April 12, 2005

STAFF (601F)

Updated 2/09

KANSAS ATHLETICS STAFF: VACATION AND SICK LEAVE

Kansas Athletics grants vacation leave to eligible employees as an opportunity for each individual to have a time for relaxation and recreation away from the job. The Payroll Coordinator is responsible for maintaining records of vacation entitlement.

I. VACATION LEAVE

A. Non-Exempt Employees

Vacations are generally granted at times and in amounts requested by an employee. However, each supervisor has the authority to determine the number of employees within each classification and work unit who may be on vacation at any given time in order to maintain a legitimate business operation. A benefits eligible employee is entitled to vacation with pay earned, credited and accumulated as shown by the table below:

Years of Continuous Service	Monthly employees	Maximum accumulation
Under 5 years	8 hours per pay period	144 hours (18 working days)
5 years and Less than 10 years	10 hours per pay period	176 hours (22 working days)
10 years and Less than 15 years	12 hours per pay period	208 hours (26 working days)
15 years And over	14 hours per pay period	240 hours (30 working days)

A new monthly non-exempt employee is entitled to earn vacation credit from the first month of employment. Vacation leave cannot be granted until after it has been accrued.

The accrual rate is determined on the basis of hours worked in each pay period as described in the following table:

VACATION LEAVE EARNINGS SCHEDULE FOR NON-EXEMPT EMPLOYEES

Hours Earned Per Pay Period Based on Length of Service
Hours Worked Per Pay Period*	0-5 yrs.	5-10 yrs.	10-15 yrs.	Over 15
0- 19	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00
20- 39	1.00	1.25	1.50	1.70
40- 59	2.00	2.50	3.00	3.50
60- 79	3.00	3.75	4.50	5.25
80- 99	4.00	5.00	6.00	7.00
100-119	5.00	6.25	7.50	8.75
120-139	6.00	7.50	9.00	10.50
140-159	7.00	8.75	10.50	12.25
160-	8.00	10.00	12.00	14.00

*Overtime worked and additional payment for holidays worked are not counted in determining vacation leave earned.

Maximum Accumulations

Non-exempt employees may accumulate the following maximum hours of annual leave: less than 5 years is 144 hours; 5 to 10 years is 176 hours; 10 to 15 years is 208 hours; 15 years or over is 240 hours .
Upon termination or resignation, non-exempt employees will be paid all unused annual leave.

B. Exempt Employees

Exempt employees are entitled to vacation leave with pay as follows (based on full-time service). Vacation leave for exempt employees on less than full-time appointment shall be reduced proportionately.

Vacation days accumulate at the rate of two days per month from the date of initial appointment.
Vacation days accumulate at the rate of two days per month with a maximum of twenty-two (22) days in any fiscal year.
Vacation days accumulate on the regular basis during the time a person is on leave with pay, but leave does not accumulate during the time an employee is on leave without pay.
Employees may accumulate a maximum of thirty-eight (38) working days of vacation leave.
Before taking vacation leave with pay, an employee must receive prior approval from the employee’s immediate supervisor.
A maximum of 22 days (176 hours) will be paid to an employee upon termination or retirement.

II. SICK LEAVE

Sick leave is granted an employee for the necessary absence from duty because of personal or family illness, including pregnancy and recovery therefrom, adoption, initial placement of foster child, injury or legal quarantine.

Employee’s family shall be limited to: persons related to the employee by blood, marriage or adoption and minors residing in the employee’s residence as a result of court proceedings. Leave is also granted for the employee’s or his/her family’s personal appointments with a physician, dentist or other licensed health practitioner.

A. Notification and Use

Employees requesting sick leave must notify their supervisor as soon as possible. Sick leave, like vacation leave, cannot be granted until after it has been accrued. An employee may use vacation leave in lieu of sick leave but may not use sick leave for vacations.

Excessive use of sick leave that seriously affects productivity may result in disciplinary action.

A department head may require an employee to furnish medical certification to verify necessary absence from work for PERSONAL illness or illness involving a member of the employee’s FAMILY for absences of more than five days. The employee must notify his/her supervisor when calling in to use sick leave. The Director of Human Resources should be notified for absences of more than five days.
An employee who is chronically or habitually absent due to illness IS required to furnish a medical certification that verifies not only illness but also incapacitation that prevents the employee from performing his/her job. In addition, an employee under such procedure is required to furnish medical certification to verify necessary absence (sick leave) due to illness of a member of the employee’s family. Sporadic or unpredictable absences not covered by medical certification will not be tolerated.
Adequate time (five working days) should be allowed for an employee to furnish medical certification. An exception to this would be the case where an employee was absent due to illness for more than five consecutive days. In such cases, medical certification is required to authorize the employee to return to work.
If a physician’s statement required by the department head is not submitted within established time limits, the absence may be charged to leave without pay (unexcused).

The Payroll Coordinator shall maintain records on accumulated and used sick leave. Use of sick leave shall be reported monthly on the employee’s time sheet. Sick leave balances are reported on the employee’s pay stub. Discrepancies should be reported to the Payroll Coordinator.

A former employee who had unused sick leave at the time of separation from Kansas Athletics and who returns to Kansas Athletics employment in a permanent position within one year shall have the unused sick leave reinstated. This provision does not apply to persons who have retired from Kansas Athletics.

B. Retirement

An employee who is retiring (and is at least 55 years old) shall be paid for unused accumulated sick leave according to the following schedule of service:

Years of Service	Accumulated Sick Leave	Days Paid
8 years or more	100 days or more	30 days
15 years or more	125 days or more	45 days
25 years or more	150 days or more	60 days

This compensation will be paid and included in the last paycheck and will be subject to normal withholding.

C. Non-Exempt Employees

Accrual is based on hours worked in each pay period as noted on the table below:

SICK LEAVE EARNING SCHEDULE FOR NON-EXEMPT EMPLOYEES

Hours Paid Per Pay Period*		Sick Hours Earned Per Pay Period
0- 19		0.00
20- 39		1.00
40- 59		2.00
60- 79		3.00
80- 99		4.00
100-119		5.00
120-139		6.00
140-159		7.00
160-		8.00

*Overtime worked and additional payment for holidays worked are not counted in determining sick leave earned.

Eight (8) hours of sick leave are earned for each pay period (on payroll at least 160 hours in the pay period). Sick leave is accumulated on an unlimited basis.

D. Exempt Employees

Exempt employees accrue sick leave in the amount of 8 hours per pay period. Sick leave is accumulated on an unlimited basis and paid out at retirement according to the chart listed in Section II.B above.

III. SHARED LEAVE

Shared leave may be granted to a benefits eligible Kansas Athletics employee if the employee or his/her family member is experiencing a serious, extreme or life-threatening illness or impairment or physical or mental condition which has caused, or is likely to cause, the employee to take leave without pay.

The definition of “family member” includes persons related by blood, marriage, adoption or court placed minors.

A. Eligibility to Apply

A Kansas Athletics employee is eligible to apply for Shared Leave if:

the employee has exhausted all paid leave available for use including vacation leave, sick leave, and compensatory time credits;
the employee has six (6) months continuous service;
the employee has a satisfactory attendance record as determined by the immediate supervisor in consultation with the Director of Human Resources; and
the employee is a non-state employee.

Steps to receiving shared leave time:

Submit a written request to the Director of Human Resources stating the reason(s) for requesting the leave, including the name(s) of family member(s), if applicable; sign and date the letter.
Attach a signed statement from a physician stating the nature of the illness.
The Director of Human Resources will review requests within one (1) work week of the request providing all pertinent information is provided.
Requests will be approved or disapproved by the Director of Human Resources in consultation with the immediate supervisor.
If approved, the Director of Human Resources will notify Kansas Athletics staff of the number of hours needed by the employee and request donors. The employee’s name will not be released. Potential donors should submit a written and signed statement to the Director of Human Resource indicating their willingness to donate leave to the person approved for the shared leave and the amount of hours to be donated.

B. Eligibility requirements for donors

A benefits eligible Kansas Athletics employee shall be eligible to donate vacation or sick leave to another Kansas Athletics employee if:

The donation of vacation leave does not cause the accumulated vacation leave balance of the donating employee to be less than 80 hours;
The donation of sick leave does not cause the accumulated sick leave balance of the donating employee to be less than 480 hours; and
The employee must be an Athletics paid employee.

Donors should review their vacation and sick leave status as it relates to retirement benefits prior to making a donation.

No employee shall be coerced, threatened, intimidated, or financially induced to donate shared leave. Any effort to improperly induce such donations should be reported to the Director of Human Resources.

Leave cannot be transferred to any employee other than the employee for whom the leave was approved. All earned leave acquired by an employee who has been approved for shared leave will be utilized prior to utilization of the donated shared leave.

Kansas Athletics State employees must utilize the University Shared Leave Program and can only donate leave time to other State employees.

IV. Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

As further defined below, Kansas Athletics provides “eligible” employees with a job-protected leave of absence from active employment for certain family or medical reasons, and/or certain military family reasons.

Eligible Employees: Employees eligible for family and medical leave and/or military family leave (“FMLA”) are those who: (a) have been employed by Kansas Athletics for at least twelve (12) months, although the twelve (12) months need not be consecutive; and (b) have worked at least 1,250 hours during the twelve (12) month period preceding the date the leave commences.

A. FMLA Leave: An eligible employee may take up to a maximum of twelve (12) weeks of FMLA leave in a rolling 12-month period looking backward from the date of the leave relating to any one or a combination of the following reasons:

For the birth of the employee’s child and to care for the employee’s child after birth, or for the placement of a child with the employee for adoption or foster care and to care for the child thereafter.
Leave for the birth or placement of a child for adoption or foster care must be taken within twelve (12) months from the date of the birth or placement, and leave taken for these reasons must be taken in one continuous period (i.e., not on an intermittent basis).
Where two eligible spouses both work for Kansas Athletics, Kansas Athletics may require them to use a combined total of twelve (12) weeks between them. The proportion by which the spouses share the combined twelve (12) week period would be determined by the spouses.
To care for the employee’s spouse, child, or parent, who has a serious health condition.
Because of the employee’s own serious health condition, including but not limited to the employee’s own pregnancy, or a qualifying work-related illness or injury, which makes the employee unable to perform his/her job.
For any “qualifying exigency” arising out of the fact that the employees spouse, son or daughter (of any age), or parent is on active duty or call to active duty status in support of a contingency operation as a member of the National Guard or Reserves.
Kansas Athletics uses the definition of “qualifying exigency” set forth in the applicable federal regulations, but in summary, a “qualifying exigency” must fall into at least one of the following 8 categories:

“Short Notice Deployment.” An eligible employee will receive up to seven (7) days’ leave for a short notice deployment (i.e. when the covered military member receives notice of an impending call or order to active duty with seven or fewer calendar days’ notice before the deployment date);
To attend certain military events and related activities;
To address childcare and school activities related to the call to duty or call to active duty status;
To make financial and legal arrangements related to the call to active duty or call to active duty status;
To attend counseling for the covered military member or a qualifying family member, which counseling must be provided by someone OTHER THAN a health care provider for the employee himself or herself, and further provided the need for counseling relates to the call to active duty or call to active duty status;
To be absent for up to five (5) days per instance to spend time with a covered military member for short-term, temporary rest and recuperation leave during a period of deployment;
To attend certain post-deployment activities (generally within 90 days of the termination of the military member’s active duty status); or to address issues that arise from a covered military member’s death while on active duty status;
To pursue other activities related to the call to active duty or call to active duty status Kansas Athletics and the employee mutually agree i) qualify as exigencies; and ii) about which Kansas Athletics and the employee agree on the leave’s timing and duration.

B. Military Caregiver Leave: An eligible employee who is the spouse, son, daughter, parent or next of kin of a “covered servicemember” in the regular armed forces, the National Guard or Reserves who is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy, or is otherwise in outpatient status, or is otherwise on the temporary disability retired list, for a serious injury or illness relating to that covered servicemember’s covered service, may take up to a maximum of twenty-six (26) weeks of “Military Caregiver Leave” in a single 12-month period starting on the first day the eligible employee takes such Military Caregiver leave, and ending twelve (12) months later, to care for the servicemember.

When two eligible spouses both work for Kansas Athletics, Kansas Athletics may require them to use a combined total of twenty-six (26) weeks between them to take Military Caregiver Leave. The proportion by which the spouses share the combined twenty-six (26) week period would be determined by the spouses.

C. Length or Amount of Leave:

An eligible employee under Section A above may receive a maximum total of twelve (12) weeks of FMLA leave within a rolling twelve (12) month period (i.e., the immediately preceding 365-day period looking backward from the date of commencement of the leave). When it is apparent to Kansas Athletics that a leave qualifies for FMLA leave, it will be counted as FMLA and will be deducted from an eligible employee’s 12-week leave period. In the case of a mutually-agreed “qualifying exigency” that is not specifically provided for under categories 1-8 of the qualifying exigency section above, all such mutually-agreed leave will be counted as FMLA and will be deducted from an eligible employee’s 12-week leave period
An eligible employee under Section B above may receive a maximum total of twenty-six (26) weeks of Military Caregiver Leave under the FMLA in a single twelve (12) month period starting on the first day the eligible employee takes such Military Caregiver leave, and ending twelve (12) months later. Where it is apparent to Kansas Athletics that a leave qualifies as Military Caregiver Leave, it will be counted as FMLA and will be deducted from an eligible employee’s 26-week Military Caregiver Leave period.
Any absence or leave of absence that qualifies for leave under the FMLA that also qualifies for leave (with or without pay) under other Kansas Athletics Policies (e.g., short-term disability leave, long-term disability leave, workers’ compensation leave, vacation time), will be counted as FMLA leave, and will be deducted from an employee’s leave allotment under this policy and the FMLA.
An employee who fails to return to work immediately following expiration of the authorized leave period, or who remains on leave for more than the applicable FMLA allotment, may be subject to termination under Kansas Athletics regular attendance and/or leave of absence policies.

D. Employee’s Notification To Kansas Athletics:

Any employee needing FMLA leave must follow Kansas Athletics (and/or the employee’s Department’s) usual and customary call-in procedures, absent unusual circumstances that prevent the employee from doing so. When no unusual circumstances justify such a failure, FMLA protection for the absence may be delayed or denied.
Merely calling in “sick” without providing more information is not sufficient to trigger FMLA coverage for that absence, and such an absence may be subject to Kansas Athletics regular attendance and absenteeism policies and guidelines.
Employees are obligated to respond to Kansas Athletics questions designed to determine whether a particular absence is potentially FMLA-qualifying. Failure to respond to Kansas Athletics reasonable inquiries regarding a leave request may result in denial of that request if Kansas Athletics cannot determine whether the leave is FMLA-qualifying.
When the need for leave is foreseeable at least 30 days in advance, an employee who expects or anticipates taking leave provided under this Policy must notify Kansas Athletics of the date of the commencement and the expected duration of the leave at least thirty (30) days in advance of the leave. If the need for leave is foreseeable but with less than 30 days’ notice to the employee, the employee must notify Kansas Athletics of the need for the leave as soon as is practicable. Upon written request by Kansas Athletics, the employee shall explain why the 30 days’ notice is/was not practicable. In cases where the need for leave is foreseeable, an employee’s failure to provide such advance notice may result in denial or postponement of the leave.
An employee requesting foreseeable leave under this policy should submit a completed “Request for a Leave of Absence” form to the Director of Human Resources. Forms are available through the Director of Human Resources.
When leave is not foreseeable, the employee is still required to meet the regular call-in procedures, absent unusual circumstances that prevent the employee from doing so. In the event of such unusual circumstances, the employee is required to provide notice of the absence as soon as possible under those unusual circumstances. Failure to give notice of the need for leave as soon as possible may result in a denial or postponement of the leave.
When an employee seeks leave for a recurrence of an FMLA-qualifying reason for which Kansas Athletics has previously approved FMLA-protected leave, the employee must specifically reference the qualifying reason for the leave, or the need for “FMLA” leave, by name. If the employee has been previously certified for more than one FMLA-qualifying reason, the employee must inform the Director of Human Resources for which qualifying reason the particular leave is needed. Failure to provide such necessary information and/or to respond to Kansas Athletics inquiries to gather such necessary information may result in denial of FMLA protection if Kansas Athletics is unable to determine the FMLA’s applicability to the particular absence.
Employees who anticipate the possibility of taking family or medical or military family leave, or who have any questions about the application of this policy to their particular situation, are encouraged to contact the Director of Human Resources.

E. Obligation of Honesty and Good Faith:

As with all dealings between employees and Kansas Athletics, employees are expected to provide truthful information to Kansas Athletics at all times. An employee who intentionally misrepresents facts or otherwise fraudulently obtains or continues leave under this Policy will be subject to corrective action, up to termination.

F. Certification:

If an employee takes a leave of absence because of the serious health condition of the employee or the employee’s covered family member, or for Military Caregiver Leave, or for a qualified exigency relating to a covered military member’s active duty or call to active duty status, or for the birth or placement of the associate’s child, Kansas Athletics requires the employee to submit to the Director of Human Resources a written certification demonstrating the need for the leave. The certification required will depend on the reason for the requested leave. The employee must provide this certification within fifteen (15) calendar days of receipt of Kansas Athletics request. Failure to provide such certification timely may result in a denial or delay of leave, and may subject the employee to discipline and termination for excessive absenteeism under Kansas Athletics attendance policies.
If an employee takes a leave of absence because of the serious health condition of the employee or the employee’s covered family member (other than Military Caregiver Leave), Kansas Athletics reserves the right to require a second (and possibly a third) opinion from another health care provider (at Kansas Athletics’ expense) certifying the serious health condition of the employee or the employee’s covered family member.
For leaves taken because of the employee’s own serious health condition, or the serious health condition of a covered family member, Kansas Athletics reserves the right to require periodic re-certification under appropriate circumstances.
If an employee seeks leave because of a qualifying exigency that involves meeting with a third party, the Director of Human Resources may contact the individual or entity with whom the employee is meeting for purposes of verifying a meeting or appointment schedule and the nature of the meeting between the employee and the specified individual or entity. The Director of Human Resources may contact an appropriate unit of the Department of Defense to request verification that a covered military member is on active duty or call to active duty status.
During the employee’s leave, Kansas Athletics may also periodically inquire of the employee, or the employee may be required to periodically report to Kansas Athletics, as to the employee’s intent to return to work and the expected return to work date.
Return to Work Certification. As a condition of restoring an employee whose leave was occasioned by the employee’s own serious health condition, Kansas Athletics requires all employees who take such leave to obtain and present certification to the Director of Human Resources from the employee’s health care provider that the employee is able to resume work. The employee has the same obligations to participate and cooperate (including providing a complete and sufficient certification or providing sufficient authorization to the health care provider to provide the information directly to Kansas Athletics) in the fitness-for-duty certification process as in the initial certification or recertification processes.
The certification from the employee’s health care provider must certify that the employee is able to resume work. Kansas Athletics requires that the certification specifically address the employee’s ability to perform the essential functions of the employee’s job. Kansas Athletics will provide an employee with a job description of the employee’s job to be used for this purpose. The employee’s health care provider must certify that the employee can perform the identified essential functions of his or her job. The cost of the certification (and any time or travel costs spent securing the certification) are the employee’s responsibilities. Kansas Athletics may delay the employee’s restoration to employment until an employee submits an authentic and sufficient fitness-for-duty certification.
It is the employee’s responsibility either to furnish a complete and sufficient certification or to furnish the health care provider providing the certification with any necessary authorization from the employee or the employee’s family member for the health care provider to release a complete and sufficient certification to Kansas Athletics to support the employee’s FMLA request. This requirement applies in any case where Kansas Athletics requests a certification, whether it is the initial certification, a recertification, a second or third opinion, or a fitness for duty certificate, including any clarifications necessary to determine if such certifications are authentic and sufficient.

G. Benefits:

During FMLA leave, Kansas Athletics shall maintain the employee’s health coverage under any group health plan on the same terms as if the employee had continued to work. The employee will remain personally responsible for paying the employee’s portion of the insurance premium.

Use of FMLA leave cannot result in the loss of any employment benefit that accrued prior to the start of an employee’s leave.

H. Paid Benefits During Leave:

During a family or medical or military family leave provided under this policy, an employee will be required to use accrued paid leave benefits in the following order: sick leave, discretionary and holiday leave, and vacation leave. In addition, employees will receive their earned paid leave, and the leave will also be considered protected FMLA leave and counted against the employee’s FMLA leave allotment. Any remaining leave under this Policy will be unpaid. In no event, however, will an employee receive more than the FMLA allotment available (generally twelve (12) weeks of FMLA leave in a rolling 12-month period, or in the case of Military Caregiver Leave, 26 weeks in a single 12-month period looking forward, starting on the first day the eligible employee takes such Military Caregiver leave).
In the case of the birth or placement of a child by adoption or foster care, when the employee is not giving birth (i.e. time used for “baby bonding”), the employee will not be permitted to take sick leave and instead will be required to exhaust all earned vacation leave before the remainder of the leave becomes unpaid. Where an eligible employee is giving birth, the portion of the leave attributable to the pregnancy and/or birth, as distinguished from baby bonding time, is treated as the employee’s own serious health condition, and pay is administered as described in the sections regarding the employee’s own serious health condition above. Additional baby bonding time off (if any) taken by the birthing mother will then be treated as outlined in this paragraph.
Once paid benefits are exhausted, unless the absence relates to the employee’s own work-related serious health condition, and therefore may qualify for workers’ compensation benefits, the leave will be unpaid.
In the case of an employee’s own serious health condition that is job-related, any qualification period that must be exhausted before the employee qualifies for worker’s compensation will be deducted first from the employee’s earned sick, then discretionary or holiday, and then vacation leave (if any), in that order. The employee will next receive any workers’ compensation benefits for which the employee qualifies. When Kansas Athletics and the employee agree to do so, the employee may use a portion of accrued unused sick, then vacation leave (if any) in that order to make up the difference between worker’s compensation benefits and the employee’s regular base pay at the percentage necessary to make the employee “whole.” In no event may an employee receive more than his/her regular base pay through this supplemental use of sick or vacation leave. If no sick or vacation leave is available or is exhausted, the employee will receive only the worker’s compensation benefits (if any) for which the employee qualifies under applicable worker’s compensation statutes. If the leave continues beyond that which is compensated by workers’ compensation benefits, deduction from any earned sick then vacation leave(if any), in that order, will resume until all earned sick then vacation leave is exhausted. If worker’s compensation, sick and vacation leave are exhausted before the FMLA leave is exhausted, the leave becomes unpaid. If the absence continues beyond the twelve (12) week FMLA period, the employee may continue to receive workers’ compensation benefits, but the FMLA leave will be exhausted as of twelve (12) weeks.
Whether intermittent or continuous leave, qualifying absences attributable to the serious health condition of the employee’s covered family member, or for the qualifying exigency arising out of the covered military member’s being called to active duty or active duty status, or for Military Caregiver Leave, will be deducted from any earned sick (to the extent available under Kansas Athletics’ sick leave policy for the reason occasioning the absence) then vacation leave (if any). After earned unused sick and vacation leave is exhausted, the leave will be unpaid.
All absences that qualify as FMLA leave will count against an employee’s twelve- (12) or twenty-six- (26) week allotment (whichever is applicable), whether or not the employee is concurrently eligible for and receives pay through another source (such as disability, workers’ compensation, sick, or vacation leave) during part or all of his/her FMLA-qualifying absence.
During the leave, an employee will accrue additional sick and vacation leave during any paid portion of the leave, but the employee will not accrue additional sick and vacation leave during any unpaid portion of the leave.

I. Intermittent or Reduced-Schedule Leave:

Leave taken because of the employee’s or a covered family member’s serious health condition, or for Military Caregiver Leave, may be taken on an intermittent or reduced-schedule basis when medically necessary. When the intermittent leave is needed for planned medical treatment, the employee must make a reasonable effort to schedule the treatment so as not to disrupt unduly Kansas Athletics’ operations. If an employee seeks leave on an intermittent or reduced-schedule basis, the employee will be required to submit a medical certification, as discussed above, which includes specific certification from the health care provider that the intermittent or reduced-schedule leave is medically necessary, and the likely duration and frequency of the episodes of incapacity necessitating the intermittent leave.
When the intermittent leave is needed for planned medical treatment, Kansas Athletics may require an employee taking intermittent or reduced-schedule leave to transfer temporarily to an alternative available position for which the employee is qualified, with the same pay and benefits, or may temporarily modify the employee’s current position, to better accommodate the employee’s intermittent periods of leave.
Leave taken because of a “qualifying exigency” arising out of the fact that the employee’s spouse, son, daughter, or parent is on active duty or has been notified of an impending call or order to active duty in support of a contingency operation as a member of the National Guard or Reserves, may be taken intermittently, so long as the employee has provided appropriate notice and certification, as discussed above.

J. Compliance with Instructions and Restrictions:

While on leave for the employee’s own serious health condition, the employee is required to comply with any instructions given by the employee’s health care professional and/or any restrictions placed on the employee’s activities, and not to perform activities inconsistent with those instructions or restrictions. Engaging in activities inconsistent with any restrictions or instructions from the health care provider may result in denial of the leave and/or discipline up to and including termination of employment.
While on leave, the employee is prohibited from performing services for Kansas Athletics, including but not limited to, checking and/or responding to voice mail and e-mail.

K. Job Restoration:

Upon return from family or medical leave within the time allotted and upon providing any release to return to work required in accordance with this policy (see the Certification section of this Policy, above), the employee generally will be returned to the same or an equivalent position with no loss of pay or benefits that accrued prior to the leave of absence. Kansas Athletics may, however, deny job restoration to an employee if s/he can no longer perform the job, with or without reasonable accommodation; or if his/her job or position would otherwise have been eliminated; or if the employee would have been terminated if the employee had remained actively at work. Employees on approved leave status other than military leave (including FMLA leave) are subject to reduction in force the same as all other employees, based on the same (non-leave-related) criteria applied to all other employees.
Additionally, under certain circumstances, certain “key employees” (defined as salaried, exempt employees who are among the highest paid ten (10) percent of Kansas Athletics’ employees) may not be eligible to be restored to the same or an equivalent job at the conclusion of their leave. If applicable, Kansas Athletics will notify such employees of their “key employee” status and the conditions under which job restoration may be denied.
To allow Kansas Athletics to make adequate scheduling arrangements and have work available for the employee upon returning to work, the employee must give at least 48 hours advance notice of his/her intent to return to work. Before being returned to work, an employee who is on a leave of absence as a result of his or her own serious health condition must also submit to the Director of Human Resources a health care provider’s written certification that the employee is able to return to work (see the Certification section of this Policy, above). Failure to provide such certification may result in the delay or postponement of the employee’s return to work and/or the assessment of unauthorized absence(s).
An employee who does not return to work at the end of an authorized leave period or after exhausting his/her allotment under this policy and the FMLA may be subject to termination.

L. Non-Discrimination:

Kansas Athletics does not discriminate against employees or prospective employees who use FMLA leave or who exercise their rights under the FMLA. Additionally, Kansas Athletics does not consider the taking of FMLA leave to be a negative factor when making any employment decision, including but not limited to hiring, evaluation, promotion, demotion, transfer, selection for position elimination or Reduction in Force, or disciplinary action.

V. Military Leave

A Kansas Athletics employee (not temporary, emergency, or intermittent appointment) who is a member of a reserve component of the military service of the United States or with the State or National Guard may be granted leave with pay for the purpose of attending annual active duty for training with such component for a period or periods not to exceed a total of twelve (12) working days in any one calendar year. Additional paid leave may be granted if the Governor declares a State Emergency. Such leave will not be counted towards the employee’s annual vacation. Any active duty for training purposes in excess of twelve (12) working days in a calendar year shall be charged to military leave without pay or, at the employee’s request, to accrued vacation leave.

Military leave is leave without pay for employees who are called or are otherwise commissioned into active duty in the Armed Forces. Upon return from military leave, an employee is entitled to be restored to a position equivalent in pay and status to the one held when the leave was granted. In order to be reinstated, the employee must notify the Athletic Director of his/her intent to return to work within 90 days of the release from active duty.

VI. Funeral Leave

Full-time benefits eligible employees may be granted funeral leave with pay upon the death of a close relative. Factors of relationships and necessary travel time will be considered in determining the proper amount of time that will be granted, but in no case will the time exceed six (6) working days. The supervisor and the Human Resource Director will act upon requests for funeral leave.

VII. Jury Duty/Court Appearance

Full-time benefits eligible employees shall be granted leave with pay for required jury duty and for a required appearance before, and at the direction of, the Kansas Commission on Civil Rights, the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or a court. An employee is not entitled to leave with pay when the employee is called as a witness on the employee’s own behalf in an action in which the employee is a party.

Leave with pay may be granted to a full-time benefits eligible employee for an appearance before a court, a legislative committee or other public body, if the granting of leave with pay is in the best interest of Kansas Athletics

If summoned or subpoenaed, an employee should notify his/her supervisor as far in advance of the date of required appearance as possible but in no event later than the next working day after receiving the summons or subpoena. Whether or not with pay, leave will be granted for any required appearance.

VIII. Leave of Absence (Non-medical)

Kansas Athletics may grant employees extended leaves of absence without pay under certain circumstances. Employees may be granted a leave of absence to attend to personal, professional or educational matters in cases in which Kansas Athletics determines that an extended period of time away from the job will be in the best interest of the employee and the employer. Requests for a leave of absence should be submitted to the supervisor at least thirty (30) days in advance, or if the need for leave was unforeseen the employee should give as much notice as is practical. The supervisors and/or the Athletics Director or Associate Director of the work unit will either approve or deny the request based on the merits of the request and notify the Human Resource Director. Employees on approved leave of absence may not perform work for any other employer during the period of that leave. Employees who fail to return at the conclusion of a leave of absence or fail to request an extension will be considered to have voluntarily terminated employment.