Inside Iowa State

Jan. 13, 2006

New policy allows emergency leave carry-over

by Diana Pounds

Starting Jan. 1, 2006, employees who accrue sick leave may carry up to 40 hours of unused emergency leave over from the previous year. With the full 40-hour carryover from 2005, an employee potentially could use a maximum of 80 hours of emergency leave in 2006. (These figures apply to full-time employees; emergency leave is prorated for part-time employees.)

Emergency leave is intended for employees to use for the care and necessary attention of ill or injured members of their immediate families. Under the current policy, full-time employees have been allowed to use up to 5 days (40 hours) of emergency leave per calendar year, but they could not carry over unused emergency leave.

Emergency leave is charged to the employee's sick leave balance, but is not granted in excess of the employee's accrued leave.

For example, a full-time employee who used one day (8 hours) of emergency leave between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2005, and has an accrued sick leave balance of at least 32 hours will be able to carry over 32 hours of emergency leave. Between Jan. 1, 2006, and Dec. 31, 2006, that employee will have 72 hours of emergency leave to use, if necessary.

Soon, you will be able to view the number of hours that you have available for emergency leave on AccessPlus (under the vacation/sick leave section). On Jan, 10, you also will be able to view your vacation/sick leave history from August 2005 forward. Eventually you will be able to view 18 months of history.

Employees who accrue sick leave now may carry up to 40 hours of unused emergency leave over from the previous year.