Faculty Handbook 2020-2021

SUNY College of Optometry

Faculty Handbook 2020-21

Certain officers, delegates and committee members of the United University Professions are granted leaves for performance of specific duties. Article 11 of the UUP Agreement describes the circumstances under which employee organization leave may be taken. 6. Maternity Leave Maternity and child-care leaves are available to permanent, temporary, and provisional employees; however, such leaves do not extend employment beyond the point that it would otherwise have ended. Leave can be granted with or without pay prior to the medical disability at the discretion of the department and/or University. The twelve weeks of FMLA Leave is unpaid. However, employees may prefer to use appropriate leave credits, which will run concurrently (together) with FMLA Leave. Maternity leave covers the period of disability due to pregnancy and childbirth. Sick leave accruals may be used during pregnancy for the period of disability. The period of disability is generally defined to be four weeks prior to the anticipated due date (pregnancy), six weeks following childbirth. A disability period extended past the six weeks; needs a doctors’ certification notice addressed or faxed to the Human Resources Department’s attention. Once sick leave is exhausted other accruals can be used. Detailed medical documentation may be required for disability before and after the six weeks period. FMLA Child Care Leave may be charged to appropriate leave credits at the employee's option (not sick leave). Maternity leave may be followed by child-care leave without pay at the employee's request. An employee is entitled to a leave without pay of up to seven months from the date of delivery. Leaves without pay beyond that point are at the discretion of the department and/or University. Child-care leave is available to either parent. Where both are State employees, they may elect to split the seven-month leave into two separate blocks with each parent taking one block of leave, not to exceed a combined total of seven months of leave on a mandatory basis. Other arrangements, such as concurrent leaves, are at the University's discretion. Child-care leave is also available to adoptive parents in connection with the placement and adoption of a child. For more information refer to your bargaining unit contract located in the Human Resources/Affirmative Action Office. 7. Jury Duty Employees who are required to serve on a jury will receive their full salary during their absence, after providing appropriate documentation that such service was met. (See UUP Agreement.)

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