PS-02.A.09 - Types of Leave

3.2.1. Administrative Leave may be granted for the reasons:

3.2.2. Amateur Radio Operator Leave: An employee with an amateur radio station license issued by the Federal Communications Commission may be granted leave not to exceed 10 days each fiscal year to participate in specialized disaster relief services. The Texas Division of Emergency Management shall coordinate the establishment and maintenance of the list of eligible employees.

3.2.3. Assistance Dog Training for Employees with Disabilities Leave: An employee with a disability as defined by Texas Human Resources Code, Section 121.002, may be granted paid leave not to exceed 10 days in a fiscal year to attend training to acquaint the employee with the dog to be used by the employee.

3.2.4. Bereavement Leave: Regular employees are eligible for up to three days of bereavement leave (up to five days if the deceased lived out of the area) due to a death in the employee's immediate family. For the purpose of this provision, immediate family includes husband, wife, children (including step-children), brothers, sisters (including stepbrother or stepsister), brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, parents (including stepparents), grandparents, grandchildren, father-in-law, mother-in-law, sons-in-law, or daughters-in-law. The request shall be submitted to the employee's supervisor as early as possible, identifying the relationship of the deceased to the employee. Upon return from leave, the employee may be asked to furnish acceptable documentation to their supervisor.

3.2.5. Court Appointed Special Advocates Volunteer Leave: Employees may be granted leave not to exceed five hours each month to participate in mandatory training or perform volunteer services for Court Appointed Special Advocates.

3.2.6. Donation of Blood Leave: Employees may be allowed time off, without a deduction in salary or accrued leave, to donate blood. Employees may receive time off to donate blood not more than four times in a fiscal year.

3.2.7. Educational Activities Leave: An employee may use up to eight hours of sick leave each fiscal year to attend educational activities of the employee’s pre-kindergarten to 12^th grade children. Educational activity is defined as a school-sponsored activity, including parent-teacher conference, tutoring, a volunteer program, a field trip, a classroom program, a school committee meeting, an academic competition, and an athletic, music, or theater program.

3.2.8. Emergency Leave: Up to eight hours of leave may be requested for personal emergencies. The request requires the approval of the University President/designee.

3.2.9. Faculty Leave: Information on funded faculty leave can be found in PS 10.A.08 University Funded Faculty Leave Program.

3.2.10. Fitness Release Time (FRT): The time period up to 30 minutes, three times per week, provided to full-time, benefits-eligible employees to participate in approved physical fitness activities. The FRT may not interfere with the employee’s duties or the department’s responsibilities; therefore, supervisor approval is required before the employee may commence and continue this program. FRT may be approved for one year but may be rescinded by a supervisor at any time. The application must be completed and can be found on the HR website. FRT cannot be used in conjunction with the College Release Program (CRP); details related to CRP can be found in PS 02.B.12 - Staff Training and Development Policy.

3.2.11. Foster Parent Leave: An employee who is a foster parent to a child under the conservatorship of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), is entitled to a leave of absence with full pay to attend staff meetings regarding the child held by the DFPS or to attend admission, review and dismissal (ARD) meetings held by a school district regarding the child.

3.2.12. Injury Leave for Peace Officers: Commissioned Peace Officers employed within the University of Houston System may be eligible for up to one year of Injury Leave, without a deduction in salary, for an injury sustained due to the nature of the officer’s duties and that occurs during the course of the officer’s performance of duty, unless due to their own gross negligence or if performing office duties.

3.2.13. Jury Duty Leave: An employee is entitled to leave to respond to a summons for jury duty and to serve on a jury, if selected. The employee will be granted a reasonable amount of time to report for jury duty and to report to work following dismissal from jury duty. Employee must submit jury summons as soon as possible after receipt. Jury time shall be estimated and revised with the Absence Request/Notification in PASS, if necessary, upon return. The employee shall submit an official Jury Duty Release notice to their supervisor upon return to work. Employees working the evening or night shift are entitled to leave time for the assigned shift on the day(s) they have responded to and/or served on jury duty during the day shift. If an employee is required to work the evening or night shift on the day(s) of jury duty, the employee will receive additional compensation at straight time for the time worked.

3.2.14. Leave for Organ or Bone Marrow Donors: Employees are entitled to a leave of absence without a deduction in salary for the time necessary to permit the employee to serve as a bone marrow or organ donor. The leave of absence may not exceed five working days in a fiscal year to serve as a bone marrow donor; or 30 working days in a fiscal year to serve as an organ donor. Employees may qualify for Family and Medical Leave.

3.2.15. Mental Health Leave for Peace Officers: An employee who works as a peace officer shall be entitled to mental health leave if the peace officer experiences a traumatic event in the scope of their employment, as provided in the UHD Police operations documents on mental health leave for peace officers.

3.2.16. Reserve Law Enforcement Officer: An employee who is a reserve law enforcement officer is entitled to leave of up to five working days every fiscal biennium to attend continuing education training required for peace officers in accordance with state statute.

3.2.17. Texas Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD): An employee who is a volunteer of a member organization of the Texas Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (Texas VOAD) may be eligible for leave not to exceed 10 days each fiscal year to participate in disaster relief services. Such leave may be granted if approved by the supervisor and President/designee, and the services in which the employee participates are provided for a state of disaster declared by the Governor under the Texas Govt. Code Chapter 418.

3.2.18. Veterans Medical Health Leave: An employee who is a veteran and eligible for VA benefits may be granted leave to obtain medical, physical rehabilitation, or mental health care administered by the Veterans Health Administration, not to exceed 15 days each fiscal year. Veteran Medical Health Leave may be used for appointments and/or treatments only. Other leave must be used when experiencing symptoms relating to the condition outside of appointments or treatments. Additional days may be granted by the University President or designee, if determined appropriate for the employee.

3.2.19. Volunteer Firefighters and Emergency Medical Services and Search and Rescue: An employee who is a volunteer firefighter, emergency medical services volunteer, or a search and rescue volunteer shall be granted a leave of absence not to exceed five days each fiscal year to attend training conducted by state agencies. The employee shall submit the leave request, along with a copy of the notice of the training or meeting, as soon as possible after the notification is received.

3.2.20. Voting Leave: In accordance with Texas Government Code 661, an employee must be allowed sufficient time off to vote in each national, state, or local elections. Employees requesting leave to vote must obtain prior approval from their supervisor before taking time off. UHD supervisors may grant up to two hours off at the beginning or the end of the workday for employees to vote without deduction in pay or leave time.

3.2.21. Wellness Leave: Provides up to eight hours of leave to full-time, benefits-eligible employees who have completed an approved online Health Risk Assessment (HRA) and received an annual comprehensive physical exam. Time is prorated for those with less than 1.00 FTE. The application must be completed and can be found on the HR website.

3.2.22. Witness Duty Leave: An employee called to appear in their official capacity in any judicial action, legislative investigation, or as an expert witness on behalf of the University shall consider and report that time as time worked, not leave. Employees shall not accept or receive witness fees for such appearances. However, employees providing witness services on behalf of the University are entitled to paid travel expenses. The employee’s supervisor must be notified of the time away prior to the leave. A University employee who serves as a witness for any other reason than on behalf of the University is entitled to receive witness fees, but such time must be requested and approved as vacation time, compensatory leave, or leave without pay. If the employee is responding to a subpoena and accrued leave is not available, the supervisor shall be notified and must grant leave without pay.

3.3.1. Leave of absence without pay may be granted to benefits-eligible UHD employees for education or research and writing to enhance the employee’s contribution to the institution. Also, benefits-eligible employees requesting leave for personal reasons may qualify depending upon the circumstances.

3.3.2. Approval also will be contingent upon the department’s ability to satisfactorily reschedule the workload. Such leaves are the prerogative of the University and are not an inherent right of employment.

3.3.3. In cases where a benefits-eligible employee or a member of their immediate family is being treated for a serious health condition, leave of absence without pay may be approved or the employee may qualify for leave under PS 02.A.11, Family and Medical Leave Policy.

3.3.4. Except for disciplinary suspensions, active military duty, and workers’ compensation situations, all applicable accrued paid leave balances (vacation, compensatory leave, and sick leave) must have been exhausted before the leave without the pay period commences.

3.3.5. Employees unable to return to work on the specified return date must provide documentation for an extension that is acceptable to the appropriate administrative officer. This documentation should be submitted prior to the expiration of the original leave or as soon as possible thereafter. Failure to comply with the conditions of the leave will result in forfeiting the privileges of the leave and may be considered a voluntary resignation of employment.

3.3.6. Requests may be initiated through the employee’s supervisor in advance, details of unpaid leave must be outlined, and a copy must be submitted to Human Resources.

3.3.7. Employees approved for unpaid leave for 4.5 months or longer must complete separation clearance as outlined in PS.02.A.22, Separation Clearance Guidelines.

3.3.8. Employees on leave of absence without pay are governed by the following rules and regulations:

3.4.1. Military Leave: Under the General Provisions of the State General Appropriations Act and the Texas Government Code, employees who are members of state military forces or a component of the armed forces are entitled to military leave of absence with pay for a maximum of 15 days per federal fiscal year for training or active duty authorized by a property authority. State law also requires that a state employee's work schedule be adjusted as needed so that two of the employee's non-work days per month coincide with two days of military duty to be performed by the employee.

3.4.2. Parental Leave: An employee who is not eligible for family and medical leave is entitled to a maximum of 12 weeks of parental leave for the birth of a child and care of newborn, the placement of a child under three years of age with an employee in connection with the adoption, or state-approved foster care of the child