Procedures for UMGC Policy on Time Off for Subpoenaed Witnesses and Expert Witnesses

1. Documentation Requirements

   Subpoenaed Witnesses

   1. An employee who is summoned to appear as a witness in a court action, not including a party to the action nor a paid expert witness, shall notify his/her immediate supervisor of having been summoned to appear in a court action. Upon request, the employee shall provide the summons to his/her immediate supervisor, unless prohibited by law.

   2. The immediate supervisor should obtain and forward a copy of the summons to the Office of Human Resources to be kept in the employee’s personnel file.

2. Return to Work

   In the event that an employee is notified that he/she is no longer required to appear as a witness in court, the employee is expected to report to work for his/her regularly scheduled shift. If the employee finishes testifying or is dismissed from testifying prior to the end of his/her regularly scheduled shift, the employee must contact his/her immediate supervisor to determine if it is necessary for the employee to return to work for the remainder of the shift.

3. Time Keeping

   1. If an employee, who is not a party to the court action nor a paid expert witness, is subpoenaed to testify as a witness, the employee is required to submit a time off request in Workday as Subpoenaed Witness Paid Time Off. A copy of the court documentation is necessary to approve paid time off as a Subpoenaed Witness.

   2. If an employee is testifying as an Expert Witness or is party to the court action, the employee may request to take Vacation Time Off or Personal Time Off, if available, in Workday. If an employee does not have sufficient accrued time off to cover the absence, the employee may submit a request for Approved Time Off - Unpaid in Workday. The Office of Human Resources, Employee Relations will review the request for Approved Time Off - Unpaid, and work with the employee’s immediate supervisor to ensure that the requested time off does not cause an undue hardship based on business needs for the department or unit. The Office of Human Resources, Employee Relations will approve the request for Time Off – Unpaid unless honoring such a request would create an undue hardship based on information gathered from the immediate supervisor.

See Policy VII-7.22-GC: UMGC Policy on Time Off for Subpoenaed Witnesses and Expert Witnesses

See all Human Resources Policies and Procedures