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Southeastern Louisiana University provides eligible employees with leave (time off) in accordance with state and federal laws, UL System policy, and University policy.
To provide employees with information and guidance on the availability of all types of paid and unpaid time off.
This policy applies to Faculty only.
LEAVES OF ABSENCE
Members of the University faculty or administration may apply for leaves of absence. The President of the University, acting in accordance with regulations of the University of Louisiana System, shall determine whether or not individuals are eligible for leaves of absence.
Leaves of absence for the purpose of accepting temporary appointment elsewhere shall not exceed one year. Any additional extensions shall require special justification and must be approved by the System. Leaves granted for the purpose of participating in political campaigns shall not exceed six months.
SABBATICAL LEAVE GUIDELINES
Policy Statement
Sabbatical leaves at Southeastern Louisiana University are intended to promote the
professional growth and effectiveness of a faculty member or administrator by affording
him/her intellectual stimulation in the form of study, research, travel, or other
creative intellectual activities. These leaves are used to bring on-going projects
to fruition and to establish new directions of scholarship.
Leaves of Absence
Sabbatical Leaves: Sabbatical leaves provide for absence with pay for the purpose of promoting professional
improvement and/or renewal. The leave should be designed to contribute to the best
interests of the individual and the University through study, research, writing, field
experiences, or other appropriate activities. Sabbatical leaves require completion
of the application and approval processes outlined in this document.
Non-Sabbatical Leaves: Non-sabbatical leave without pay may be granted for a maximum of one year at a time
for professional, personal, or other reasons. Completion of application and approval
procedures is required as outlined in this document.
Eligibility for Leave
Those eligible for sabbatical leave are full-time faculty members on regular appointment,
including professors, associate professors, assistant professors, and instructors;
and full-time members of the professional staff whose duties include teaching, research,
and administration, including professional librarians. Stipulations for eligibility
are listed below.
General Provisions
The University of Louisiana System recognizes that a sabbatical leave policy is justifiable
and desirable and therefore provides for faculty members and administrators leaves
of absence under established conditions. One of the best decisions an institution
can make is to support a strong sabbatical leave program, since faculty, students,
administrators, and the institution benefit from a revitalized professional returning
to the work setting. Leave stipulations are listed below.
Application Process
An individual requesting a leave of absence shall make application to the Department
Head and should include the information below.
Approval Process
Upon receipt of the completed application, the department head will evaluate the proposed
leave and its effect upon the operation of the department. After such determination,
the department head will transmit all application materials to the dean or library
director.
The academic dean/director and Provost will endorse or not endorse the completed request.
Department heads, deans, and library director are expected to evaluate requests for
leaves based on improvement and/or renewal, on administrative feasibility (staffing,
funding, assignments, etc.), and on the application criteria.
The application is then sent to the Provost, who forwards it to the President with
a recommendation. Faculty shall be informed about the progress of their request after
each step of the process. The President will review the request for leave and, if
appropriate, send it to the University of Louisiana System. The President shall respond
in writing to the application and such a response shall include the reasons for denial.
The response approving a sabbatical leave will include any conditions of such a leave.
A copy of the response shall be provided to the affected department and the college
or the library.
Final approval of a sabbatical leave with pay will not be granted until the applicant
has filed with the President of Southeastern Louisiana University an agreement or
contract stipulating that as a condition of sabbatical leave and to be eligible for
compensation during such leave, he or she will return to the employing institution
for at least one year of further service after the leave is completed.
Timeline for Leave Applications
Call for sabbatical and leave requests for the
subsequent academic year ……………………….… Third Monday in January
Requests for leave to the Department Heads ……. Second Friday in February
Requests forwarded to the dean or library director Third Friday in February
Requests forwarded to the Provost ………………... First Friday in March
Requests forwarded to the President ……………… First Friday in April
Request forwarded to the University of Louisiana System
Returning to the University after Sabbatical Leave
After the completion of a sabbatical leave, the faculty member shall complete a report
which will be filed with the department head, the dean or library director, and the
Provost within one month after the faculty member returns to the University. The report
will reflect the following:
SICK LEAVE
The University has established a forty-hour workweek for all full-time personnel.
The purpose of establishing the forty-hour week is to provide for a system of accounting
for and the taking of sick leave. An attendance and leave record shall be completed
and certified by all employees and endorsed by their immediate supervisors. The completed
records are then processed by the Payroll Office. Sick leave, by definition, is leave
with pay granted for medical, dental, or optical consultation or treatment.
Sick leave for unclassified employees shall be earned by each employee who has a regular
tour of duty. The earning of such leave shall be based on the equivalent of years
of full-time state service and shall be creditable at the end of each pay period or
calendar month in accordance with the following general schedule:
Unclassified academic personnel of the University employed on other than a twelve-month
basis shall earn sick leave in accordance with the table below.
Length of Contract |
Summer Session Worked |
YEARS OF SERVICE |
||||
Less than 3 years |
3 but less than 5 |
5 but less than 10 |
10 but less than 15 |
15 years and over |
||
9 months |
12 weeks |
12 days |
15 days |
18 days |
21 days |
24 days |
9 months |
9 weeks |
11-1/4 days |
14 days |
17-1/4 days |
19-3/4 days |
22-1/2 days |
9 months |
6 weeks |
10-1/2 days |
13 days |
15-3/4 days |
18-1/2 days |
21 days |
9 months |
none |
9 days |
11-1/4 days |
13-1/2 days |
15-3/4 days |
18 days |
Accrued sick leave earned by an employee shall be carried forward to the succeeding
years without limitation. There is no minimum charge for sick leave. It is to be charged
on an hourly basis.
USE OF SICK LEAVE
Sick leave with pay may be taken by an employee who has sufficient leave to his credit
for the following:
(a) Illness or injury which prevents performance of his usual duties.
(b) Medical, dental, or optical consultation or treatment.
(c) Care for an immediate family member who is ill or injured, "immediate family member" means a spouse, parent, or child of an employee.
(d) Accompanying an immediate family member to a medical, dental, or optical consultation
or treatment.
Absence from duty caused by maternity is considered to be a temporary disability similar
to any other medical disability. Employees may use accumulated sick leave for this
purpose. If the employee's sick leave balance is insufficient to cover the entire
period of absence, the employee must seek approval from the appointing authority or
his/her designee to use annual leave, or to use leave without pay. Sick leave may
be used only for that period of time during which the employee is unable to perform
her duties because of pregnancy. Additional time off must be covered by other types
of leave when the employee is discharged by her health care professional, usually
six weeks following delivery. Maternity leave will be designated under FMLA. (Louisiana
Law R.S. 23:342 allows up to 4-months of leave for pregnancy/childbirth leave.)
Before being granted leave for maternity purposes the employee is required to furnish
a statement from her health care professional to the effect that she can no longer
perform the duties required and the expected date of delivery. Before an employee
can return to work following leave for pregnancy, the health care professional must
certify in writing that the employee is able to return to regular duties. To prepare
for possible replacement of an employee who is requesting maternity leave, the employee's
written request for leave should be submitted a minimum of two months in advance of
the proposed beginning of leave. No later than one month prior to the termination
of the approved leave period; the employee should notify the Human Resources Office
in writing of her plans to resume duty on the established date.
Every faculty member who does not earn annual leave and who is employed by a public
post-secondary education management board shall be entitled to and shall be allowed
to use up to two days absence during each academic year without loss of pay for personal
purposes as may be determined by the employee. The employee requesting such personal
leave shall give his immediate supervisor at least twenty-four hours’ notice prior
to taking the leave. The personal leave shall be charged to and deducted from the
employee's sick leave for the current year or sick leave accumulated. Personal leave
shall not be accumulated from year to year nor shall personal leave be compensated
for upon the death or retirement of the employee or paid in any other manner except
as provided by this Subsection.
CRISIS LEAVE
Southeastern participates in a Crisis Leave Program to be used by fellow faculty and/or
unclassified employees. Crisis Leave is leave hours donated by faculty and/or unclassified
staff into a Crisis Leave Pool to be used by fellow faculty and/or unclassified staff
who are suffering from their own serious health condition, which has caused or is
likely to cause the employee to take leave without pay or to terminate employment.
Donated annual and sick leave to the Crisis Leave Pool is irrevocable.
ANNUAL LEAVE, FACULTY LEAVE, AND HOLIDAYS
Annual leave earned shall be based on the equivalent of years of full-time state service
and shall be creditable at the end of each pay period or calendar month in accordance
with the general schedule below.
Years of Service |
Work Days of Annual Leave Earned per Month |
Work Days of Annual Leave Earned Per Year |
Less than three years |
1 |
12 |
Three but less than five years |
1-1/4 |
15 |
Five but less than ten years |
1-1/2 |
18 |
Ten but less than fifteen years |
1-13/4 |
21 |
Fifteen or more years |
2 |
24 |
Only faculty with twelve-month appointments earn annual leave. Annual leave for twelve-month
employees is scheduled with the consent of the library director, academic dean or
the Provost, subject to the approval of the President, in accordance with the nature
of the faculty member's duties.
Faculty members employed on a nine-month basis do not earn annual leave; they earn
"Faculty Leave." "Faculty Leave" is leave granted in lieu of annual leave to faculty
members employed on a nine-month basis. Faculty leave is automatically taken between
terms and at holiday periods, as shown in the official University calendar.
All nine-month faculty members follow the holiday schedule found in the academic calendar
on the University's webpage.
FUNERAL LEAVE
Full-time employees may be given time off without loss of pay, annual leave, or sick
leave when attending the funeral of a relative. Time off shall not exceed two days
on any one occasion. Relatives for purposes of this section include the following:
Parent | Child | Spouse |
Step-parent | Step-Child | Mother-in-law |
Grandparent | Brother or Sister | Father-in-law |
Step-grandparent | Step-brother or sister | Grandchild |
COVID-19 VACCINE LEAVE
Full-time faculty and staff will, as needed, be allowed up to 12 hours of leave to
receive the vaccine. No more than 4 hours can be used for each dose, for up to 12
hours of leave in total which includes a booster. Proof of vaccination on the date
requested will be required for this leave to apply. Once proof of vaccination is
received HR will apply for the employee. Employees will not be required to take any
leave to receive the vaccine on campus, they will only have to ensure department coverage
and coordinate with their supervisor.
MILITARY LEAVE
Full-time employees who are members of a reserve component of the armed forces of
the United States or of the National Guard shall be granted leaves of absence from
their positions without loss of pay, time, sick leave, or annual leave when ordered
to active duty for field training or training authorized in lieu thereof when the
individual is given constructive credit for such training. Such leaves shall be for
periods not to exceed 15 working days in any calendar year, but an appointing authority
may grant an employee annual leave or leave without pay or both, in accordance with
other provisions of these leave regulations for such periods which exceed 15 working
days in any calendar year.
Full-time employees who are inducted or ordered to active duty to fulfill reserve
obligations or who are ordered to active duty in connection with reserve activities
for indefinite periods or for periods in excess of their annual field training shall
be ineligible for leave with pay.
Full-time employees on military leave (or special leave for war-connected service)
from institutions under the control of the University of Louisiana System shall be
re-employed by the institution at the beginning of the next semester (or quarter)
after the date on which the institution heads receive written notification that such
persons wish to return to their positions, provided that such notification shall be
given within 40 days after honorable discharge from the Armed Forces.
LEAVE FOR CIVIL AND NATIONAL SERVICE
Full-time employees shall be given time off without loss of pay or sick leave when:
LEAVE FOR PERSONAL EMERGENCIES
At the discretion of the President of the University, a full-time employee may be
granted leave with pay to attend to personal emergencies. Such time may be charged
against sick leave. The form to request Personal Emergency leave can be found on
the Human Resources webpage.
FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE
As per the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993, Southeastern will grant a
leave of absence to regular full-time and regular part-time employees (who meet the
requirements described below) for the care of a child after birth or adoption or placement
with the employee for foster care, for the care of a covered family member (spouse,
child, or parent) with a serious health condition, or in the event of an employee's
own serious condition. Employees may also utilize FMLA to care for a military member
injured in the line of duty or for a military member who has been notified of an impending
call or order to active duty in support of a contingency operation. A covered employee
is entitled to twelve weeks of leave in a "year." The State of Louisiana has designated
that all agencies use a "first usage" year. This 12-month period begins with an employee's
first usage of FMLA leave.
Employees must meet the following eligibility requirements:
Guidelines
Pursuant to federal regulations, the University can place an employee on FMLA leave
(paid or unpaid) even if the employee has not requested leave under FMLA. However,
the employer should always require the employee to use paid leave first. This is to
simplify problems with paying medical insurance premiums.
ACADEMICS
RESOURCES
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