Human Resources Policies

Requests for leaves of absence without pay up to 30 calendar days by qualified employees may be approved by the appropriate departmental administrator. Eligibility criteria should be considered with each request. If the request is for more than 30 calendar days, the appropriate administrator, after approving the request, shall forward it to Employee/Labor Relations, Human Resource Services, for processing in order to provide the employee with options on continuing benefits.

1. Requests for leaves of absence without pay for military duty and injuries in the line of duty are automatically approved. Leaves of absence due to a serious health condition, to care for a newborn child, to care for a family member with a serious health condition, or for the adoption or foster care of a child are covered under the Policy on Family and Medical Leave (VII- 7.50).
2. Unless otherwise agreed to by the employee and the Chief Executive Officer or designee, the approval of a leave of absence without pay assures the employee of return to the position held or to another equivalent position in the department in which the employee was granted the leave. Departments should consult with Employee/Labor Relations, Human Resource Services, prior to making such agreements. These agreements must be in writing and forwarded to Human Resource Services with the leave approval.
3. An employee returning from a leave of absence without pay must be reappointed to a regular position within three years after the start of the approved leave of absence in order to be considered reinstated. Employees who are reappointed after three years are considered to be reemployed and will not receive service considerations provided for reinstated employees. All reinstated or reemployed employees will serve an original probation except for those employees reinstated to the same or equivalent job classification or to a position previously held for which probation was successfully completed and in the same employing department.
4. An employee may be charged an unauthorized leave of absence without pay for absences that have not been approved. These absences may include, but are not limited to, taking annual, personal or holiday leave without proper approval; failure to follow proper notification procedures for scheduled or unscheduled use of sick leave; failure to provide proper medical certification upon return from scheduled or unscheduled leave for illness; absence without approval from the work area or late arrival or early departure from work without approval. Unauthorized absences may be cause for administrative/disciplinary action.
5. When an approved leave of absence without pay does not exceed 30 calendar days, it must be recorded on the employee's official timekeeping records as "UAPLV - Approved Leave." An unauthorized absence should be recorded as "UUNAB - Unauthorized Absence." If a leave of absence without pay exceeds 30 calendar days, the department must submit and Employee Action form to Service Center, Human Resource Services.

Questions regarding leave of absence without pay should be directed to Employee/Labor Relations, Human Resource Services. Questions regarding continuation of benefits for employees on approved leaves of absence should be directed to the Benefits, Human Resource Services.