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Civil Service Employees
Civil Service employees may be eligible to earn sick leave. Full time status employees, learners, and trainees earn leave while extra help and temporary civil service employees do not. Civil Service exempt employees and open range employees accrue one day per month. Part time employees earn sick leave pro-rated to their appointment percent. There is no limit to the amount of unused sick leave an employee may accumulate. Represented employees should consult their most recent collective bargaining agreement.
Employees may use their sick leave for personal medical and dental appointments and for illness or injury of themselves, their spouses, children and members of their immediate family living in their household. Immediate family includes parents, brothers, sisters, grandparents, grandchildren and corresponding in-laws. Sick leave may be used for illness and injuries for family members other than those in the household of employees when approved by the Director of Human Resources.
All Civil Service employees are granted 20 extended sick leave days per each fiscal year on July 1st. These days are available only for the employee and only for a major medical illness. Any unused days do not carry over from year to year.
Extended sick leave will be available for use on the sixth consecutive work day missed due to injury or illness for most employees, unless they are covered by a collective bargaining agreement. Represented employees need to review their union agreement to view the usage requirements.
Through the years, the university has made changes to sick leave benefits. Because of those changes, accrued balances of sick leave are referred to by the following types:
Sick leave earned before January 1, 1984 (pre – 1984)
Sick leave earned from January 1, 1984 until December 31, 1997,
Sick leave earned after January 1, 1998 to present (post 1997)
If employees are absent from work for extended periods of time, accrued and available sick leave will be used in the following order until each type of leave is exhausted before moving on to the next leave:
Sick leave earned before January 1, 1984 (pre – 1984) will be used first,
Sick leave earned after January 1, 1998 to present (post 1997) will be used next, and
Sick leave earned from January 1, 1984 until December 31, 1997 will be used last.
Extended sick leave rules may also apply. A Benefits staff employee will assist the employee and department in determining how to record the usage of sick time.
In accordance with Illinois Public Act 83-976, employees who terminate and have a sick leave balance of time accrued and unused from January 1, 1984 until December 31, 1997, shall be paid for one half the balance. This is the only sick leave payable upon termination or retirement.
Sick leave is not earned during periods of leave when an employee is not in pay status. While an employee is on a paid sick leave (or vacation leave) they do accrue leave.
Holidays recognized by the University will not be included in sick leave.
Sick leave will be transferred within the Southern Illinois University system only.
All records of annual and extended sick leave benefits shall be maintained by the department fiscal officer with annual reports calculated as of June 30th of each year forwarded to the Office of Human Resources. Administrative reports and instructions for departments can be found at the end of this section.
The University may refuse to pay sick leave pay if it is determined that the claim for sick leave is fraudulent based on authorized purposes. Sick leave abuse occurs when an employee uses sick leave for unauthorized purposes or misrepresents the actual reason for charging an absence to sick leave. Sick leave abuse may also occur when an employee establishes a pattern of sick leave over a period of time, such as the day before or after a holiday, on a Monday and/or Friday, after a payday, any one specific day, half-day, or a continued pattern of maintaining zero or near zero sick leave balances. The University reserves the right to require acceptable evidence of illness, injury, or disability before allowing any sick leave benefits. Employees who misuse sick leave may be subject to the University’s progressive disciplinary process which could lead to suspension or discharge.
If an employee needs to file for SURS disability, contact Benefits in the Office of Human Resources. Employees who have at least two years of SURS credit or have less than two years but have incurred a disability as the result of an accident, and may be off work longer than 60 calendar days, should file for disability benefits through the State Universities Retirement System. If an employee believes they will be off work longer than 60 days, the employee should contact the Benefits department who will mail the employee an Application for Disability. It is recommended employees start the process during the 60 days instead of waiting until they have reached 60 days off work. If an employee meets the criteria, they will be sent an Application for Disability. Once completed and returned to Benefits, the application will be forwarded to the State Universities Retirement System.
If an employee carries the optional Long Term Disability insurance and needs to file for disability benefits, contact Benefits in the Office of Human Resources. Per the Long Term Disability insurance, employees must be off work longer than 90 calendar days before they are eligible to file for disability benefits through this insurance. If an employee believes they will be off work longer than 90 days, the employee should contact the Benefits department who will mail an Application for Disability. It is recommended employees start the process during the 90 days instead of waiting until they have reached 90 days off work. Once the application is completed and returned to Benefits, the application will be forwarded to the Long Term Disability insurance carrier.
When an employee receives their last payroll check from the University, Benefits will send an Employer's Report of Disability notice to SURS. This provides SURS with the payroll information they need to process the disability claim.
SURS disability payments will be sent directly from SURS. Employees should expect to receive a check or electronic deposit from SURS after the following occur:
1) employees have been off longer than 60 calendar days and have exhausted all sick leave and any vacation leave they elected to use;
2) SURS has received the required documentation from the employee’s doctor and has determined the employee is eligible for benefits; and
3) SURS has received the Employer's Report of Disability from Benefits.
Vacation accrual rates vary by position and years of service.
Civil Service employees may be eligible to earn vacation leave. Full time status employees, learners, and trainees earn leave while extra help and temporary employees do not.
1) Vacation accrual balances are limited to two years of accrued and unused vacation leave time. The vacation accrual limit for any employee, is two year’s of their current vacation accrual. Vacation records are viewed on June 30 of each year to ensure that employees do not exceed this limitation. Excess vacation leave time is not carried forward and cannot be used.
(2) Vacation time accrues while an employee is using vacation leave. However, vacation leave is not accrued during periods of leave without pay or other non-pay status.
(3) Holidays recognized by the University will not be included in vacation leave.
(4) Vacation leave must be scheduled in advance with an employee’s department and will be at the discretion of the supervisor depending upon the operational needs of the department. Supervisors may allow employees to use vacation time if not previously scheduled. However, the University may have the right to cancel any pre-approved vacation request, especially in circumstances where staff shortages occur as a result of illness or your job is considered an essential service position. Departments must consult with the Office of Human Resources before canceling any pre-approved vacations. All employees must communicate with their supervisor before making any vacation plans
(5) University employees who transfer from one position to another within the university will carry forward their accrued and unused vacation balance within the approved limits.
(6) Employees who terminate will be paid at their normal rate, a lump sum of all applicable accrued and unused vacation leave within the approved limits. In the event of death, such payment will be payable to the estate of the deceased employee.
