Sick Leave Policy
- Responsible Oversight Executive: Vice President for Talent Management and Culture
- Date of Current Revision or Creation: JuneÌý30, 2025Ìý
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This policy authorizes paid sick leave to teaching and research faculty members and administrative and professional faculty.
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, grants authority to the Board of Visitors to make rules and policies concerning the institution. Section 7.01(a)(6) of the grants authority to the President to implement the policies and procedures of the Board relating to University operations.
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Administrative and Professional (A/P) Faculty - Employees who perform work directly related to the management of the educational and general activities of the institution, department or subdivision or whose professional positions serve the educational, research, athletic, medical, student affairs, and development functions or activities of the institution.Ìý
Immediate Family - Immediate family of an employee which includes parents, stepparents, spouse, domestic partner, children, stepchildren, foster children, legal ward, grandparents, siblings, stepsiblings, corresponding in-laws, and any relative, either by blood or marriage, living in the faculty member’s or A/P faculty member’s home.Ìý
Teaching and Research Faculty - Employees whose work assignments primarily involve instruction, research, and scholarly activities, and who hold academic rank/titles.Ìý
This policy applies to teaching and research faculty and administrative and professional (A/P) faculty.Ìý
It is the University’s policy to grant sick leave with pay to faculty members or administrative and professional faculty (A/P faculty) when this becomes necessary during the appointment period.
- Use of Sick Leave
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A faculty member or A/P faculty may use their sick leave, up to 10 days at a time, for an illness or death in their immediate families. Leave for this purpose may not exceed 10 days in a contract cycle for teaching and research faculty or the University’s fiscal year for A/P faculty.
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Teaching and Research Faculty or A/P Faculty may use sick leave with pay for the period of absence that is certified by a physician as medically necessary because of illness, health conditions, or for recuperation due to pregnancy or childbirth. Any absence before, during, and after delivery certified by the attending physician as medically necessary may be charged to sick leave. Any additional period of absence that the faculty member elects to take is not covered by sick leave. The provisions of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) apply to absences due to the birth of a child or the mother's health condition related to childbirth. FMLA specifies the conditions under which the University is required to allow eligible faculty and A/P faculty up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave (paid or unpaid) during a 12-month period for several listed reasons. Please see the Family and Medical Leave section for more specific information. All such leave should be requested in advance, or as soon as possible after an eligible need is known.
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If faculty miss instructional time due to illness, they should report this to the Department Chair. If possible, the Department Chair and/Dean, ideally with input from the faculty member, will hire replacements or assign work or teaching to others when a faculty member takes sick leave.
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Sick leave will continue until the person is able to resume his or her responsibilities but shall not exceed six months of sick leave during those months normally covered by contract for teaching and research faculty or the University’s fiscal year (June 10 through the following June 9) for A/P faculty.Ìý
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If a leave of absence without pay is granted after sick leave is exhausted, the position will be filled with a temporary appointment for the period of the leave.Ìý
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Faculty are required to inform their supervisor prior to or at the beginning of their workday that they will be out on sick leave. Faculty must follow departmental procedures regarding notice and approval when using sick leave. Medical appointments or other foreseeable medical issues shall be pre-scheduled as far in advance as possible and approved by the department supervisor. Use of accrued sick leave is subject to the Virginia Health Sciences Clinical Attendance policy.
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Extended absences (5 workdays or more) due to illness must be reported to the faculty member’s benefits specialist because of the requirements of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
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Verification. Sick leave is subject to verification. Faculty with a history of frequent and/or prolonged illness may be asked to provide a health care provider’s certification. Faculty must comply with a Talent Management and Culture request for verification of the need to use sick leave.Ìý
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Short-Term/Long-Term Disability. Paid sick leave under this policy does not provide a short-term or long-term disability benefit. Faculty are encouraged to purchase a voluntary disability policy, which is offered through the Division of Talent Management and Culture.
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Applicable records must be retained and then destroyed in accordance with the .Ìý
Senior Associate Vice President and CHRO for Talent Management and Culture
Policy History
Policy Formulation Committee (PFC) & Responsible Officer Approval to Proceed:
/s/ÌýKimberly Wilson
Responsible Officer Signature
June 30, 2025
Date
Policy Review Committee (PRC) Approval to Proceed:
/s/ÌýHeidi G. Smith
Chair, Policy Review Committee (PRC)
June 30, 2025
Date
Executive Policy Review Committee (EPRC) Approval to Proceed:
/s/ÌýSeptember Sanderlin
Responsible Oversight Executive
​​​​​​​July 01, 2025
Date
University Counsel Approval to Proceed:
/s/ÌýAllen T. Wilson
University Counsel
​​​​​​​June 30, 2025
Date
Presidential Approval:
/s/ÌýBrian O. Hemphill, Ph.D.
President
​​​​​​​June 30, 2025
Date
Policy Revision Dates: July 1, 2024;ÌýJune 30, 2025
Scheduled Review Date: June 30, 2030Ìý