Leaves of Absence
Leaves of absence are designed to assist faculty and staff through times when they are unable to work due to a disability, the disability of a qualified family member or the birth or adoption of a child. Many of the leave programs run concurrently with one another, so please refer to the Leave of Absence Policy (PDF) for complete guidelines and information on what benefits apply to each of the leaves listed below:
- Maternity/Adoption Leave
- Family Medical Leave
- Military Leave
- Faculty Leave
When the need for leave is foreseeable, the employee must apply for and be approved in advance of the leave begin date. In this case, thirty days notice, or as much notice as is practical, must be given.
Pay During Leaves
Leaves of absence are unpaid; however, employees may be eligible to receive pay for their leave using accrued sick time if on an approved medical leave and if eligibility requirements have been met interim disability benefits are available. Approved leaves may also use accrued vacation time if available.
The university provides salary protection for employees who are unable to work because of an illness or injury. The amount of sick time varies based on position and length of service. Please note that sick time is for employee illness only; if a family member is ill, personal or vacation time must be used. For complete details, please refer to the sick time policy (PDF).
Sick Time Accrual/Allotment Rates
Faculty and Professional/Administrative Staff
| Years of Service | Sick Days Allotted | Days Carried Over to Next Year |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 2 years of completed service | 22 days | |
| Over 2 years of completed service and less than 7 years of service
|
44 days | None |
| Over 7 years of completed service | 66 days | None |
Office Support, Technical, Crafts, and Service Staff
| Sick Days Accrued | Days Carried Over to Next Year |
|---|---|
| 1 day for every full month of service | All up to 150 day maximum |
The Northeastern Disability Program offers short- and long-term financial protection to benefits-eligible faculty and staff should they become disabled due to a nonwork-related illness or accident.
Eligibility
All benefits-eligible employees are eligible for the disability program effective on the first day of the month following completion of one year of service. The one-year waiting period will be waived for employees who were enrolled in long-term disability insurance with a prior employer within four months of joining Northeastern.
To apply for a waiver, your previous employer must complete a Retirement Plan and Disability Waiver Form (PDF) and return to HRM/Benefits at 250 Columbus Place within 30 days of your date of employment.
Interim Disability/Salary Continuation
After being absent from work for 30 days and exhausting accrued sick time, interim disability coverage will begin paying 60 percent of salary for up to six months. Should an employee need to be out of work for medical reasons for more than five days, the employee and/or their supervisor must contact HRM Benefits to complete the necessary documentation for medical certification.
When the need for leave is foreseeable, the faculty or staff member must apply for and be approved in advance of the leave begin date. In this case, thirty days notice, or as much notice as is practical, must be given.
For further details, please refer to the Interim Disability/Salary Continuation Policy (PDF).
Long-term Disability
Long-term disability (LTD) may provide financial protection after interim disability benefits have ended. Upon approval, the LTD benefits provide monthly income protection equal to 60 percent of salary up to a maximum of $25,000 per month, but not less than $100 per month. In addition, this benefit will protect basic life insurance and basic retirement benefits by continuing to make these contributions. The benefits are effective on the 181st day of disability. Benefits will continue until you are no longer disabled or reach retirement age.
This long-term disability plan is integrated with other benefit plans to equal 60 percent of your monthly salary. If you are approved to receive benefits under other disability plans, Worker's Compensation, Social Security disability or Social Security retirement benefits, the other benefit amount(s) will be subtracted from your monthly disability income benefit. The maximum monthly benefit you may receive, including all of the above sources, is 60 percent of your monthly salary up to $25,000 maximum.
For further details, please refer to the more detailed Disability Program Description (PDF) or Long Term Disability Certificate of Coverage (PDF).
Vacation accrual is based on your position grade. Below are the accrual rates for all positions.
Full-Time, Benefits-Eligible Vacation Accrual Rates
Office Support, Technical, Crafts and Service Staff
| Years of Service | Monthly Vacation Accrual | Annual Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 4 years of completed service | 1 day | 12 days |
| Over 4 years of completed service and less than 9 years of service | 1.5 days | 18 days |
| Over 9 years of completed service and less than 14 years of service | 1.67 days | 20 days |
| Over 14 years of completed service | 2 days | 24 days |
Administrative/Professional Staff, Grades 8-11
| Years of Service | Monthly Vacation Accrual | Annual Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 4 years of completed service | 1.25 days | 15 days |
| Over 4 years of completed service and less than 14 years of service | 1.67 days | 20 days |
| Over 14 years of completed service | 2 days | 24 days |
Administrative/Professional Staff, Levels 12-17, and Full-Time Faculty Members in Cooperative Education
| Monthly Vacation Accrual | Annual Maximum |
|---|---|
| 2 days | 24 days |
Part-Time, Benefits-Eligible Vacation Accrual Rates
The part-time accrual rate is based on hours accrued per month. The calculation is prorated from the full-time accrual as follows:
Regularly scheduled hours divided by 35 times full-time accrual rate times 7
Example:
An Administrative Professional, Grade 8, who has been employed by the university for three years and works 24 hours per week, would be calculated as follows:
- 24 hours divided by 35 = 0.686
- 0.686 times 1.25 = 0.857
- 0.857 times 7 = 6 hours per month
Vacation time accrues during each fiscal year (July 1 to June 30), to be granted for and used the following fiscal year. Accrued vacation time cannot be carried forward and must be taken by June 30 of the following year.
Accruals begin the first month of employment if hired by the 15th of the month. If hired after the 15th of the month, accruals begin the second month of employment. Accrual rates and eligibility are based on benefits-eligible positions that are appointed for more than 45 weeks, and length of service as shown in the links below.
For additional details, please refer to the complete Vacation Policy (PDF).