Absence due to illness

The purpose of this policy is to define the university’s expectations and guidelines for absences due to illness or injury and administering sick time for eligible employees.

To keep the university and each department running smoothly and efficiently, it is important that every employee be on the job, on time, regularly. For this reason, careful attention is given to promptness, absence record, and overall dependability.

Lynn University recognizes, however, that an employee may occasionally be unable to report to work due to personal illness or the illness or injury of an immediate family member (i.e., the employee's spouse, parent, or child). As a result, the absence due to illness policy is designed to provide protection to employees against loss of income during unavoidable illness or injury.

Sick time eligibility

All regular full-time employees are eligible for sick time. Sick time accrual is on a per-pay period basis at a rate of 1/26 of an employee's total annual accrual. For 35-hour per week employees, the annual accrual is 84 hours. For 40-hour per week employees, the annual accrual is 96 hours.

Sick time is available for use in the calendar year in which it accrues. Unused sick time can be carried over from one (1) calendar year to the next until the maximum accrual is reached. The maximum accrual for a 35-hour work week employee is 315 hours. The maximum accrual for 40-hour work week employees is 360 hours. Employees are not paid for accrued, unused sick time either at the end of the calendar year or upon termination of employment.

Usage and conditions of sick time

Sick time benefits may not be used as vacation days. The misuse of sick time may result in corrective action, up to and including dismissal.

In addition, the following conditions apply:

1. Sick time may not be used if an employee is not scheduled to be at work during the period of use.
2. Long-term illness for full-time employees may be covered under the university’s long-term disability benefit plan (subject to the terms and conditions of the policy in effect at the time of the illness).
3. If an employee is receiving worker’s compensation payments, the employee must use available sick time to make up the difference.

Not applicable.

Reporting sick leave

To be eligible for sick pay, employees unable to report to work due to illness or the illness of an immediate family member must notify their supervisor directly, utilizing the supervisor’s preferred notification method (which may include phone, email, text, etc.) each day of their absence, as far in advance as possible, but no later than one hour before their scheduled arrival time. If their supervisor is not available, the supervisor’s designee should be contacted. The supervisor or designee must be contacted each day of absence. An employee who fails to contact his/her immediate supervisor or designee may be considered as having voluntarily resigned.

Certification requests

If Lynn University has questions about the nature or length of an employee’s absence due to illness, a written certification from a physician or licensed health care professional may be required.

Failure to provide such documentation may result in the university recouping the sum paid for sick time from future pay and/or corrective action up to and including dismissal.

Separation from the university

Unused sick leave will be forfeited on the employee’s effective date of separation from the university. No payments are made for accrued sick days at any time, in the event of termination.

To learn more about this policy or the supporting procedures, please contact Employee Services.