Milwaukee Graduate Assistants' Association -- University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee / Leave
From CGEU
Section 4. Absence Coverage
A. Illness or Injury. Employees may take an excused absence in the event of personal illness, bodily injuries, maternity, or exposure to contagious diseases 1) which requires the employee’s confinement; or 2) which renders the employee unable to perform assigned duties; or 3) where performance of assigned duties would jeopardize the employee’s health or recovery. The Employer may require a medical certification or other appropriate verification for absences covered by this Section.
B. Care of Family Members. Employees may take an excused absence for temporary emergency care of ill or injured members of the immediate family. Immediate family is defined as and limited to: spouse, spouse equivalent residing in the household, parents, stepparents, grandparents, foster parents, children, stepchildren, grandchildren, foster children, brothers (and their spouses), sisters (and their spouses) of the employee or spouse and other relatives of the employee or spouse residing in the household.
C. Funeral Leave. Employees may take an excused absence if a death occurs in the employee’s immediate family as defined in Section B. above. Employees will be excused to attend the funeral and/or make necessary arrangements prior to and following such events.
D. Coverage of Short-Term Absence. In the event of absence for any of the reasons outlined in Section A., B., or C., above, the employee will notify his or her Department as soon as possible. Unless other arrangements acceptable to the Employer are made, the following will apply:
1. The employee will obtain unpaid peer substitute coverage acceptable to the employee’s immediate supervisor or the Department; or
2. The employee will make arrangements with his or her immediate supervisor to fulfill the required duties through other acceptable means; or
3. The employee will fulfill the required duties at a different time with the approval of the supervisor.
4. After a good faith effort has been made to comply with 1., 2., and 3., above, the Employer will be ultimately responsible for coverage.
E. Extended Absences. If an employee is faced with an extended absence from the work place, at the request of either the employee or the Employer, the Union, the Labor Relations Manager and a representative of the affected Department will meet to explore reasonable alternatives to removing the employee from the payroll. Whenever possible, the Employer will make a good faith effort to enable the employee to remain on the payroll for the remainder of the semester in which the absence occurs.
Section 5. Leave of Absence Without Pay
A. Leave of Absence Without Pay Except as provided in B., upon written request to his/her immediate supervisor, an employee may be granted leave without pay at the sole discretion of the appointing Department for any reason for a period of time not to exceed the employee’s unexpired term of appointment.
B. Parental Leave Without Pay. An employee shall be granted leave without pay following childbirth or adoption as follows: An employee shall submit written notification of the duration of the leave to his or her immediate supervisor at least four (4) weeks prior to the anticipated date of birth or adoption. An employee on a semester or academic year appointment shall be granted leave without pay for any consecutive number of days up to the end of the semester or summer session in which the birth or adoption occurs. If the employee’s appointment extends beyond the semester in which the birth or adoption occurs, he or she shall be granted upon request leave without pay for the entire next semester or that portion of the next semester which allows the employee a six week period following childbirth or adoption. The employee may take any additional part of the next semester as leave without pay subject to the approval of the appointing Department. An employee on annual pay basis appointment shall be granted leave without pay for a period of time up to but not exceeding six (6) months and not to extend beyond the duration of the appointment.
C. Family and Medical Leave. The Employer will recognize the provisions of the Family and Medical Leave Act, s. 103.10, Wis. Stats., and the Federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 where applicable to employees under this Agreement.
D. Return to Work. An employee on an unpaid leave of absence may return to work prior to the expiration of the leave only upon receiving the express approval of his or her immediate supervisor and the Department. Such leave shall not extend the duration of an employee’s appointment.
Section 6. Vacation. Employees on a full-time annual pay basis appointment shall earn paid vacation at a full time rate of twenty-two (22) days per fiscal year. Project and program assistants appointed on an annual (A) pay basis shall earn a proportional amount of paid vacation if their appointment exceeds thirty days. The scheduling of vacation is subject to the approval of the supervisor and must be taken during the period of the appointment.
