Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania

 

SPFPA - Frequently Asked Questions

Are temporary employees entitled to paid leave?

750 Hour Rule: Temporary employees are entitled to annual and sick leave only after working 750 hours by the end of the last full pay period in each leave calendar year. If the employee is absent before the 750 hours is earned, leave will be charged to either AO (Approved Absence without Pay) or SO (Sick Leave without Pay).

Temporary employees are not entitled to Personal Leave or Holiday Leave.

Are leave earnings retroactive to the appointment date once the 750 hours are earned?

Annual and Sick leave earnings are retroactive to the appointment date.

Are temporary employees entitled to Personal or Holiday Leave once the 750 hours are earned?

Temporary employees are not entitled to Personal Leave or Holiday Leave even after earning 750 hours.

Are employees eligible for Holiday Leave retroactively if they transfer to a permanent position?

Employees are not entitled to holidays prior to becoming permanent.

When would a new permanent employee be considered eligible to use paid leave?

• Annual leave: After 30 calendar days of service
• Sick leave: After 30 calendar days of service
• Personal leave: After working 150 hours in a calendar quarter

Are permanent employees permitted to anticipate leave usage?

Permanent employees with less than one year of service since their last date of hire may not anticipate leave.

Are employees permitted to carry annual leave into the next leave calendar year?

Employees may carry 45 days into the new leave calendar year.

What if an employee has annual leave in excess of 45 days?

The employee is permitted to carry unused annual leave in excess of 45 days into the first seven (7) pay periods of the next leave calendar year. Excess annual leave not used within the seven (7) pay periods will be converted to sick leave subject to the 300 day limitation on sick leave.

Are employees permitted to carry personal leave into the next leave calendar year?

Employees are permitted to carry unused personal leave into the first seven (7) pay periods of the next leave calendar year. Excess personal leave not used within the seven (7) pay periods will be lost.

Are employees permitted to carry sick leave earnings into the next leave calendar year?

Employees are permitted to carry sick leave into the next leave calendar year to a maximum of 300 days.

What is the procedure for requesting time off?

The employee must complete a "Request for Leave" slip indicating the date, time and type of leave they are requesting. The slip must be approved by their supervisor. The supervisor forwards the leave slip to the appropriate Time Administrator for processing. If an employee is off sick, the slip must be completed immediately upon return to work. Leave codes are listed on the reverse side of the leave slip.

What is the procedure for changing or cancelling leave?

The original leave slip should never be altered or destroyed. It must be sent to the Time Administrator and forwarded to Payroll. The employee must complete another Request for Leave slip. The top section of the slip must be completed using the same information designated. on the original slip. The change box in the "Remarks" section should be checked and the information regarding the change or cancellation should be noted in the space provided.

Is a physician's certificate necessary if an employee is off sick?

A physician's certificate is required for absences of three or more consecutive days. For absences less than three days, a certificate "may be required" if the Employer has reason to believe the employee has been abusing sick leave.

What happens if an employee becomes ill while off on annual or personal leave?

The employee may change annual or personal leave to sick leave as long as a physician's certificate is provided as proof.

Are employees eligible to use leave for medical and dental appointments?

Employees may use sick leave (S) for medical appointments.

Should the codes SM, AM or PM be used for routine medical or dental appointments?

No. Codes ending in "M" are specifically used for medical appointments in relation to Injury Leave. An employee must have an approved worker's compensation claim in order to use codes ending in "M".

Are employees entitled to paid leave if a family member becomes ill?

Employee's may use up to five days of sick family leave (SF) in each leave calendar year for immediate family. Immediate family is defined as husband, wife, child, stepchild, or parent of the employee or any other person qualifying as a dependent under IRS eligibility criteria.

Note: Sick family applies only to family members specified in the collective bargaining agreement. The family member should also be noted on the Request for Leave slip under the "Family Relationship" section.

What happens if a family member becomes ill while an employee is off on annual or personal leave?

The employee is required to use the leave originally requested. The time may not be changed to sick family leave.

Is an employee entitled to paid leave for bereavement?

An employee may use up to five days of sick bereavement (SB) for the death of a spouse, parent, step-parent, child, or stepchild and up to three days for the death of a brother, sister, grandparent, step-grandparent, grandchild, step-grandchild, son- or daughter-in-law, brother- or sister-in-law, parent-in-law, grandparent-in-law, aunt, uncle, or any relative residing in the employee's household.

Note: Sick bereavement applies only to family members specified in the collective bargaining agreement. The family member should also be noted on the Request for Leave slip under the "Family Relationship" section.

What rules specify the beginning and end of the leave calendar year?

The leave calendar year is defined as beginning with the employee's first full pay period commencing on or after January 1 and continuing through the end of the employee's pay period that includes December 31, i.e., January 7, 2006 through January 5, 2007

What are the eligibility requirements for earning holidays?

At the time of a holiday an employee must be in active pay status the last half of the employee's scheduled work day immediately prior to the holiday and the first half of the employee's scheduled work day immediately after the holiday. "Active pay status" means that you must either be working or using paid leave to compensate for hours not worked.

If the employee uses any type of leave without pay during the times noted above, the holiday will not be earned. This applies to major and minor holidays.

What happens if an employee is on sick leave, annual, or other paid leave when a holiday is observed?

The employee will receive holiday pay and the day will not be charged against sick, annual, or other paid leave.

What happens if an employee is off on leave and the university closes due to an emergency?

Employees on leave when a closing occurs shall be charged with the period of such leave.

Do employees receive leave if they are summoned by the Court for Jury Duty or court proceedings?

Employees may use civil leave (C) if they have not volunteered for jury duty but were called for jury duty or who are not a party in a civil or criminal court proceeding, but are subpoenaed as a witness to attend the court proceeding to fulfill their civic duty or serve in the interest of their employing university. However, request to appear for a secondary employer which is not a civil duty or serving in the interest of their employing university, shall not be granted civil leave and shall appear on their own time which may be charged to annual or personal leave. If leave is not available, leave without pay for such purpose will be granted.

Are employees eligible to receive payment from the court for serving as a juror or must the payment be returned?

Although paid leave by the university is provided, the employee is entitled to payments issued by the court if applicable.

When do new employees receive their first pay increase?

In accordance with the current SPFPA Master Agreement dated April 15, 2004 to August 31, 2007, the employee's first general pay increase is effective on January 1, 2007, in the amount of 3.5%.

Employees who have been employed continuously by the Commonwealth since January 31, 2006 will be eligible to receive a one step service increment effective on the first full pay period in January 2007.

When does shift differential apply and what is the rate?

Shift differential is paid when an employee works a full 7.5 hour or 8.0 hour work shift on a scheduled work day beginning before 6:00 a.m. or at or after 12:00 noon. The rate is $1.00 per hour.

The employee will also receive shift differential if they work overtime on a regularly scheduled day off as long as it is a full 7.5 or 8 hour work shift beginning before 6:00 a.m. or at or after 12:00 noon.

Shift differential applies only to actual hours worked and does not apply when an employee is off on leave or off due to a holiday.

When does call in time begin?

Call in time begins when the employees report to their assigned work site ready to work.

Does an employee receive call in time if the call in is immediately prior to their work shift?

If an employee is called in prior to a shift and it is less than three (3) hours, call in time does not apply. The employee will be paid for hours worked, not the 3 hour minimum to avoid duplication of hours.

What happens if an employee is called in to work on their scheduled holiday?

The employee will be compensated at one and one-half times the the employee's regular hourly rate of pay for all hours worked on the the holiday and will also receive paid time off for all hours worked on the holiday up to a full shift.

What happens if an employee is called in to work after commencement of a prescheduled vacation?

The employee will be compensated at one and one-half times their rate of pay for hours required to work and will also be permitted to reschedule their vacation day or days.

What happens if an employee does not use earned compensatory leave prior to the completion of 120 calendar days succeeding the date the overtime was worked?

The employee will be compensated at the appropriate rate of pay.