Procedure 6.30.1: Voluntary Shared Leave Procedure

Definitions

  1. A qualified employee is any full-time Haywood Community College employee who:
    1. has a prolonged medical condition (or a member of the employee’s immediate family has a medical condition) that requires the employee’s absence for a prolonged period of time, and who
    2. has applied for or been nominated to become a recipient, and who
    3. has provided medical certification to support the need for the leave, and who
    4. has been approved by the President.
  1. A covered employee may be any otherwise eligible employee of Haywood Community College, other community colleges, public schools or State agencies.  
  1. Prolonged medical condition is an event which requires an employee to be absent from work for a time equal to or greater than twenty (20) work days. Exception may be made if an employee has had previous random absences for the same condition that has caused excessive absences, or if the employee had had a previous, but different, prolonged medical condition within the last twelve months. 
  1. Recipient is any employee or employee’s immediate family who is considered to be a covered employee.
  1. Donor is any employee who donates leave. 
  1. Immediate family member is:
    1. Spouse - husband or wife
    2. Parent - mother or father including biological, adoptive, step, In Loco Parentis, and in-law.
    3. Child – daughter or son including biological, adoptive, foster, step, In Loco Parentis, and in-law.
    4. Brother or sister including biological, adoptive, step, half, and in-law.
    5. Grand/great parent, child, step and in-law.
    6. Dependents – those living in the employee’s household. 
  1. Non-qualifying employees are those who are receiving benefits from the Disability Income Plan of North Carolina (DIPNC). Shared leave may be used during the waiting period and following the waiting period provided DIPNC benefits have not begun. The policy will not ordinarily apply to short-term or sporadic conditions or illnesses; examples would be short-term recurrences of chronic allergies or conditions; short-term absences due to contagious diseases; or short-term, recurring medical or therapeutic treatments. These examples are illustrative, not all inclusive. Each case must be examined and decided based on its conformity to policy intent and must be handled consistently and equitably.
  1. Period of use begins when all available sick, annual and bonus leave have been exhausted. While using voluntary shared leave, employee continues to earn leave. When accounting for leave, annual leave and sick leave should be exhausted prior to other leave statuses. 
  1. Immediate family member may contribute vacation, bonus or sick leave to another immediate family member in any agency, public school or community college.
  1. Non-family member may contribute vacation or bonus leave to any covered employee . A non-family donor may share leave with a coworker’s immediate family who is an employee in a public school or a community college; the employee and coworker must be in the same agency.

Application Procedure 

A prospective recipient may apply or be nominated by a fellow employee to participate in the Shared Leave program; application may be in the form of a letter or statement to the President or to the Human Resources Department. The request must include a description of the medical condition, the estimated duration of the illness, and in most cases a certification from a physician. 

After review of the current leave status and eligibility by the Coordinator of Human Resources, the request will be presented to the President for his approval.

Confidentiality

The Privacy Act requires that all medical information be kept strictly confidential. When disclosing information on an approved recipient, only a statement that the recipient has a prolonged medical condition may be made. If the recipient wishes to make the medical status public, they must sign a release to allow the status to be known. Information regarding individual cases will be maintained in confidential files.

Leave Contributions

Leave is to be donated strictly on a voluntary basis to a qualified recipient. Upon approval of Voluntary Shared Leave for a qualified recipient, donors may contribute as follows:

  • Minimum contribution is four (4) hours of annual, bonus or sick leave (if applicable)
  • Contributions may not reduce the annual and sick leave balances below forty (40) hours
  • Bonus leave may be donated without regard to limitations

In the event there is unused leave in excess of forty (40) hours, it will be returned to donor(s) on a prorated basis.

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