Staff HR Policy D-720.01
Institutional Effectiveness Criterion: Culture

Sick Leave Procedure

Eligible employees may use accrued sick leave for any of the reasons permitted under the Michigan Earned Sick Time Act (ESTA). Regular employees on extended periods of illness may use Short Term Disability if they qualify for this short-term disability benefit (D-721.00/D-721.01). The reasons permitted under ESTA include the following reasons (the ESTA Reasons):

1. The employee's mental or physical illness, injury or health condition; medical diagnosis, care or treatment of the employee's mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition; or preventative medical care for the employee. 
2. For the employee's family member's mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition; medical diagnosis, care or treatment of the employee's family members' mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition; or preventative medical care for a family member of the employee. 
3. If the employee or the employee's family member is a victim of domestic violence or sexual assault, for medical care or physiological or other counseling for physical of psychological injury of disability; to obtain services from a victim services organization; to relocate due to domestic violence or sexual assault; to obtain legal services; or to participate in any civil or criminal proceedings related to or resulting from the domestic violence or sexual assault.
4. For meetings at a child's school or place of care related to the child's health or disability, or the effects of domestic violence or sexual assault on the child; or
5. For the closure of the employee's place of business by order of a public official due to a public health emergency; for an employee's need to care for a child whose school or place of care has been closed by order of a public official due to a public health emergency; or when it has been determined by the health authorities having jurisdiction or by a health care provider that the employee's or the employee's family member's presence in the community would jeopardize the health of others because of the employee's or family member's exposure to a communicable disease, whether or not the employee or family member has actually contracted the communicable disease. 

For the purposes of this policy, "family member" includes all of the following: 

1. Biological, adopted or foster child, stepchild, or legal ward, a child of a domestic partner, or a child whom the employee stands in loco parentis. 
2. Biological parent, foster parent, stepparent, or adoptive parent or a legal guardian of an employee or an employee's spouse or domestic partner of a person who stood in loco parentis when the employee was a minor child. 
3. A person to whom the employee is legally married under the laws of any state or a domestic partner.
4. A grandparent.
5. A grandchild.
6. A biological, foster or adoptive sibling. 
7. Any other individual related by blood or whose close association with the employee is the equivalent of a family relationship. 

Requests to use sick leave must be made no less than 7 days in advance for the foreseeable reasons (i.e. scheduled medical appointments), and no less than 1 hour before the scheduled shift for the unforeseen circumstances, if possible (otherwise as soon as practicable). The employee must identify that the sick leave is needed for an ESTA Reason so that the College can grant it as required by ESTA. The use of sick leave must be reported through a time off request or the employee's time card to payroll. The failure to provide notice in accordance with this policy and/or the misuse of sick leave for non-ESTA Reasons may result in disciplinary action. 

For sick leave that lasts more than three (3) consecutive days, the College reserves the right to request documentation substantiating the need for the absence, to the extent permitted by law. If requested, the documentation need not include description of the illness or the details of the violence or assault, if applicable; the College will pay out-of-pocket expense that the employee incurs in obtaining the documentation, to the extent required under ESTA; and the commencement of sick leave for ESTA Reasons will not be delayed based on failure to receive documentation. However, the documentation must be provided within fifteen (15) days of the College's request. 

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).