Staff HR Policy D-720.00
Institutional Effectiveness Criterion: Culture

Sick Leave Policy

Any and all earned sick time required under the Michigan Earned Sick Time Act (ESTA) is included within the parameters of this Sick Leave Policy.

Full-Time Regular Staff: Full-time, regular exempt staff employees shall earn 96 hours of sick leave per anniversary year, accrued on a per-pay period basis of 3.7 hours per pay period. The per-pay period accrual rate is prorated for part-time eligible staff. The proration will be based on the employee's expected hours of work each pay period. In the rare event that an employee's actual work hours would have resulted in an accrual under ESTA that is greater than the per-pay period amount provided, Northwestern Michigan College will make the appropriate adjustment; as permitted by ESTA, exempt employees are presumed to work 40 hours a week, unless their regular agreed upon schedule is less. Non-exempt regular staff will earn 0.0463 hours of sick leave for every hour worked, the equivalent of 3.7 hours during an 80 hour pay period. Unused accrued Sick Leave of full-time regular staff will be carried into the following anniversary year, up to 288 hours. The maximum sick leave that can be used in one anniversary year is 288 hours. Any unused accrued Sick Leave over that amount will be forfeited. 

Regular Faculty: Regular faculty under the MEA bargaining agreements and facilities employees under SEIU bargaining agreement should refer to their respective collective bargaining agreements for details about their sick time. If any discrepancies exist between the current collective bargaining agreements and this policy, the terms of the agreement will take precedence. 

Supplemental staff, Adjunct Faculty and Student Employees: Supplemental staff, faculty and student employees will accrue 1 hour of sick time for every 30 hours worked. The maximum sick leave that can be used in one anniversary year is 72 hours. Employees may carryover a maximum of 72 hours from one year to the next. Supplemental staff, adjunct faculty and student employees will not accrue sick hours during time taken off work under this policy. Effective February 21, 2025, all newly eligible employees will begin accruing and using sick leave. Employees hired after February 21, 2025 must complete 90 days of employment before being able to use accrued sick leave. 

Sick leave will be paid at the normal hourly pay rate for all employees. Employees will not be paid sick leave upon termination, resignation, retirement or other separation of employment.

If after separation, an employee is rehired within two (2) months, the employee's previously unused sick leave bank will be reinstated and available for use upon rehire. Employees rehired more than two (2) months after their separation are not entitled to any reinstatement of unused sick leave; such sick leave is lost. 

Employees will not be penalized or retaliated against in any way for requesting to use accrued paid sick time for purposes as described in the Sick Leave Procedure (D-720.01). Eligible employees may raise any concerns regarding sick leave to Human Resources. They also have the right to file a complaint with the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity with concerns regarding any of the rights under ESTA being violated. 

The Associate Vice President of Human Resources, in conjunction with the appropriate faculty and staff, is responsible for the development and publication of any procedures or guidelines that may be necessary to administer this policy effectively.

If any provision(s) of this policy or set of bylaws conflicts with laws applicable to Northwestern Michigan College, including the Community College Act of 1966, the Freedom of Information Act, or the Open Meetings Act, as each may be amended from time to time, such laws shall control and supersede such provision(s).