UMGC Policy on Leave Reserve Fund

(Approved by USM BOR on April 21, 2017; UMGC President on July 1, 2017)

1. Purpose and Applicability

   The University System of Maryland (USM) maintains a USM Leave Reserve Fund (LRF) composed of unused Personal Time Off that provides paid time off to all Regular Status University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) Nonexempt, Exempt and Overseas Staff employees, working 50% FTE or more, who become temporarily medically disabled or are eligible for Parental Time Off and who meet qualifying criteria. Nonexempt Staff employees who are included in the representation of the collective bargaining unit are subject to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and the applicable UMGC HR policies; where there is a conflict between the two, the MOU will prevail.

2. Definitions

   1. LRF: The University System of Maryland Leave Reserve Fund (LRF) consists of Staff employees; Personal Time Off that is unused, thus lost for the employee, at the end of each calendar year.

   2. Temporary Medical Disability: A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more "major life activities" and the employee has a reasonable expectation of returning to work. The employee must have a record of such an impairment, or be regarded as having such an impairment.

   3. Creditable Service: Service time worked which is required for computing the amount of benefits.

   4. Parental Time Off: The eight (8) week period of assured paid time off available to Staff employees under VII-7.49-GC – UMGC Policy on Parental Time Off and Other Family Support.

3. General

   1. The employee, or someone on the employee's behalf, may submit to the UMGC CHRO a written request to use time off from the LRF, together with documentation that the employee has:

      1. Completed at least one (1) year of service with UMGC or USM;

      2. Met the requirements of this policy to establish:

         1. A temporary medical disability with reasonable expectation to return to work, which is authenticated by a licensed or certified medical provider in accordance with established time off authorization procedures or the UMGC appointed or State Medical Director; or

         2. Eligibility for Parental Time Off under VII-7.49-GC – UMGC Policy on Parental Time Off and Other Family Support.

      3. Exhausted all applicable and available earned Sick Time Off, Vacation Time Off, Personal Time Off, Compensatory Time Off, accumulated Holiday Time Off, and Advanced Sick Time Off (if eligible) and Extended Sick Time Off (if eligible and applicable); and

      4. A satisfactory record of Sick Time Off use and work performance.

   2. In addition, each request shall specify the number of days needed and justification for the number of days needed. The maximum number of days that may be requested from the LRF shall not exceed one (1) day for each month of creditable service, as defined by the Maryland State Retirement and Pensions Systems, up to the cap maximum established in the USM policy guidelines.

4. Approval of Leave Reserve Fund Request

   The UMGC CHRO or designee shall determine whether the requirements of this policy Section III) have been met, and, if so, shall approve the request for the use of the LRF Based upon the employee's justification for the request, the UMGC CHRO or designee may approve the number of days requested or may approve some lesser number of days. The UMGC CHRO shall forward the approved requests to the USM Office (USMO) CHRO.

5. Administration of the USM Leave Reserve Fund

   1. The USMO CHRO shall administer the LRF. Based on information submitted with the request, the USMO CHRO shall verify the employee's eligibility to use time off from the LRF and may return to the UMGC CHRO or designee any request of an employee whose eligibility the USMO CHRO deems questionable. The USMO CHRO shall accept the final determination of the UMGC CHRO or designee as to the employee's eligibility.

   2. Once the employee's eligibility has been established, the USMO CHRO shall determine the amount of time off to be granted to the employee based on guidelines established by the USM Chancellor. Such guidelines shall establish a cap on the number of days granted to any one (1) employee and may include other provisions designed to fairly distribute among eligible employees the days available in the LRF. Within these guidelines, the USMO CHRO shall transfer time off from the LRF to UMGC for the eligible employee.

   3. The USMO CHRO shall not transfer time off from the LRF to an employee after the effective date of the employee's disability retirement, granted by the Board of Trustees of the State Retirement System.

Implementation Procedures

The UMGC President has designated the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) to administer this policy; to develop procedures as necessary to implement this policy; to communicate this policy to the UMGC community; and to post the policy and any applicable procedures on the UMGC website.

Replacement for:

• USM BOR VII-7.11: Policy on Leave Reserve Fund for Regular Status Nonexempt and Exempt Staff Employees