Graduate Assistants United -- University of South Florida / Leave
From CGEU
Article 10
Leaves of Absence and Other Leave
10.1 Each employee shall be credited with five (5) days of paid leave per semester appointment. Such paid leave shall be used in increments of not less than one (1) day. For example, an employee scheduled to work six (6) hours on Monday and three (3) hours on Tuesday, who is unable to perform assigned duties on these days for any of the reasons described below, would be charged with two (2) days of leave, regardless of FTE appointment, or number of work hours scheduled. The leave provided under this article shall not be cumulative.
10.2 An employee may use leave described in 10.1 above when:
A. Disabled or otherwise unable to perform because of injury, illness, jury duty, required U.S. military service, or when unable to so perform because the employee's presence is required elsewhere because of injury, illness, or death in the immediate family. Immediate family shall consist of mother, father, spouse, sister, brother, child, a person in a legal dependent relationship with the employee, or other relative living in the employee's household. The employee shall notify the supervisor of the inability to serve as soon as possible.
B. Taking examinations for professional licensing related to the degree or qualifying examinations as required by the university.
C. Traveling to conferences or other events for professional development.
10.3 An employee shall not be required to use leave when the University is officially closed, unless the special conditions of the appointment require the employee to perform duties at these times.
10.4 Released Time.
A. A unit of release time shall equal 10 hours per week. Release time may be allocated in increments of 5 or 10 hours per week. The University agrees to provide up to 1 total unit of release time per semester during the academic year (Fall and Spring) to employees designated by the UFF-GAU for the purpose of carrying out the UFF-GAU's obligations in representing employees and administering this Agreement. The UFF-GAU may designate employees to receive this released time during the academic year, subject to the following conditions:
(1) No more than one employee per department may be granted release time at any one time, unless that department employs more than twenty-five (25) employees.
(2) The award of release time shall not reduce the workload obligation of a teaching assistant below 10 hours per week. The award of release time shall not reduce the workload obligation of a graduate assistant below 5 hours per week.
(3) An employee who has been granted released time for two consecutive semesters (Fall-Spring or Spring-Fall) shall not again be eligible for released time until two consecutive semesters have elapsed following the end of the second semester in which such released time was granted.
(4) The UFF-GAU shall provide the University with a list of requested designees for the academic year at least four (4) weeks prior to the first day of classes for the semester. The list will indicate each employee's requested FTE for released time. Upon approval of the designees by the University, the designees shall serve for one (1) academic year. Substitutions for the Spring semester may be made upon written notification submitted by the UFF-GAU to the University no later than four (4) weeks prior to the first day of classes for the Spring semester.
(5) Employees on released time must remain students in good standing at the University during their released time appointment.
B. Released time shall be used for conducting university-related UFF-GAU business, and shall not be used for lobbying or other political representation except in accordance with state or federal law.
C. Upon the failure of the UFF-GAU to provide a list of designees by the specified deadlines, the university may refuse to honor any of the released time requests which were submitted late. Substitutions submitted after the deadlines in Article 10.4(A)(4) shall be allowed at the discretion of the university.
D. Employees on released time shall be eligible for stipend increases on the same basis as other employees, but their released time activities shall not be evaluated nor taken into consideration by the University in making personnel decisions.
E. Employees on release time shall retain all rights and responsibilities as employees, but shall not be considered representatives or agents of the University for any activities undertaken on behalf of the UFF-GAU. The UFF-GAU agrees to hold the University harmless for any claims arising from such activities, including the cost of defending against such claims.
