CERTIFICATION OF QUALIFYING EXIGENCY FOR MILITARY FAMILY LEAVE
Certification issued by the employee is required for an employee seeking FMLA leave due to a qualifying
exigency. A complete and sufficient certification to support a request for FMLA leave due to a qualifying
exigency includes written documentation confirming a covered military member’s covered active duty or call to
covered active duty status.
RETURN FROM FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE
The University requires an employee to obtain a statement from a health care provider that he/she is able to
resume work. Employee is expected to contact supervisor as soon as posible to coordinate anticipated date
of return. A staff employee who has been absent for Family and Medical Leave shall be restored to the
position of employment held by the employee when the leave commenced; or an equivalent position with
equivalent employment benefits, pay, and other terms and conditions of employment.
USE OF PAID AND UNPAID LEAVE
Birth or Placement of a Child for Adoption or Foster Care: The University will apply accumulated paid
leave benefits concurrently with FMLA leave. For the birth or placement of a child for adoption or foster care, the
university will apply sick leave or accrued leave, at the employee’s discretion. Any portion of the FMLA period
for which sick leave or accrued leave is not applied shall be without pay.
Serious Health Condition, Family Member or Employee: The University will apply accumulated paid leave
benefits concurrently with FMLA leave. For care of a spouse, child, or parent with a serious health condition or
because of an employee’s own serious health condition, the leave is provided under the University Sick Leave
and the
campus
Academic sick leave policies. If an employee’s sick leave is exhausted, the university will apply
vacation leave to ensure continuance in pay status during the FMLA period. Any portion of the FMLA period
that extends past the exhaustion of compensable leave benefits will be without pay.
In addition, employees with a serious health condition, who exhaust their accrued sick leave balances, may be
eligible to receive disability benefits through SURS. Employees may request an APPLICATION FOR
DISABILITY BENEFITS from the campus Benefits office when their leave is anticipated to be greater than 60
days. Any portion of the FMLA period for which accrued vacation, sick leave, or disability benefits are not
applied shall be without pay.
INSURANCE COVERAGE AND RETIREMENT CONTRIBUTIONS DURING UNPAID LEAVE
Coverage of group health and dental insurance shall be continued by the University at the same level that
coverage would have been provided if the employee had remained in continuous employment. Employees are
responsible for
pay
i
ng
the employee-paid portion of any insurance premiums presently paid by payroll deduction.
If the employee does not make required payments during the leave period, the CMS-Group Insurance Division
(GID) will terminate the
m
e
mber’s
coverage
the first day of the current month. These members are ineligible to
continue coverage under COBRA and will not receive a COBRA notification letter (eligible or ineligible). CMS
will take action to collect all outstanding
premium(s),
which
may include involuntary withholding. Employees are
encouraged to contact the Benefits Service Center
for
information
on changes in status and to arrange for billing
prior to their last day of work.
Employees pay the entire premium plus a 2% administrative fee for COBRA coverage. Central Management
Services (CMS) mails monthly billing statements to the employee's home address on or about the tenth of each
month. Bills for the current month are due by the twenty-fifth of that month and are paid to CMS. Individuals
electing COBRA coverage have 45 days from the date coverage is elected to pay currently due premiums. Failure
to submit payment by the due
date
terminates
COBRA rights.
The University may recover any premiums paid for maintaining coverage for the employee if the employee fails
to return from Family and Medical Leave for a reason other than continuation, recurrence, onset of a serious
health condition (employee or family), or other circumstances beyond the control of the employee. Certification
of such conditions may be required by the University.
To determine the effect of Family and Medical Leave on the accumulation of service time for retirement and to
assure continuation of contributions, the employee should contact SURS at 1-800-ASK-SURS (1-800-275-7877).