Staff Personnel Manual (SPP)

Effective: 7/1/1978

Revised: 11/1/2002

SPP 705–01: Extended Leave of Absence

Purpose

To provide a procedure whereby an employee may request an extended leave of absence

Sources

Arizona Revised Statutes § 38–781

Arizona Board of Regents Policy Manual - 6–805

University policy

Applicability

Regular classified, service professional, and administrative employees

Policy

An employee may request an extended leave of absence. Leave may be used:

1. for personal reasons

   or

2. for additional leave after the 12 weeks of family leave per 12-month period (see SPP 705–02, “Family Leave”) has expired

   or

3. for medical reasons (if the employee is not eligible for family leave).

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Request for Leave

The employee must submit a written leave request to the supervisor stating the reason for the leave and the duration (dates) of the leave. A Request for Leave of Absence form is available. As soon as practical, but no later than two weeks before the end of the leave with or without pay, the employee must confirm with the supervisor a return-to-work date.

An eligible employee may use accrued sick and vacation leave (as specified in SPP 701–01, “Sick Leave—General Policy,” and SPP 702–01, “Vacation Leave—General Policy”) during the leave period. If neither is available, the leave will be without pay.

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Supervisor’s Approval

If the employee requests leave for medical reasons, he or she must provide a physician’s statement specifying the purpose and duration of the extended leave. If the employee has exhausted available medical leave under SPP 705–02, “Family Leave,” (12 weeks per 12-month period), the leave may be approved for up to an additional three-month period. Requests for leave beyond this three-month period will be considered by the supervisor and may be granted based on a case-by-case determination consistent with the provisions of federal and state law.

If leave is approved for personal (non-medical) reasons, the leave may be taken for up to 12 months’ duration.

In no instance will combined sick leave, family medical leave, extended leave, or any combination of paid or unpaid leaves be for more than 12 months.

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Benefits Status during Leave without Pay

An employee on leave without pay will not accrue sick and/or vacation leave. He or she may continue benefits coverage during the leave by prepaying both the employee’s and the employer’s portions of the insurance premium for the leave period.

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Retirement Contributions

An employee will not earn service credit or have retirement contributions paid by the university during a leave of absence without pay.

An employee in the Arizona State Retirement Plan (ASRP) may purchase service credit in an amount equal to the period of a leave of absence without pay if the leave is in the best interests of the university (i.e., the leave has significant relationship to the employee’s professional activities and is not for purely personal reasons). The employee must contact a representative of ASRP to apply for service credit purchase after returning to work from the leave.

Cross-References

For further information, see:

1. the Academic Affairs Policies and Procedures Manual— ACD 405, “Americans with Disabilities”
2. SPP 701–01, “Sick Leave—General Policy”
3. SPP 702–01, “Vacation Leave—General Policy”

   and

4. SPP 705–02, “Family Leave.”

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