Sick Leave
Policy Statement
Cape Fear Community College provides eligible employees with paid sick leave.
Procedure
Sick Leave Credits – Sick leave credits are provided for regular full-time and temporary full-time employees who are in pay status for one-half or more of the regularly scheduled workdays and holidays in a pay period. Sick leave is earned at the rate of 8 hours per month for regular full-time employees. Nine- and ten-month employees do not earn sick leave credit outside of their contract period.
Vacation leave in excess of 240 hours on December 31 of each year is converted to sick leave.
Advancement
For unpaid leave (leave without pay) and/or leave advancement, such requests must be approved by the President prior to the leave occurring. All requests for unpaid leave (leave without pay) and/or leave advancement must be submitted via the College’s electronic approval system.
The College may advance sick leave not to exceed the amount an employee can accumulate during the employee’s current contract. If an employee requires time away from work that is not covered by available sick leave or other paid leave, the unpaid leave taken will be reconciled and the employee’s paycheck reduced accordingly on a pro rata basis or as otherwise required under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Should an employee leave the College’s employment for any reason, sick leave will be prorated on a monthly basis. Any sick leave used in excess of what the employee actually earned will be deducted from his/her paycheck.
NOTICE: If an employee’s need for sick leave is foreseeable, the employee must provide his or her supervisor with at least five-(5) business days advance notice of the reason for the leave before the leave is to begin. If five (5) business days’ notice is not practicable because of a change in circumstances or a medical emergency, notice may be provided as soon as practicable (normally within one (1) or two (2) business days of learning of the need for sick leave). The employee must make this notification personally unless physically or mentally incapable, and in this instance, the employee’s representative must make the notice in a timely manner.
If an employee’s need for sick leave is not foreseeable, notification must be made to the employee’s supervisor of the reason for the absence as early as possible. If leave is not foreseeable, notification should be made no later than thirty (30) minutes before the beginning of the scheduled shift/workday. The employee must make this notification personally unless physically or mentally incapable, and in this instance, the notice must be made by the employee’s representative in a timely manner.
Verification
To avoid the abuse of sick leave privileges and in instances where an employee may have a demonstrated pattern of frequent absences, the College may require a medical certification/note from a medical provider/physician or other acceptable proof that confirms the employee was unable to work due to personal illness, family illness or death in the family. The verification requirement is at the discretion of the supervisor in consultation with Human Resources.
For any absence of three (3) or more consecutive workdays, the employee may be asked to obtain and present a Certification of Health Care Provider or other acceptable medical certification from his or her health care provider or the health care provider of his or her immediate family member attesting to the illness, injury, or medical condition for which sick leave is being taken. For any absence of ten (10) or more consecutive workdays due to an illness, injury, or medical condition for which leave may be taken under this policy, an employee is required without further notice to obtain and present the appropriate medical certification. Presentation of a medical certification by the employee, if required pursuant to this policy, is a condition to the employee’s leave being authorized. Please visit section 5.51 for information on FMLA Leave.
Return to Work Certification
The College may require a return to work certification from an employee’s health care provider before being allowed to return to work following an absence for a medical condition for which sick leave (or other leave) is taken. If a return to work certification is required, it must be provided to Human Resources prior to returning to work. The return to work certification is a condition of the employee’s restoration to employment.
Use of Sick Leave
Sick leave may be used for illness or injury which prevents an employee from performing usual duties, including the actual period of temporary disability connected with pregnancy or recovery there from. Sick leave may not be used for purposes other than prescribed by this policy.
Sick leave may also be requested for:
1. Medical appointments
2. Illness of a member of the employee’s immediate family (For this purpose, immediate family includes a spouse, parent, son or daughter, as defined in the College’s Family and Medical Leave Policy, and also includes step relationships. Sick leave may also be taken for the illness of other dependents living in the employee’s household).
Death of an employee’s immediate family member (For this purpose, immediate family is defined as spouse, parents, children, brother, sister, grandparents, and grandchildren. Also included are the step, half, and in-law relationships). Three days of sick leave can be taken in the event of the death of an employee’s immediate family member (as listed previously). If more than 3 days are required, additional sick leave may be requested by contacting Human Resources. Additional sick leave requests will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Sick Leave Transferable
Full-time CFCC personnel who were previously employed by another North Carolina agency covered under the provisions of North Carolina General Statute 135 may transfer to CFCC any unused sick leave earned at the other agency. Employees terminating employment at CFCC may transfer unused sick leave to the new employing agency in accordance with the agency’s policies and procedures.
Separation
Sick leave is not allowable in terminal leave payments when an employee separates from State service. It may be exhausted prior to participation in the Disability Income Plan.
Leave Charges
Sick leave shall be taken and charged in units of time appropriate and consistent with the responsibility of managing absences in keeping with operational needs. Sick leave will be deducted in full hour units, i.e., a full hour for any part of an hour overdrawn.
Eight (8) hours of sick leave must be deducted for each full-time day missed by any full-time regular or time-limited full-time employee. Employees and supervisors are responsible for ensuring proper sick leave hours are reported in accordance with this policy in the College’s timekeeping system.
Reinstatement of Sick Leave
Sick leave shall be reinstated when an employee returns from authorized leave without pay or when reinstated within five years from any type of separation. Sick leave may be reinstated when an employee accepts employment at the College within five years after separating from an eligible state agency.
Retirement Credits
Unused sick leave is considered creditable service in the NC Retirement System.
One month of creditable service credit is allowed for each 20 days of sick leave, or any portion thereof. For more information and limitations to creditable service from sick leave, please contact Human Resources. The unused sick leave balance is a component of the calculation for an employees’ final retirement benefit.
When Sick Leave is Exhausted
Once sick leave has been exhausted, an employee must use earned vacation leave for any absence due to a medical condition covered by this policy. Any additional days away from work after sick leave and earned vacation leave have been exhausted will be without pay. Please visit section 5.51 for information on FMLA Leave and/or sections 5.42 and 5.43 for information on leave without pay and/or leave advancement.
Leave Records
The College will maintain annual records for sick leave for each employee. Records may be viewed by employees on the College’s time and leave tracking system.
