The emplyee must be cleared by OHS t return t wrk n a reduced schedule. If the emplyee is nt n Family and Medical Leave, the supervisr must apprve the reduced wrk schedule. After getting OHS clearance, the supervisr ntifies the HR representative that the emplyee will be wrking reduced hurs. The HR representative ntifies Divisinal HR that the emplyee is wrking reduced hurs. The HR representative cmpletes a LOA with pay ISR at 100%. The HR representative submits an Hurs Change ISR. Indicates the reduced hurs and new semi mnthly rate f pay in the bdy f the ISR. In the Cmments sectin, indicates the fllwing: Emplyee n LOA with reduced hurs. Emplyee grup change is nt required. Emplyee can return t wrk at reduced hurs withut jepardizing benefits eligibility. The Hurs Change ISR requires secnd apprval frm the Divisinal HR Office. Page 7
Prcessing a Leave f Absence When the emplyee returns t regular status, the HR representative cmpletes a Return frm Leave ISR t return the emplyee t regular hurs and salary. Emplyee is taking a Military Leave and is eligible fr military differential pay The HR representative initiates an LOA withut pay ISR using reasn 01. Supplemental earnings (Differential Pay) are prcessed via a Bnus/Supplemental Pay ISR, using wage type 3076. The HR representative cntacts Benefits Administratin t prevent billing during this LOA withut pay. Fr mre infrmatin, please cntact yur Divisinal HR Office. Emplyee is taking a Military Leave and is ineligible fr military differential pay The HR representative initiates an LOA withut pay ISR using reasn 01. Fr mre infrmatin abut military leave plicies, please cntact yur Divisinal HR Office. Emplyee is taking an LOA due t a wrk injury and is eligible fr wrker s cmpensatin The supervisr cntacts Divisinal HR and fllws the plicy that is available nline at http://hrnt.jhu.edu/elr/pl man/sectin16.cfm. Additinal infrmatin and necessary frms are available at http://www.hpkinsmedicine.rg/hse. The emplyee presents the Occupatinal Injury frm cmpleted by Occupatinal Health r the Occupatinal Injury Clinic. The emplyee s E210 is cmpleted t reflect the prper cde(s). Returning frm a Leave f Absence In rder fr an emplyee t return t wrk after a leave f absence, he r she must cntact the supervisr with the expected return date. If the Leave f Absence was fr a serius health cnditin r birth f a child, the emplyee must btain clearance t return t wrk frm Occupatinal Health. At that time, the HR representative submits a Return frm LOA ISR. Page 8