Wake Forest University recognizes the need for employees to take time away from work and provides resources to assist them during their absences. Managers are responsible for approving requests for leaves, indicated below, in a manner that balances the operational and service needs of the department with the time-off preferences and needs of the employees.

Paid Time Off (PTO)-Staff

The University maintains a Paid Time Off (PTO) Program for the purpose of providing staff employees with the opportunity to take time away from work without loss of compensation. The PTO Program is an inclusive time off program intended for use in connection with vacations, short-term injuries and illnesses (non-work related) of five (5) days or less, personal business, family care, and other needs which may require time off from work. The PTO Program combines vacation, sick, and personal leave, and must serve all these purposes.

All full-time and part-time staff employees regularly scheduled (budgeted) to work 1000 hours or more per year are eligible for PTO. Staff employees who are scheduled (budgeted) to work less than 1000 hours per year are not eligible for PTO.

The University will maintain a PTO account for each eligible non-exempt staff employee and provide an interactive PTO Annual Leave Record Form for exempt employees, to track the beginning balance, current balance, accruals, and usage on a calendar year basis. Managers are responsible for maintaining an auditable record of PTO accrual and usage by exempt staff employees.

Upon separation from University employment, a staff employee who has successfully completed six months (180 days) or more of continuous service shall be paid for any PTO earned but not taken, up to the PTO payout limits noted below, except in cases where the separating staff employee has failed to give proper notice of resignation. Exempt staff employees are expected to provide four weeks (20 working days) notice of resignation and non-exempt staff employees are expected to provide two weeks (10 working days) notice.

The PTO Policy does not include holiday pay.

For additional information see: Paid Time Off

For additional information on Faculty leaves, see Faculty Handbook.

Administrative Leave

Administrative leave is an excused absence, administratively authorized, without loss of pay and without charge to paid time off (PTO) leave. Administrative leave is not considered work time; therefore, such time is not counted when computing overtime.

Common examples are:

• To vote on Presidential Election Days (up to one hour);
• Tutoring and mentoring in school programs approved by the University
• When the University announces a delayed opening or closure due to inclement weather (See HRPPM Section X-13, Inclement Weather and Other Unusual Conditions) . Facilities and Campus Services employees are guided by the “Essential Employee” policy published by Facilities and Campus Services.

For additional information see: Administrative Leave and Release Time

Bereavement Leave

All staff employees who are regularly scheduled (budgeted) to work 1000 or more hours a year are eligible for bereavement leave.

Following the death of an employee’s “immediate family member”, the employee can take up to three days off with pay. “Immediate family member” means an employee’s parent, spouse, child or grandchild (including a step- or adopted child or grandchild), sibling (including a step or half-sibling), grandparent, father-in-law or mother-in-law. A “qualified domestic partner” as defined in the Domestic Partner Benefits Policy, is considered an “immediate family member” of an employee, as are the children and parents of such domestic partner. Normally, the time off is available only in the week following the death. However, employees with legal responsibility for settling the estate of the deceased immediate family member may use part of the three days for this purpose at a later time.

An employee can take one day off with pay to attend the funeral of a relative outside the immediate family.

Employees granted additional time off to attend out-of-town funerals may designate the additional time off as Paid Time Off (PTO) or leave without pay as approved by the appropriate supervisor.

For additional information see: Bereavement Leave Policy

Civil Leave

All staff employees who are regularly scheduled (budgeted) to work 1000 or more hours a year are eligible for non-job related civil leave. All staff employees are eligible for job related civil leave.

Leave with pay is provided to employees when serving on a jury or when subpoenaed as a “fact witness”. A “fact witness” is a witness whose appearance at the proceeding is sought in order that the testimony of facts in dispute or essential to the proceedings and within the knowledge of the witness may be presented. A “character witness” or an “expert witness” is not a “fact witness”. It is the responsibility of the employee to inform the supervisor in a timely manner as to when the duty is scheduled and the expected duration.

An employee who serves on a jury is entitled to leave with pay and may retain any fees received for jury duty. The employee should report back to work as soon as jury duty is completed, and must report back to work the day following completion of the duty.

When a second shift employee serves on a jury, the employee will not be required to work on the day that jury duty occurs. When a third shift employee serves on a jury, the employee will not be required to work the third shift that begins on the day prior to the day that jury duty occurs. This applies to all employees, regardless of the length of the shift.

When an employee is subpoenaed or directed by proper authority to appear as a witness, the employee must use paid leave (Paid Time Off ) or leave without pay, and may retain any fees received.

Leave with pay is provided to an employee to attend court or a job-related proceeding in connection with official job duties.

For additional information see: Civil Leave Policy

Short Term Disability-Staff

Short-Term: The purpose of short term disability is to protect the incomes of regular staff employees during periods of prolonged (more than 5 consecutive workdays) illness or injury that is not work related by providing salary continuation at 60% of base pay. All regular full-time staff employees (budgeted to work 1400 or more hours per year) who have completed at least one year of regular full-time employment prior to an absence covered by this policy are eligible for short term disability.

Once a staff employee has determined that he/she will be out of work beyond the 5 days to be covered by paid time off (PTO), sick leave from a sick leave reserve (SLR) account, or leave without pay, he/she should immediately contact the Human Resources Department (Absence Management) and complete a Request for Short Term Disability (Salary Continuation) form. Doctors’ certification will be required prior to approval of short term disability.

If a temporary replacement is hired during short term disability, the cost of salary for the replacement will be paid from a centralized “short term disability account.” The Human Resources Department will be responsible to coordinate such salary payments with the employing department or office and the Budget Office.

The staff employee is responsible for informing the University of his/her return to work status.
A basic principle of any disability plan is to return the person to active employment as quickly as possible, and to provide a level of salary remuneration that will encourage a return to a full schedule. An employee may be placed on a light duty restriction or an abbreviated schedule by his or her physician.

For additional information see: Short Term Disability

Long Term Disability-Faculty and Staff

Long-Term: In order to protect employees against severe financial hardship, the University insures employee income against loss through a Long Term Disability (LTD) Plan. The LTD Plan provides eligible employees with a benefit equivalent to 60% of their pre-disability earnings, not to exceed a benefit of $10,000 per month.

Benefits start as of the first day of the month following the end of the 6-month elimination period. In order for an employee to ensure the timely receipt of benefits from the insurance carrier, documentation should be filed approximately 45 days prior to the scheduled commencement of the insurance benefit.

To better serve you and make the most of your time, please schedule an appointment with a Benefits Counselor at 336.758.4700.

Family and Medical Leave (FMLA)-Faculty and Staff

Employees are eligible for unpaid Family and Medical Leave (paid leave may be substituted for unpaid leave depending on the specific circumstances of the absence in accordance with University policies) during a twelve month period, measured forward, if the employee has:

1. worked for Wake Forest University for at least 12 months generally during the seven years period immediately preceding the start of the leave and
2. worked for Wake Forest University at least 1250 hours during the past 12 month period immediately preceding the start of the leave.

An eligible employee may take up to 12 weeks of Family and Medical Leave (FML) for any of the reasons listed below.

1. The employee’s own serious health condition prevents him or her from performing one or more of the essential functions of his or her job.
2. To care for a parent, spouse or child with a serious health condition.
3. To care for the employee’s child after birth, or placement for adoption or foster care in the employee’s home, providing the leave is taken within 12 months of the child’s introduction to the family.

Because of any qualifying exigency (as defined by federal regulation) arising out of the fact that the spouse, or a son, daughter, or parent of the employee is on active duty (or has been notified of an impending call, order to active duty or deployed to a foreign country) in the Armed Forces, as a full-time member or member of a reserve component, in support of a contingency operation. This leave applies only to families of members of the National Guard, reserves and certain retired members of the military, not to families of active members of the regular armed services.

An eligible employee may take up to 26 weeks of leave during a single 12-month period to care for a covered service member, including a veteran, when the employee is the spouse, son, daughter, parent or next of kin of the covered servicemember.

The duration of FML and whether it is paid or unpaid, depends on the employee’s individual situation. Employees will be required to use any accrued Sick Leave Reserve (if applicable and authorized) and Paid Time Off (minus ten days of PTO if the employee wishes to retain it) before being placed on unpaid leave, if eligible for PTO. All paid leaves run concurrently (including Workers’ Compensation Leave, Short Term Disability, and Paid Parental Leave) and do not extend the time the employee is entitled to under the FMLA. During paid leave, staff employees will continue to accrue PTO. During any unpaid leave, staff employees will not accrue PTO.

Employees returning from leave for a serious health condition must provide the appropriate supervisor with a certificate from a health care provider documenting the employee’s ability to perform the essential functions of the employee’s job.

Employees returning from leave will be reinstated to the same or equivalent position, with equivalent pay, benefits, and other terms and conditions of employment. Failure to return to work in a timely fashion may result in termination of employment. This does not apply if the employee’s job would have otherwise been terminated ( i.e., a reduction in force) had the
employee not taken FML.

An eligible employee will be required to submit an appropriate and properly completed Certificate to support the requested Family and Medical Leave.

• Request for Family Medical Leave
• Medical Certification Form

For additional information see: Family Medical Leave

To better serve you and make the most of your time, please schedule an appointment with a Benefits Counselor at 336.758.4700.

Holidays

University employees observe the following holidays:

• New Year’s Day
• Martin Luther King’s Birthday / Human Rights Day
• Good Friday
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving (Two Days)
• Winter Holiday (Minimum of Five Days)

For additional information see: Holidays and Holiday Premium Pay

Leave Without Pay

Leave without pay may be granted to an employee for various reasons including family and medical leave, extended educational purposes, illness, personal reasons, or parental leave. At the end of the approved leave, the employee is reinstated to his/her prior position, or one of like status and pay.

Except for situations covered by the University’s family and medical leave policy, the decision to grant leave without pay is made within the sole discretion of appropriate University management. Factors that may be considered in deciding whether to approve a written request include the employee’s need for the leave, the employee’s workload, the University’s need to fill the employee’s job, the likelihood of the employee returning to work, and any other factor the University may deem relevant.

Leave without pay may be initially approved for up to three months. The period may be extended in three-month increments, not to exceed a total of 12 consecutive months. An employee must exhaust all accumulated paid time off (PTO) leave before going on leave without pay. An exception is made for employees going on leave without pay due to illness or injury.

For additional information see: Leave Without Pay

Military Leave

It is the policy of the University to grant leaves of absence to regular full-time and part-time staff employees entering active service, either voluntarily or involuntarily, in the uniformed services of the United States.

Staff employees who are reservists or National Guard members will be granted time off to participate in summer encampments and/or cruises. Such employees will be reimbursed for the difference between their University base pay and any compensation paid by their Reserve or National Guard unit for up to two weeks in any calendar year.

Staff employees who are reservists or National Guard members and are involuntarily called to active military service will be reimbursed for the difference between their University base pay and any compensation paid by the active military service organization (base pay, housing allowance, subsistence pay, overseas pay, combat pay, etc.) for up to twelve (12) months. The University reserves the right to extend this period at its sole discretion.

Staff employees returning from military leave are entitled to the same or similar position provided they satisfy the return to work provisions.

For additional information see: Military Leave and Reemployment Rights

Parental Leave -Staff

The purpose of parental leave is to provide staff employees who become parents, either by birth or adoption of a minor child, with paid leave to allow for the healthy recovery of the primary caregiver, bonding with the adopted child and/or a period of family adjustment.

Any staff employee who (a) is employed full-time (staff-regularly scheduled to work 1400 or more hours per year), (b) has at least one year of regular full-time service at the time the birth or adoption is scheduled to occur or does occur, (c) gives birth to or fathers a newborn or adopts a child, and (d) is deemed primary caregiver, is eligible for leave with pay.

The Eligible parent must have primary responsibility for the child immediately following child birth or adoption.

All requests for parental leave must be submitted in writing to the appropriate Manager/Supervisor/Department Head. As close as reasonable to the beginning of the leave, the staff employee is to complete Part 1 of the Parental Leave Request form, have the doctor complete Part II (if applicable), and forward the form to the immediate supervisor and to Human Resources (ATTN: Absence Management) for approval in Part III. The member must also complete The Primary Caregiver Affidavit and the FMLA Request Form and return both forms to the Absence Management Specialist in the Human Resources Department.

If a temporary replacement is hired during the six weeks an employee is on parental leave, the cost of the salary for the replacement will be paid from a centralized account.

For additional information see: Parental Leave – Staff

For additional information on Faculty Parental Leave see: Faculty Medical and Parental Leave 

To better serve you and make the most of your time, please schedule an appointment with a Benefits Counselor at 336.758.4700.

Release Time

Release time is administratively authorized time spent away from the employee’s normal job responsibilities to participate in University sponsored or sanctioned programs without loss of pay and without charge to paid time off (PTO) leave. Release time is considered work time; therefore, such time is counted when computing overtime.

Common examples are:

• To participate in training and staff development activities;
• To attend meetings of the University Senate;
• To donate blood at University sponsored blood drives on campus;
• To receive flu shots given on campus; and
• To participate in special on-campus activities such as the Benefits Fair, Staff Appreciation Luncheon and Reception, Convocation, Graduation, and Department and Office special activities. (Note: Allowing employees to leave work early at the conclusion of a special activity constitutes the granting of administrative leave-see Administrative Leave)

For additional information see: Administrative Leave and Release time

Workers’ Compensation

All Wake Forest University employees are covered under the North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Act. Volunteers are also covered. In accordance with the Act, no compensation will be paid for the first seven (7) calendar days of disability resulting from a compensable injury. However, if the compensable injury results in a disability lasting more than 21 days, compensation will be paid from the date of disability.

All on-the-job injuries, regardless of severity, must be reported to, and recorded by, the employee’s supervisor immediately after the injury or as soon thereafter as practicable. The supervisor or the departmental representative must advise the Workers’ Compensation Coordinator (758-4945) and the Environmental Health and Safety Office (758-7189) of all on-the-job injuries. North Carolina law requires that these injuries be reported to the N.C. Industrial Commission within five (5) days.

An employee who reports an on-the-job injury, and seeks professional medical treatment resulting in his/her absence for the remainder of that work day or shift, will be paid as if he/she had worked the full day or shift at his/her regular rate of pay. On-going medical care requiring time away from work during regular work hours will be regarded as time worked. This medical care must be authorized by the Workers’ Compensation Coordinator and the employee must notify his/her supervisor of the treatment schedule.

For compensable injuries, the employee must provide his/her supervisor with a written medical permission to return to work. If there is any question about an employee’s ability to return to work, the situation must be reviewed with the Workers’ Compensation Coordinator.

For additional information see: Workers’ Compensation Leave