Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
The FMLA entitles eligible employees of covered employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons with continuation of group health insurance coverage under the same terms and conditions as if the employee had not taken leave. Eligible employees include full-time and part-time employees who have worked at the College for at least 12 months and who work as least 1,250 hours per year are eligible for an unpaid leave of absence for up to twelve weeks per year for a serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform his or her job functions. A serious health condition is one which requires either inpatient care in a hospital, hospice or residential medical care facility or continuing treatment by a health care provider.
Employees are required to use all available sick and vacation time as part of the twelve week leave. Any remaining porting of the twelve weeks will be taking without pay. Employees must give thirty days advance notice of the need for a leave when it is foreseeable; otherwise notice must be given as soon as practicable. Certification from a health care provider will be required.
The College will continue to provide insurance benefits for the full period of the approved medical leave. The employee must continue to pay the normal employee contribution for any of these benefits in order to continue coverage (contact the Benefits Administrator’s office for further details). Failure to do so may result in termination of benefits. The College reserves the right to recover the full premium cost of health care coverage for employees failing to return from a leave in accordance with the guidelines set forth in the Family & Medical Leave Act. Benefit accruals for vacation, sick leave and holiday pay will be suspended during any unpaid portion of the medical leave.
When an employee returns from an approved medical leave, the College will restore the employee to the position she or he held when the leave commenced or to an equivalent position with equivalent benefits. After twelve weeks, the College may fill the position on a permanent basis or hold the position open for the employee. Each situation will be reviewed on an individual basis.
Click here for information from the Department of Labor.
Family and Medical Leave Policy
The text of the College of Wooster’s policy is printed in the Handbook of Selected College Policies and on the Human Resources web page. The policy states the details of this benefit, as well as the conditions of eligibility. This law provides for up to twelve weeks of unpaid leave for the reasons listed below. It is requested that employees inform their supervisors of leave-qualifying absences.
It is also required that the College administration designate FMLA leave for individuals who are eligible but have not made a request for leave as soon as the circumstances are known. As stated in the policy, initial written notification must be made, as appropriate, to the department head or the Vice President, with a copy to the Department of Human Resources, to request FMLA leave for the following reasons (as defines in the policy):
- To give birth to a child or to care for that child,
- To care for a newly placed adopted or foster child (note: pregnancy is excluded from the one year of service eligibility requirement)
- To care for a spouse or same-sex domestic partner, child, or parent with a serious health condition,
- To undergo treatment of one’s own serious health condition, or
- For a qualifying military exigency (eligible for an additional fourteen weeks for a total of up to twenty-six weeks of unpaid leave)
How to submit a claim for FMLA leave
Contact Anthem Life, Disability, and Leave Management at 1-888-868-7046 to begin your FMLA request.
2023 to 2024 Holiday Schedule
In order to give advance notice of the 2023 -2024 holidays, we are pleased to announce the Holidays and Administrative Leave Days listed below. As in the past, certain departments may need to remain partially or fully open during some or all of these days; for example, classes at the College are in full session on Labor Day, and appropriate departments will remain open to serve our students. Otherwise, employees are encouraged to remain completely unplugged from work on the designated holidays and administrative leave days.
Fiscal 2023-2024 Holiday Schedule
- Juneteenth Holiday – Monday, June 19, 2023
- Independence Day Holiday – Tuesday, July 4, 2023
- Labor Day Holiday – Monday, September 4, 2023
- Thanksgiving Holiday – Thursday, November 23, 2023
- Thanksgiving Administrative Leave Day – Friday, November 24, 2023
- Christmas Administrative Leave Day – Friday, December 22, 2023
- Christmas Holiday – Monday, December 25, 2023
- Winter Administrative Leave Day – Tuesday, December 26, 2023
- Winter Administrative Leave Day – Wednesday, December 27, 2023
- Winter Administrative Leave Day – Thursday, December 28, 2023
- New Year’s Administrative Leave Day – Friday, December 29, 2023
- New Year’s Day Holiday – Monday, January 1, 2024
- Martin Luther King Day Holiday – Monday, January 15, 2024
- Memorial Day Holiday – Monday, May 27, 2024
- Juneteenth Holiday – Wednesday, June 19, 2024
- Floating Holidays – Three (3) (eligibility pro-rated based on the date of hire) to be used between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024
*must work a minimum of 1,000 annual hours
2022-2023 Winter Holiday Schedule
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 Christmas Administrative Leave Day | 23 |
| 24 | 25 Christmas Holiday | 26 Winter Administrative Leave Day | 27 Winter Administrative Leave Day | 28 Winter Administrative Leave Day | 29 New Year’s Administrative Leave Day | 30 |
| 31 | Jan 1 New Year’s Day Holiday | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
SPECIAL TIME REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS FOR All STAFF ARE FOUND ON THE REVERSE SIDE OF THIS MEMORANDUM.
Special Time Reporting Instructions for All Staff
All Staff eligible to receive holiday pay during the winter holiday break must report the appropriate “Holiday”, or “Administrative Leave” hours on their time records for the weeks containing such days unless they are required by the appropriate vice president to work on one or more of these days. The following procedures will apply to holiday-eligible staff members who are required to work on one or more of these days.
HOLIDAYS: Hourly Staff members required to work on an approved Holiday are to be paid their regular rate of pay for the hours worked plus holiday pay, unless they can be scheduled, with the supervisor’s approval, for an alternative day off as their holiday during the same two-week pay period in which the holiday falls. Time records must be clearly marked “Holiday” to receive holiday pay.
ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE DAYS: Hourly Staff members required to work on an approved Administrative Leave Day are to be paid their regular rate of pay for the hours worked plus Administrative Leave pay, unless they can be scheduled, with the supervisor’s approval, for an alternative day off as their Administrative Leave Day during the same two-week pay period in which the Administrative Leave Day falls. Time records must be clearly marked “Administrative Leave” to receive Administrative Leave pay.
Please note that hourly staff members who report and receive the appropriate type of holiday pay during these holiday periods are not entitled to take alternative days off with pay at a later date. Supervisors are responsible for monitoring the use and reporting of time. All offices must maintain an appropriate level of staffing during regular business hours. Supervisors and/or hourly staff members who have questions regarding the reporting of any holiday hours may contact the Payroll Office at payroll@wooster.edu.
Revised 05/17/2023
Long Term Disability
The Group Long Term Disability Insurance plan is administered by Lincoln Financial Group.
Benefits: Following 6 consecutive months of total disability and continuing until a limiting age, the plan provides a monthly income benefit (including benefits from Social Security and Workers’ Compensation) equivalent to 60% of covered monthly salary, up to a defined maximum. If an employee is eligible for TIAA Retirement Annuity contributions from the College on the date of disability, a monthly annuity premium benefit equal to 10% of covered monthly salary will be credited to the employee’s TIAA Retirement Annuity during the period disability benefits are received.
Eligibility: Faculty with half-time or more teaching contracts and staff scheduled to work 1,560 or more hours per year in a permanent position are eligible to enroll.
Enrollment: Employees are normally enrolled in the plan after one year of service. The one-year service requirement may be waived, however, if the employee provides evidence of coverage under a Long Term Disability Insurance plan through his/her immediate prior employer. If prior coverage is proven, coverage becomes effective the first of the month next following date of eligibility.
Costs: The College pays the full cost of the coverage.
Lincoln Financial Group Benefits
Lincoln LTD Claim Form
Lincoln Life Group LTD Certificate – Class 1
Lincoln Life Group LTD Certificate – Class 2
Parenting Leave
The College supports employees who have the dual concern of maintaining a balance between their work and family obligations through the provision of a Parental Leave policy. The purpose of parental leave is to provide a birth mother, father, domestic partner, foster, or adoptive parent with paid time off to recover from childbirth and/or to care for and bond with a newborn or newly adopted child.
Eligibility
An eligible employee is a faculty or staff member who becomes a new parent, has completed at least one year of service prior to the date parental leave is to begin, and is employed in a regular full-time position working at least 1820 hours annually (.875 FTE)
Plan Provisions
An employee who has or shares primary responsibility for the care of a newborn child or a newly-adopted child is eligible for six weeks of leave with normal pay and benefits during the first twelve weeks immediately following the birth or adoption.
Parental Leave may be used at one time or intermittently during the first 12 weeks immediately following the birth or adoption event.
Paid or unpaid time taken under this parental leave is credited against any available Family & Medical Leave Act leave time.
Applying for Parental Leave
Employees should give notice of the approximate time of desired leave to the immediate supervisor as soon as possible by submitting a written request for Parental Leave on the College’s Leave of Absence form.
Restrictions
If both parents are employed by the College, only one parental leave will be allowed per family. However, the parents may split the parental leave benefit of six weeks between them.
Leave benefits will be paid only for periods in which the employee would otherwise have worked.
Short Term Disability
The College’s self-insured Hourly Short Term Disability (HSTD) plan provides an income protection benefit for eligible employees on extended approved medical leaves due to serious personal illness or injury.
Who is eligible for the Hourly Short Term Disability plan?
Eligible employees are those who have worked at the College for at least 12 months, work at least 1,560 hours per year, and have applied and been approved for FMLA. The medical leave must have started on or after January 1, 2012. HSTD benefits are not available for employees whose leaves began prior to the effective date.
What benefits does HSTD provide?
After a 30-day elimination period, the College will provide a self-insured income protection benefit of 60% of pre-disability pay to eligible employees. The benefit may continue up to the 180th day of absence, at which time permanently and totally disabled employees may qualify for the Lincoln Financial Group Long Term Disability (LTD) plan. College contributions to the 403(b) Defined Contribution Retirement Account will continue as a percentage of the actual amount being paid as an HSTD benefit (not as a percentage of full regular pay). The maximum weekly benefit is $500.
How are HSTD benefits paid?
Benefits will be direct-deposited on regular pay dates.
Will any deductions be taken from the HSTD pay?
Yes, all regular payroll deductions will apply to HSTD pay. This includes federal, state, and local taxes and any garnishments. If enrolled, premium deductions for Health, Vision, Dental, FSA, Optional Life, Voluntary Accident & Dismemberment, and the 403(b) retirement plans will continue.
How do I apply for the HSTD benefit?
A written application is not required. HSTD benefits will automatically become payable to eligible employees on the 31st day of approved absence. Proof of disability and continuing disability will be required. The FMLA forms currently in use will be used as documentation of the need for HSTD. No benefits are payable for employees not approved for FMLA.
When do HSTD benefits end?
HSTD benefits are available from the 31st up to the 180th day of absence, provided that proof of continuing disability is received from your physician. HSTD pay will end the day your physician releases you to return to work.
What about Sick Leave and the Sick Leave Pool?
There are no changes to the Sick Leave and Sick Leave Pool policies. Employees are expected to accumulate sick leave to cover the first 30 days of extended absence due to personal illness or injury.
Does Sick Leave coordinate with HSTD?
Yes, eligible employees may use vacation and sick time to augment the HSTD benefit, but may not use it to receive more than 100% of pre-disability pay.
For additional information, please contact the Benefits Office at extension 2526.
Anthem STD SPD
Sick Leave
Paid Sick Leave Eligibility
College Staff who are scheduled to work at least 1,000 annual hours are eligible for Paid Sick Leave and accrue Paid Sick Leave at a rate of 1.83 days (or 14.67 hours) per month. Paid Sick Leave accrual begins to accumulate on an employee’s first day of employment.
Paid Sick Leave Accrual
Employees accrue Paid Sick Leave when they are in active pay status. Vacation, short periods of illness, and holidays are periods of time off when the employee is in active pay status. Paid Sick Leave is not accrued when an employee is on an unpaid leave of absence or long-term disability.
Accumulated sick leave is not payable to an employee upon layoff, termination, resignation, or retirement.
Paid Sick Leave Reporting
All employees must report the use of sick leave electronically. If illness precents an employee from reporting to work, their immediate supervisor must be notified as far as in advance as possible, and in no case later than one hour after the time an employee is scheduled to begin work.
When sick leave exceeds five consecutive workdays, employees are required to submit, through the College’s Third-Party administrator, a doctor’s statement to substantiate their illness and the associated inability to perform assigned responsibilities, unless the requirements is waived by the relevant department head or appropriate Vice President (Contact Anthem Life, Disability, and Leave Management at 1-888-868-7046 to begin your doctor’s statement request).
The total amount of time reported per week, including sick leave, should not exceed the regularly scheduled hours per week.
Use of Paid Sick Leave
Paid sick leave is to be used for personal absences resulting from personal illness, childbirth, or hospitalization. With prior arrangements with an employee’s supervisor, Paid Sick Leave may be used for medical appointments that must be scheduled during work hours.
Paid Sick Leave may also be used for absences from work to care for an immediate family member who is ill. For the purposes of Paid Sick Leave, an immediate family member is an employee’s child, spouse, or domestic partner, or parent as each are defined by the Family Medical Leave Act and related regulations.
Abuse of Paid Sick Leave privileges may be cause for corrective action, up to and including termination.
Please consult the Payroll Office Inside Page for more information about the Sick Leave Pool.
Vacation Policy
Full and part-time employees (at least 1000 annual hours) begin to earn vacation from the date of hire. The vacation year starts with the employee’s hire date. On-call and temporary employees do not earn vacation time. All employees record use of vacation time electronically.
Eligibility
College staff who are scheduled to work at least 1,000 annual hours are eligible for paid vacation time. Temporary employees do not earn vacation time.
Vacation Time Accrual
College staff begin to earn vacation from first date of employment. The vacation year starts with the employee’s first date of employment.
Full-time employees with vacation benefits accrue vacation time at a rate of 1.83 days (14.67 hours) per month – or 22 days (176 hours) per year – subject to a maximum accrual of 45 days (360 hours). Employees working less than 40 hours per week and at least 20 hours per week will accrue vacation time on a prorated basis.
Employees accrue vacation when they are in an active pay status. Vacation, short periods of illness, and holidays are periods of time off when the employee is in an active pay status. Vacation is not accrued when the employee is on an unpaid leave of absence or long-term disability.
All employees record their use of vacation time electronically.
Rollover
Unused vacation days will not be lost at the end of the College’s fiscal year but will roll forward annually until a maximum of 45 days is accumulated.
Retirement/Resignation
If an employee is unable to use all accumulated vacation days prior to the time of retirement or resignation from the College, any such unused vacation days will be paid in full to the employee.
Vacation, short periods of illness and holidays are periods of time off when the employee is considered to be in an active pay status. Vacation is not accrued when the employee is on an unpaid leave of absence or long-term disability.
Vacation Payout for Exempt and Non-Exempt Employees
Exempt employees are requested to provide notice of intended resignation at the earliest possible time, preferably no later than four weeks before leaving the College. Non exempt employees are requested to provide a minimum of a two-week notice.
Payout for non-exempt employees will occur on the pay date subsequent to the pay including the last day of work. For exempt employees, the payout will normally be made on the pay date subsequent to the pay including final salary.
Additional information can be found in The College of Wooster Staff Handbook.