Time Off & Time Away

Full-time (1.0 FTE) employees accrue Flex Time from date of hire at a rate of 3.08 hours per pay period. Eligible part-time employees accrue hours on a prorated basis depending on their FTE status. Maximum accrual is twenty (20) days or 160 hours for full-time employees (maximum accrual is prorated for part-time employees).

To allow employees to make the best use of their accrued flex time, flexibility has been added so that flex time can be utilized for more reasons than simply an employee’s illness. Flex Time maybe used as accrued for the following reasons:

• Care or treatment for a personal mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition; and preventative medical care.
• Care of a family member who needs medical diagnosis, care, or treatment of a mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition; and care of a family member who needs preventative care.
• Required court appearance, separate and not including Jury Duty. Refer to the Jury Duty Policy for this purpose.
• Medical or dental appointments approved ahead of time, which cannot reasonably be scheduled during non-working hours.
• The unexpected absence of a baby-sitter or caregiver for the child as notified within 24 hours.
• Paternity Leave under FMLA and outside of MWU’s Paid Parental Leave policy guidelines.
• To attend the funeral of an individual not covered under the Bereavement Policy (maximum of 3 days).
• To extend bereavement time (beyond 3 days) for an immediate family member as defined by the Bereavement Policy. Extended time must consecutively follow the Bereavement Leave.
• School closings only when due to a public health emergency; an employee’s need to care for a child whose school or place of care has been closed due to a public health emergency.
• Absence necessary due to domestic violence, sexual violence, abuse or stalking, provided the leave is to allow the employee or the employee’s family member to obtain medical care, victim services, counseling, relocation, or legal services.

Flex Time may not be used as accrued for the following reasons:

• Medical appointments, which can reasonably be scheduled during non-work time.
• Weather emergencies.
• School closings for reasons other than public health emergencies.
• To extend vacation, holidays, jury duty or scheduled days off.
• Any unexpected absence unless for reasons specified above.

Any employee who is absent from work for 3 or more days must provide,prior to returning to work, a doctor’s note stating the reason for their absence and that the employee is released to return to work with or without restrictions. Any employee who is certified as being disabled will transition into short-term disability following a five (5) day waiting period. Upon separation of employment, any unused flex time is forfeited.

Annually, employees need time away from the workplace. Midwestern University encourages staff to take time away from work to rest, relax and recharge. In doing so, employees return to work refreshed and can continue to provide excellent service. Note: Vacation time is prorated for employees less than 1.0 FTE but at least .50 FTE. If you are a new employee, vacation time begins accruing from your first day of employment.

Vacation which is not taken during the year may be carried over into the next year; however, no employee may ever accrue more than two times the amount he/she earns on an annual basis. (Example: if Tom earns two weeks of vacation each year, he cannot accrue more than a total of four weeks of vacation). Upon separation of employment, all employees are eligible to receive a lump sum payment of all accrued vacation time.

In addition to vacation and flex time, eligible Staff and Faculty will receive personal days each year on a calendar year basis. Staff and Faculty receive personal days beginning every January of each year to be taken at a time of their choice. Personal days are awarded based on the FTE status for all benefits eligible employees. Employees hired after July 1st are not eligible for Personal Days until January 1st of the next year; this includes mid-year FTE changes.

Employees may take personal time in full day increments only. Personal days not used by the end of the last pay period for the calendar year will be forfeited. Upon separation of employment, any unused personal days are forfeited.

Midwestern University offers support to our surrounding communities and eight hours are provided each calendar year for you to volunteer for an organization or in your community. Full-time employees (1.0 FTE) may split the time into two four-hour sessions or use in one eight-hour session. Employees less than 1.0 FTE must use their prorated hours in one consecutive session. Midwestern supports departments using this time as team building events (i.e., as a department, volunteer four hours to serve meals at St. Vincent DePaul (AZ) or spend a day at Feeding America Food Bank (IL)). You will be required to obtain approval from your supervisor/manager before entering volunteer time into the time keeping system.

Midwestern University supports employees maintaining a healthy work-life balance.  To help with this, the university is closed for following dates in 2024.  The holidays are in addition to the vacation, personal and flex time for eligible Staff and Faculty.  All holidays are awarded based on the FTE status for all benefit eligible employees.  Due to staffing/service requirements, Comprehensive Care Clinic (CCC) employees are not eligible for the full President's Holiday Break; year end holidays for CCC employees will be determined and announced on an annual basis.

Midwestern University provides up to four (4) weeks of PPL to employees following the birth of an employee’s child or the placement of a child with an employee in connection with adoption or foster care (child must be age 17 or younger). The adoption of your spouse/domestic partner’s child is excluded from this policy.The purpose of paid PPL is to enable the employee to care for and bond with a newborn or a newly adopted or newly placed child. To qualify, the employee must have worked for the University for a minimum of 12 months in total and at least 1,250 hours during the 12-month period immediately preceding the commencement of leave.

Approved paid parental leave may be taken in one continuous period at any time during the 12-week period immediately following the birth, adoption or placement of a child with the employee. PPL may not be used or extended beyond this 12-week time frame. In no case will an employee receive more than four weeks of paid parental leave in a rolling 12-month period, regardless of whether more than one birth, adoption or foster care placement event occurs within that 12-month time frame (e.g., the birth of twins or adoption of siblings). Employees will be responsible for their share of applicable insurance benefit premiums (e.g., medical, dental, vision) while on a leave of absence. This policy will run concurrently with Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave, as applicable and may not be used in conjunction with short term disability (STD).

Paid Parental Leave (PPL) Recovery Form

The University recognizes that bereavement is a difficult life event which requires time to grieve, as well as fulfill personal and family obligations. Bereavement Leave provides employees with up to five (5) workdays of paid leave due to the death of a member of the employee’s immediate family (up to a maximum of 10 days per calendar year). The leave period is granted for making arrangements, attending funerals and burials, paying respects to family at a wake or visitation, and any ancillary matters that need to be addressed.

Immediate family shall include any of the following: Father/Mother (including stepparents), Spouse/Domestic Partner, child(ren) (including step and foster children), brother/sister (including step siblings and in-laws), grandparents, grandchildren, spouse’s parents, spouse’s grandparents. Also included are such persons responsible for raising the employee in place of a parent.

Regular full-time employees are eligible for paid bereavement leave. Employees who work 20 hours or more per week are entitled to this benefit on a prorated basis. Pay for a bereavement leave will be made for actual time lost from work. If the service occurs at a time when work is not scheduled, payment will not be made. If a holiday or part of your vacation occurs on any of the days of absence, you may not receive holiday or vacation pay in addition to paid bereavement leave.

Midwestern University recognizes that jury duty is a civic responsibility of our employees. Therefore, you will be paid your normal hourly compensation for your regular scheduled hours while you are on jury duty for up to ten (10) business days, not to exceed eight (8) hours per day.

Salaried/exempt employees (in accordance with FLSA guidelines) will be paid their regular salary for the time served on jury duty, with no limitation on the numbers of days eligible for reimbursement. You must notify your manager within forty-eight (48) hours of receipt of the jury summons.

If you report for jury duty and are dismissed, you will be expected to report for work for the remainder of each day on which this occurs. If you are told that you do not need to report to the court on any day of your jury duty stint, you are required to come to work. In order to receive jury duty pay, you must present a statement of jury service to your manager. The court issues this document.

The University subscribes to the principle that the resources of its faculty should be made available as a public service with certain constraints. A member of the faculty generally may, with the approval of the immediate administrative head, devote up to 21 workdays of his/her annual standard time commitment to the college to consulting activity provided that:

1. It does not conflict with any college policy;
2. It brings prestige to the University/college or represents scholarly pursuits related to the academic and research interests of the faculty member; and
3. It does not interfere with assigned duties

You will be granted a military leave of absence for the period of military service and/or training, in accordance with applicable federal and state laws. While on a military leave of absence, employees will receive up to twenty (20) paid days per calendar year (pro-rated based on FTE). Leaves beyond the twenty (20) paid days will be unpaid, though employees may opt to use all applicable accrued time off banks. An employee on leave without pay will not accrue time off, receive holiday pay, or receive retirement contributions paid by the University.

Leaves of absence without pay for military or Reserve duty are granted to eligible employees. If you are called to active military duty or to Reserve or National Guard training, or if you volunteer for the same, you should notify your manager and submit copies of your military orders to the Human Resources Department as soon as possible.

Employees will be responsible for their share of applicable insurance benefit premiums (e.g., medical, dental, vision) while on a leave of absence for up to 24 months (after 24 months, the employee may elect to continue insurance coverage as provided under COBRA). Employees serving for more than thirty (30) continuous days may elect to discontinue insurance coverage during the leave period. Refer to full policy located on the Human Resources intranet site for additional benefits during military leave.

Your eligibility for reinstatement after your military duty or training is completed is determined in accordance with applicable federal and state laws.

• FMLA - Military Caregiver of Veteran
• FMLA - Military Caregiver of Current Servicemember
• FMLA - Military Qualifying Exigency
• Military Leave Supplemental Elections Form

In general, a leave of absence is an official authorization to be absent from work without pay for a specified period of time. Eligible employees may be entitled to a job-protected leave of absence for up to a maximum of 12 weeks in a “rolling” 12-month period if they are unable to come to work for reasons described under the Family and Medical Leave of Absence policy such as for the birth or adoption of a child; for the care of a child, spouse, or parent who has a serious health condition; or when unable to perform the function of his or her position due to a serious health condition.

• FMLA - Employee Form
• FMLA - Family Member Form

Faculty and Staff may request an unpaid personal leave of absence for up to a maximum of three (3) consecutive months in a “rolling” 12-month period for situations which may not qualify under any other leave of absence.

Requests must be submitted on the Personal Leave of Absence Request Form to the immediate supervisor at least three (3) weeksin advance. When an employee becomes aware of a need for leave less than three (3) weeks in advance, the employee must provide notice within one (1) business day of becoming aware of the need for leave. Leave requests that are not submitted according to policy may be denied. Requests will be reviewed by the Director of Human Resources in conjunction with the EVP/COO. Approval for personal leave of absence will be granted on a case-by-case basis, based upon the business and academic needs of the affected department.

If granted, the personal leave of absence will be unpaid, though employees will be required to use all applicable accrued time off banks prior to going into an unpaid status. An employee on leave without pay will not accrue time off, receive holiday pay, or receive retirement contributions paid by the University. Employees will be responsible for their share of applicable insurance benefit premiums (e.g., medical, dental, vision) while on leave. During leave, employees are expected to be reasonably responsive and communicative with their supervisor and Human Resources.

Personal Leave of Absence Form