Human Resources Management Policy

SUPPLEMENTAL LEAVE
(Formerly Administrative Leave Policy)

NOTE: THIS POLICY, LIKE ALL OTHER MUSC HUMAN RESOURCES POLICIES, IS NOT A CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT AND SHOULD NOT BE RELIED UPON AS SUCH. THIS POLICY MAY BE CHANGED AT ANY TIME BY THE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

1. POLICY
   Leave taken under this policy must be approved through normal administrative channels.
   
   
2. INFORMATION AND PROCEDURES
   1. Administrative Leave
      A full-time employee, in a full-time equivalent (FTE) position, who is temporarily disabled as a result of an assault by a patient or client, or who is physically attacked while performing official duties and suffers bodily harm as a result of the attack, must be placed on administrative leave with pay. The period of administrative leave per incident may not exceed 180 calendar days. The employee is not required to use his/her earned sick leave.
   2. American Red Cross Certified Disaster Service Leave
      An employee who is a certified disaster service volunteer for the American Red Cross may, with the approval of the department head, use up to 10 days of paid leave in a calendar year to participate in specialized disaster relief services. The employee is not required to use his/her earned annual leave.
   3. Blood Drive and Donation Leave
      1. Employees are permitted to participate in Medical University sponsored campus blood drives during their work hours without using sick or annual leave.
      2. An employee desiring to donate blood, at a time other than an MUSC sponsored blood drive, must notify his/her supervisor in advance of the scheduled donation. The employee must also inform the supervisor of the amount of time he/she anticipates being away from work. A supervisor is expected to work with an employee to accommodate the request.
      3. An employee’s request may be denied if his/her absence will create an extraordinary burden on the department. In considering an employee’s request, the supervisor should take into consideration such factors as the necessity and type of blood donation. The supervisor, as a condition of approving the request, may require the employee to provide documentation of the donation upon returning to work.
   4. Bone Marrow Donor Leave
      An employee who works an average of 20 hours or more a week may be granted bone marrow donor leave with pay. The total amount of paid leave may not exceed 40 work hours unless a longer length of time is approved by the manager/supervisor. A manager/supervisor may require verification by a health care practitioner of the purpose and length of each request. If a medical determination finds that the employee does not qualify as a bone marrow donor, the paid leave granted to the employee before the medical determination is not forfeited.
   5. Organ Donor Leave
      Employees who accrue annual or sick leave are entitled to take leaves of absence from their position, not to exceed 30 workdays in a fiscal year, for organ donations. Employees are not required to use their accrued sick or annual leave, nor will their pay, leave, or performance rating be affected by their absence. The supervisor, as a condition of approving the request, may require the employee to provide documentation before granting the leave.
   6. Voting Leave
      An employee who lives at such distance from the assigned work location as to preclude voting outside of working hours may be authorized a maximum of two hours of leave with pay for this purpose. To work at the polls during elections, an employee must use authorized annual leave or leave without pay.
   7. Court Leave
      1. Jury Duty
         1. An employee, who is summoned to serve on a jury panel, shall be granted court leave with pay. Any jury fees and travel payments received as a result of serving shall be retained by the employee.
         2. An employee must return to work when excused from jury duty or when not required to be at court the number of hours equal to his/her workday.
      2. Subpoenaed As A Witness
         An employee who is subpoenaed as a witness, and who will not receive any personal gain from the outcome of the litigation, is entitled to court leave with pay for those hours required by the subpoena. Any witness fees and travel payments received as a result of serving shall be retained by the employee.
         
         Exceptions
         1. An employee engaged in personal litigation is not eligible for court leave with pay, but may be granted annual leave or leave without pay with appropriate authorization.
         2. When an employee is subpoenaed to represent MUSC as a witness or defendant, his/her appearance is considered a part of the employee’s job responsibilities and should be recorded as hours worked. The employee will be reimbursed for travel, meals and lodging expenses that may be incurred in accordance with State travel guidelines.
         3. When an employee attends, in an official capacity, a mediation or mediation-arbitration conference, his/her attendance is considered a part of the employee’s job responsibilities and should be recorded as hours worked.
         4. When an employee appears as a witness or in any other official capacity in a hearing before the University or the State Employee Grievance Committee, his/her attendance is considered a part of the employee’s job responsibilities and should be recorded as hours worked.
   8. Death in Immediate Family
      1. An employee, upon request, shall be granted up to three consecutive workdays of leave with pay for the death of any member of the employee’s immediate family. Immediate family is defined as the spouse, children, spouses of children, siblings, spouses of siblings, parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, grandchildren, great-grandchildren of either the employee or the spouse.
      2. An employee requesting leave for the death of an immediate family member should submit a Leave Request Form, to the supervisor. The name and relationship of the deceased should be included on the request.
   9. Educational Leave
      An employee is encouraged to attend classes outside of his/her work schedule. When a class cannot be scheduled during the employee’s non-work time, the manager/supervisor may adjust the employee’s work schedule, provided it does not interfere with the efficient operation of the department. When a class cannot be scheduled during the employee’s non-work time and the work schedule cannot be adjusted, the employee may be allowed to take annual leave or leave without pay to attend classes.
   10. Extended Disability Leave
       1. For any extended period of certified disability due to illness, injury or maternity, an employee may request leave not to exceed: (1) 180 workdays of leave with pay or, (2) 180 calendar days of combined leave with pay and leave without pay. Consideration for leave without pay will also be given for personal reasons. (Refer to Human Resources Management Policy No. 20, Leave of Absence (Without Pay), for additional information.
       2. A leave of absence without pay may qualify under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and, if so, will run concurrently. Refer to Human Resources Management Policy No. 30, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), for additional information.
       3. Certain illnesses/health conditions may be protected as disabilities and may require reasonable accommodations. Refer to Human Resources Management Policy No. 24, Reasonable Accommodation Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), for additional information.
       4. In extenuating circumstances, two extensions are available:
          1. The President may extend the 180 days period of leave to a total of 365 days provided the health care practitioner certifies the employee’s return to work within this time period; and
          2. The President may request from the State Office of Human Resources an extension of the disability leave beyond the 365 days without a break in service provided the health care practitioner certifies the employee’s return to work within the time frame of the requested extension.
   11. Hazardous Weather and Emergency Leave
       Upon issuing a Declaration of Emergency, the Governor has the authority to excuse all employees of State government from reporting to work during extreme weather or other emergency conditions. Refer to Human Resources Management Policy No. 13, Hazardous Weather and Emergencies, for additional information.
   12. Military Leave
       This type of leave may be used for short-term military training or for a long-term military leave of absence. Refer to Human Resources Management Policy No. 22, Military Leave, for additional information.
   13. Workers’ Compensation Leave
       If there is an accidental injury arising out of and in the course of employment with the State, an employee may be eligible for Workers’ Compensation benefits. Refer to Human Resources Management Policy No. 27, Workers’ Compensation, for additional information.