Leave types and procedures

Dean's Office contacts: CAS Personnel Team

• Sabbatical leave
• Leave of absence without salary
• Sick leave
• Family leave
• College leave policy

Timeline and Distribution

• The Dean's Office distributes information and application instructions to departments at the beginning of Autumn Quarter.
• There is one consideration period for review of leave applications by the Dean's Office, typically at the end of Autumn Quarter.

Application Submission

• All sabbatical applications must be submitted via Interfolio.
• Departments create a case for each faculty member interested in requesting a sabbatical using the "Sabbatical Request" template. For more information, see the Sabbatical Request_Interfolio Walkthrough.

Required Documents

Faculty members must submit the following in Interfolio:

1. Application for Sabbatical Leave (please note they are required to fill in the Interfolio form, rather than uploading a PDF)
2. Detailed statement describing the proposed scholarly or artistic work, including:
   • Nature and focus
   • Purpose or objectives
   • Site, collaborators, and cooperating institutions (if relevant)
   • Potential supplementary grants or salary
   • Anticipated scholarly or artistic product
   • Value or significance of the anticipated product
   • Benefits to the University
3. Updated bibliography or curriculum vitae
4. (Optional) Supporting letters from University or non-University persons

Department Chair's Role

After the faculty member submits the required documents:

• The chair decides whether to approve or not approve the application.
• If approved, the chair prepares a recommendation letter stating the project's merits, the applicant's ability to accomplish it, and the benefits to the University.
• If not approved, the chair informs the Divisional Dean and prepares a letter explaining the decision.
• The chair's letter must be uploaded to Interfolio before forwarding the case to the Dean's office.

Submission to Dean's Office

• All Interfolio cases are sent to the Dean's Office, regardless of the chair's decision.
• No applications are accepted outside of Interfolio.
• For multiple applications, the chair should email the Divisional Dean with a ranked priority list.

Review and Decision

• The Divisional Dean reviews the materials and approves or denies the request.
• The Dean's office notifies the applicant and the chair of the decision.
• Approved applications are forwarded to Academic Human Resources.

Additional Notes

• The total percentage of leaves with pay in any year is limited by the Legislature.
• Departments should retain local copies of all submitted applications and letters.
• For policy and eligibility information, faculty should refer to the Academic Personnel & Faculty (APF) website regarding sabbatical leaves.

This process outlines the steps and considerations for faculty members applying for a full or partial leave of absence without salary.

Application Process

1. Faculty members or the unit's Academic Partner submit applications in Workday.
2. Refer to the "Leave of Absence - Leave Without Pay" user guide for detailed instructions.
3. The leave percent must be entered as a comment on the initial absence request.
4. The Academic Partner must upload a copy of the Leave Without Pay request form to Maintain Worker Documents within Workday.
5. Supplemental documentation is not required unless requested by the department chair.

Types of Leave

1. Full Leave: Complete absence from University duties.
2. Partial Leave: May be requested when:
   • Receiving a fellowship or award that doesn't pay full salary
   • Working outside the University at less than 100% time

Important Considerations

• Faculty members buying out their time on grant or contract funds do not need to file a leave application.
• For full leaves, consult with the Benefits Office about insurance coverage.
• Retaining at least 5% of University salary allows continued University-paid benefit programs.
• For partial unpaid leaves, negotiate University duties with the department chair and state them on the leave application form or in an attached memo.

Impact on Tenure Clock

For Assistant Professors:

• If the leave is more than 50% time and six months or longer in an academic year, the mandatory promotion/tenure date is extended by one year.
• The extension must be initiated in Workday by the unit's HCM Initiate 2 or Academic Partner (see "Maintain Promotion Clock" user guide).

Restrictions and Expectations

• Faculty members are expected to be in residence during their mandatory review year for promotion/tenure.
• The Provost's Office will not approve leaves for Assistant Professors during their sixth year of appointment.
• For policy and eligibility details, refer to the APF website regarding leave without pay.

Eligible faculty, academic staff and senior fellows/trainees are eligible to use up to 90 calendar days of paid sick leave each academic year.  For more information, see the user guide or visit the Academic HR website.

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal law which provides job protection and benefits coverage to eligible employees. FMLA may cover employees for up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave from work during the applicable 12-month period. For elegibility and policy infromation, please see the AHR FMLA website. This process should be initiated by the employee - see the user guide for details.

When occasional faculty absences are necessary for health or research purposes, the department chair must be informed and ensure instructional integrity for students and, if appropriate, approve the appointment of substitute instructors. Faculty absences in excess of eight successive university instructional days must be formally presented by the Department Chair to the Divisional Dean for approval.