Our Lady of Lourdes Health Care Services, Inc.
Administrative and General Policy
POLICY NUMBER: / LHS AS0271PER
NURSING CODE:
PAGE NUMBER: / 1 of 5
TITLE: / LEAVE OF ABSENCE (NON-FMLA)

ACCOUNTABILITY:

Vice President, Human Resources

OBJECTIVES:

RELATION TO MISSION:

Our Lady of Lourdes Health Care Services, Inc., a Catholic Health System – a member of Catholic Health East – dedicated to its Franciscan tradition of serving all, will demonstrate the value of COMPASSION by providing a Leave of Absence process for educational or personal reasons (other than those absences covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act).

RELATION TO OPERATIONS:

To provide a Leave of Absence process for associates who need to take time off for reasons other than those covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act.

I. POLICY:

A Leave of Absence may be granted for personal reasons other than those provided for under the Family and Medical Leave Act.

II.ELIGIBILITY

All regular full and part time associates who have completed their provisional period and are not in a disciplinary process.

III.APPROVAL

The Leader has final approval for authorizing a Leave of Absence and Leave Extensions based on operational requirements of the department, the reason for the leave and satisfactory performance.

IV.TYPES OF LEAVES

Personal

Eligible associates may be granted a personal leave for thirty (30) days with the approval of their Leader. The maximum time granted for personal leaves will be ninety (90) days. All requests for leave must be presented in writing to the Leader explaining the reason(s) for the request. The Leader may post and fill the position after the first thirty (30) day leave based on departmental requirements. Extensions may be granted in increments of up to thirty (30) days. After ninety (90) days, the associate may be terminated and any subsequent employment would require rehire status.

Educational

Eligible associates may be granted an educational leave based on the length of their course of study with the approval of their Leader. The maximum length of leave will be one (1) semester or other standard length of the study period. All requests for educational leave must be presented in writing to the Leader and must include supplemental materials relating to the educational program including:

  • Proof of acceptance followed by proof of registration after the leave is approved; and
  • List of scheduled classes.

Associates on a leave of absence are not eligible for tuition reimbursement.

V.PROCEDURE -- LEAVE OF ABSENCEINITIATION

The associate must complete and submit a Request for Leave of Absence form to their Leader at least 30 days in advance of the expected leave date. Upon approval of the leave request:

  • The associate is responsible for submitting the approved Request for Leave of Absence form to the Disability and Leave Specialist. It is the associate’s responsibility to ensure all documents are complete and submitted to their Leader and the Disability and Leave Specialist in a timely manner. Falsification of any request, certification or other document may be grounds for termination.
  • At LMCBC, the Disability and Leave Specialist is responsible for submitting a Change form to the Human Resource Generalist (HRG) indicating leave date and estimated return to work.
  • At OLLMC, the Leader is responsible for submitting a Change Form to their Human Resource Generalist (HRG) indicating leave date and estimated return to work.

V.DURING LEAVE OF ABSENCE

  1. Associates may utilize any accrued Paid Personal Leave (PPL) or Extended Sick Leave (ESL) for any part of their requested leave time in accordance with the provisions of those policies.
  • PPL/ESL (non-subsidy) payments are indicated by the Leader on the regular time record.
  • PPL/ESL payments subsidizing temporary disability payments are not indicated by the Leader. The subsidy form must be completed by the associate and provided to the Disability & Leave Specialist for payroll coordination.

.

  1. Requests for leave extensions must be addressed to the Leader in writing, at least two weeks prior to the original return to work date. There is no obligation to grant the original leave request nor requests for extensions of a leave. The Leader is responsible for submitting a Change Form to their Human Resources Generalist indicating extension of leave and estimated return to work.

3.During the first thirty (30) days, the benefit costs will be the same as an active associate’s cost. After thirty (30) days, the associate will pay the full cost of coverage. Regular employee premiums will be deducted from any PPL/ESL used by the associate. In the absence of PPL/ESL, the associate must send the appropriate premium to the Disability and Leave Specialist in Human Resources. Failure to pay premiums will result in cancellation of coverage.

4.Unless the associate notifies otherwise, payroll deductions for Tax Sheltered Annuities, Long Term Disability, Supplemental Life insurance, Credit Union and other similar deductions will continue if the associate elects to utilize PPL during their leave.

5.There will be no accrual of PPL/ESL, benefits during an associate’s leave.

6.If the associate elects not to continue benefit coverage during their leave, they may reenroll upon their return to work, provided they return in a benefits eligible status and complete and submit the appropriate enrollment forms within thirty-one (31) days of their return.

VI.RETURN/NOT RETURN FROM LEAVE OF ABSENCE

  1. Upon return from a leave of thirty (30) days or less, the associate will return to his/her prior position. For leaves of greater than thirty (30) days, an attempt will be made to return the associate to his/her prior position or an equivalent position with equivalent pay, benefits and other terms and conditions of employment. Associates who are not able to return to work at the end of their leave period may be terminated.
  1. If the leave was due to associate illness, the associate is responsible for submitting a physician’s note to their Leader and the Disability and Leave Specialist indicating the date of availability for full duty return to work.
  1. At LMCBC, the Disability and Leave Specialist is responsible for submitting a change form to the HRG indicating return to work or employment termination is the associate is not returning to work.
  1. At OLLMC, the Leader is responsible for submitting a change form to the HRG indicating return to work or employment termination is the associate is not returning to work. The HRG forwards to the Disability and Leave Specialist for continued processing.
  1. Our Lady of Lourdes Health Care Services, Inc., is not obligated to reinstate any associate whose position is eliminated for any reason during his/her leave.
  1. For all leaves exceeding thirty (30) days, the anniversary date and annual review date will be changed by the number of days of leave

7.Our Lady of Lourdes Health Care Services, Inc. reserves the right to recover health insurance premiums paid on an associate’s behalf during the leave period if the associate fails to return from leave for any reason except the death of the associate or the elimination of the associate’s position.

APPROVED BY:

Alexander J. Hatala, President and Chief Executive Officer

ORIGINAL & REVISION DATE(s): / 03/22/00, 03/01/03, 03/10/04, 06/27/07
NEW EFFECTIVE DATE: / 06/30/10
REQUIRES REAUTHORIZATION IN: / 06/30/13

LHS AS0271PER Leave of Absence (non-FMLA)

NOTE: ANY PRINTED COPY OF THIS POLICY IS ONLY AS CURRENT AS OF THE DATE IT WAS PRINTED; IT MAY NOT REFLECT SUBSEQUENT REVISIONS. REFER TO THE ON-LINE VERSION FOR THE MOST CURRENT POLICY. USE OF THIS DOCUMENT IS LIMITED TO LOURDES HEALTH SYSTEM STAFF ONLY. IT IS NOT TO BE COPIED OR DISTRIBUTED OUTSIDE THE INSTITUTION WITHOUT ADMINISTRATIVE PERMISSION.

OUR LADY OF LOURDES HEALTH CARE SERVICES, INC.PRINTED ON: 10/21/18