Guide To Leave Benefits for SUNY Plattsburgh Employees

Introduction — Why Do We Have Leave Benefits?

SUNY Plattsburgh employees receive various leave benefits to protect their income and support personal needs when time off is necessary. Different types of leave serve specific purposes: vacation helps employees rest and recharge, personal leave (for eligible employees) covers personal business, emergencies, religious observance, or vacation time, and sick leave is for illness, medical appointments or family illness/death.

Proper use of leave benefits helps both employees and the university. Employees gain financial protection and flexibility for personal and family responsibilities, which can improve morale and work performance. The university benefits because planned leave allows for better staffing and operations management.

Sick leave is especially valuable because unused time can accumulate and provide income during extended illness. In retirement, unused sick days may increase pension service credit for eligible NYS retirement systems and help pay retiree health insurance premiums.

While employees are entitled to use leave benefits, the university must also maintain efficient operations. Therefore, policies and procedures are in place to ensure leave is used appropriately and scheduled in a way that supports agency needs. Supervisors are responsible for administering these rules effectively.

Basic Attendance & Leave Issues

1. Basic Workweek

The Attendance Rules establish that the basic workweek for full-time annual salaried employees, except those employees determined ineligible to earn overtime under the rules of the Division of the Budget, is 40 hours. The workweek may be reduced to 37.5 hours, by the appointing authority, with the approval of the Division of the Budget. The basic workweek for overtime-ineligible employees is also 37.5 or 40 hours as determined by the appointing authority. The basic workweek establishes the minimum number of hours, which must be worked by an employee each week. It does not preclude a supervisor from requiring an employee to work overtime when necessary. An employee may be directed to work overtime whether or not eligible for overtime pay. Similarly, the basic workweek does not preclude an employee from working less than the established number of hours when time off is approved by the supervisor in accordance with the appropriate leave policies.

2. Normal Workday

The normal workday for employees is 8 hours, exclusive of mealtime, for 40-hour employees, and 7.5 hours, exclusive of mealtime for 37.5 hour employees. In certain situations employees’ responsibilities are such that they are required to remain on duty during meal periods and in this case the meal period is considered part of the workday. Alternate work schedules, which are available in many state agencies, may also deviate from the norm. Information concerning the availability of alternative work schedules may be obtained by contacting Human Resource and Payroll Services.

3. Meal and Rest Periods

It is the responsibility of the appointing authority to establish the time allowed for meals and rest periods. The meal period should be at least one-half hour in duration. The granting of rest periods is discretionary, but recommended, especially for employees whose responsibilities are of a routine nature. Rest periods, where granted, should be of a reasonable duration. As a guide, more than two 15 minute periods per 7.5 or 8 hour day, would be considered excessive under normal working conditions. Employees who do not use rest times are not allowed to either shorten the workday, lengthen the meal period or receive any form of overtime compensation or compensatory time. NYS Labor Law requires employees to take a one-half hour meal break for shifts of more than six hours.

4. Record of Attendance

Adequate and accurate records of attendance must be maintained for each employee.

Classified employees (CSEA, PEF, Security and MC06) must record daily time records of actual hours worked, including arrival and departure times both at the beginning and the end of the workday and meal period, leave credits used, and absences not charged to leave credits. This record keeping can be on forms, or on an electronic time-keeping system subject to review and approval by the employee’s supervisor. Record keeping is done after the time has been worked, and on a daily basis. It is not acceptable to complete the time record prior to completing the workday.

Classified employees complete a bi-weekly time sheet, which must be reviewed/certified by his/her supervisor and is due to Human Resource and Payroll Services on the Thursday following the end of the covered payroll period and no later than the Monday following that period.

Unclassified employees (UUP and MC13) complete a monthly leave record and only record time missed, in 2-hour increments (0.25 day).

Falsification of an employee’s time record constitutes a serious violation and is a basis for counseling and/or disciplinary action. Supervisory authorization of a falsified time record is also a basis for action; therefore, supervisors should carefully monitor for accuracy.

5. Types of Absences

Employee absences fall into several categories:

A scheduled absence is one for which advance notice is given, such as use of vacation or personal leave, use of sick leave for a routine dentist appointment. These also constitute authorized absences, if approved by the supervisor.

An absence may be authorized but unscheduled. For example, an employee telephones the supervisor to say, “I don't feel well. I seem to have the intestinal flu. I need to stay home,” and the supervisor agrees. Or the employee might say, “My furnace blew up last night, and I need to be here to meet the repair people. I'd like to take the day off and charge it to personal leave,” and the supervisor agrees.

An absence may be unauthorized. An unauthorized absence is one for which the employee does not receive approval from the supervisor. For example, if an employee is absent without seeking permission from, or reporting the absence to the supervisor, the absence is unauthorized. If the supervisor denies an employee’s request to use personal or annual leave, saying, for example, that the unit cannot afford to have the employee take leave on the day in question and the employee is absent anyway, the absence is unauthorized.

Although an employee is required to obtain prior supervisory approval for an absence, emergency circumstances may sometimes prevent the employee from doing so. For example, the employee may require emergency medical attention. In such circumstances, the supervisor may authorize the employee to charge the absence to appropriate leave credits after the fact. Post approval of an absence is at the discretion of the supervisor. In determining whether to approve an absence after it has occurred, the supervisor must carefully consider the circumstances surrounding the absence. Some factors which a supervisor might consider in making such a determination include the nature of the emergency and whether it was such that it prevented the employee from notifying the supervisor.

If the supervisor does not approve the leave either before or after the absence, it is unauthorized.

Sick Leave & Documentation

SUNY Plattsburgh employees accrue sick leave for use when they, or in certain circumstances a family member, are ill or require medical care. Sick leave is intended to protect employees from loss of income due to personal illness or disability, medical or dental appointments, or illness or death in the family. Sick leave may only be used for these purposes and may not be used as additional vacation or personal leave.

Accruing Sick Leave

Accrual rates vary according to collective bargaining agreements; current employees can view this information within SUNY's Online Time & Attendance System. Prospective employees can reference the Benefit Summary that corresponds with the position they are considering.

To earn sick leave credits, employees must be in full pay status (not on unpaid leave or leave at half pay) for the majority of accrual period. This means at least ten workdays in each biweekly pay period for classified employees (CSEA, PEF, etc.) or at least 15 calendar days each month for unclassified employees (MC, UUP).

Family Sick Leave/Bereavement Leave

There are no separate leave categories for family sick leave and bereavement leave. However, employees may use up to 30 days of accumulated sick leave credits per year for death and/or illness in the immediate family. Such use is subject to the approval of the supervisor, but authorization should not be unreasonably denied.

The guideline for family illness is that the employee’s presence must be medically necessary for the employee to qualify to use sick leave. A few examples of appropriate use of family sick leave include providing direct care for an ill family member; accompanying a family member to a doctor’s appointment either because the family member is unable to go alone (because of age or illness) or because the employee must be present as a responsible adult to receive the medical information concerning the family member’s condition; being present with a spouse on the day of delivery of a child and to provide direct care following her release from the hospital; being present at the hospital during surgery or other medical emergency of a family member. These examples are only illustrative. You should discuss any questions about requests for family sick leave with Human Resource and Payroll Services.

Sick leave for bereavement purposes may be properly used for a death in the employee’s family. It may not be used to attend the funeral of someone other than a family member.

Although there are some differences among the contract provisions, family is usually defined as any person who lives in the employee’s household or blood relatives or in-laws, regardless of place of residence.

Sick Leave and Overtime Compensation

For the purpose of earning and payment of overtime compensation for CSEA, an absence charged to sick leave accruals during a work week shall be treated as follows:

when mandatory overtime is worked, a scheduled absence charged to sick leave accruals is time worked;
when mandatory overtime is worked, an unscheduled absence charged to sick leave accruals is time worked;
when voluntary overtime is worked, a scheduled absence charged to sick leave accruals is time worked;
when voluntary overtime is worked, an unscheduled absence charged to sick leave accruals is not time worked with respect to all hours of voluntary overtime worked up to the amount of absence charged to sick leave accruals in that workweek.

Documentation

In accordance with applicable contractual provisions, supervisors may require satisfactory medical documentation before approving the use of sick leave. Medical documentation is a written statement from a physician, hospital or other recognized medical practitioner verifying the illness or absence. Any costs associated with obtaining documentation are the responsibility of the employee.

Documentation may be requested on a one-time basis or as an ongoing requirement for all future absences during a specified period. Generally, medical documentation is not required for short-term illnesses of only a few days, as employees may not seek medical treatment for brief illnesses.

All medical documentation must be satisfactory to the university. Documentation may be considered insufficient if it lacks necessary details, does not include an anticipated return-to-work date or fails to address the employee’s ability to perform specific job duties when requested. If documentation is determined to be inadequate, the employee will be informed of what additional information is needed and provided a reasonable opportunity to submit acceptable documentation.

Medical documentation must be handled confidentially and shared only with individuals who have a legitimate business need to review it. Questions regarding documentation requirements should be directed to Human Resource and Payroll Services.

Medical documentation is generally required for absences involving four or more consecutive sick days and should be submitted to Human Resource and Payroll Services as soon as possible.

Supervisors must review and approve required medical documentation before approving employee time records for:

Employees subject to documentation requirements due to attendance history; and
Employees requesting leave for cancer screenings or other approved medical leave categories.

At the employee’s request, or when confidentiality concerns exist, documentation may be submitted directly to Human Resource and Payroll Services for review and assistance.

Medical Examination

The university may require an employee to undergo a medical examination conducted by a medical professional selected by SUNY Plattsburgh. Examinations may be required to determine whether an employee is unable to work, able to return to work following an absence or in need of additional medical attention related to a condition affecting job performance.

Any required examination will be conducted at the university’s expense. An employee’s unexcused failure to attend a required examination may result in disciplinary action.

Appropriate/Inappropriate Use of Sick Leave

Most employees use sick leave responsibly. Sick leave is an important benefitintended to protect you in the event of illness, injury or other approved reasons. Misuse of sick leave can disrupt work, place additional strain on your coworkers, and may negatively impact services and operations.

Improper use of sick leave can also affect you directly by reducing available leave during serious illness or emergencies and limiting potential benefits, such as additional service credit at retirement.

Appropriate Use of Sick Leave

You may use sick leave when you are unable to work due to:

Illness, injury, surgery, or recovery (at home, in a hospital, or another care facility)
Childbirth
Medical, dental or other health care appointments, including preventive care and routine exams
Reasonable travel time related to medical care
Approved family sick leave purposes

For local medical appointments, you are expected to use only the amount of sick leave reasonably necessary. Sick leave should not be used for an entire workday unless the situation requires it.

Improper Use of Sick Leave

Sick leave may not be used for:

Vacation or personal time off
Personal errands that do not involve receiving medical care (for example, picking up prescriptions, collecting eyeglasses or dropping off medical devices for repair)
Family responsibilities such as housekeeping, homemaking or babysitting, unless you are directly caring for an ill family member

Expectations for Employees

You are expected to:

Use sick leave only for approved and legitimate reasons
Follow your department’s call-in and notification procedures
Keep your supervisor informed of your absence as required
Maintain reliable attendance and avoid patterns of unscheduled or questionable absences

Attendance records are reviewed regularly, and patterns such as frequent unscheduled absences, repeated one-day absences or absences around weekends or holidays may be addressed.

Impact of Absences

Frequent or unplanned absences can:

Disrupt workflow and delay assignments
Increase workload for coworkers
Affect team morale and overall productivity

Addressing Attendance Concerns

If your attendance becomes a concern:

Your supervisor will discuss it with you in a private, non-disciplinary meeting
You will have the opportunity to explain your situation
Expectations for improvement will be clearly outlined

Support may be available through resources like the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) if personal or work-related challenges are affecting your attendance.

Maintaining Good Standing

To maintain acceptable attendance:

Be aware of attendance expectations and policies
Communicate proactively with your supervisor
Use sick leave responsibly

Failure to maintain acceptable attendance may affect your performance evaluation and could result in disciplinary action if concerns are not resolved.

Sick Leave at Half-Pay

In addition to paid sick leave benefits, permanent classified employees earn 10 days of sick leave at half-pay for every six months of service. Temporary employees, as well as academic and professional employees, are not eligible for this benefit.

To use sick leave at half-pay, employees must:

Have at least one year of cumulative state service; and
Be absent due to their own illness or disability.

Sick leave at half-pay may not be used for:

Illness of a family member; or
Routine medical or dental appointments.

Employees must exhaust all available leave credits, including vacation, sick leave, personal leave, holiday leave, and overtime credits, before using sick leave at half-pay.

Sick leave at half-pay begins immediately after all leave credits are exhausted, except for employees who have received formal discipline for leave abuse within the previous year.

If an employee experiences a work-related injury or illness, they must:

Notify their supervisor as soon as possible.
Complete an Accident Report.
Call the Accident Reporting System (ARS) at 1-888-800-0029 to obtain an incident number. The incident number must be recorded on the bottom of the Accident Report for it to be considered complete.
Seek medical assistance, if necessary.

Forward the completed accident report (including the incident number) and medical documentation to Human Resource and Payroll Services via email at [email protected] or via fax at 518-564-5060.

Supervisors should report any safety hazards to the Environmental Health and Safety Office.

Employees who are unable to work due to a work-related injury or illness must provide medical documentation supporting their absence.

For the first five (5) full workdays of absence, employees must charge each full day to their available leave accruals and also record the absence as Workers' Compensation on their time record. Beginning on the sixth (6th) full day of absence, the employee will be placed on a Workers’ Compensation Leave Without Pay (LWOP) and removed from the regular payroll.

While on Workers’ Compensation Leave Without Pay, wage replacement benefits are paid directly by the State Insurance Fund (SIF). Benefit payments are based on the employee's level of disability, as determined by the treating physician, and are administered in accordance with applicable Workers’ Compensation laws and collective bargaining agreements.

Employees who are absent from work due to an occupational injury or illness are generally entitled to a leave of absence for up to one cumulative year per injury, unless they have been determined to be permanently disabled. If an employee is found to be permanently disabled, employment may be terminated before the one-year period has been exhausted.

Employees on Workers’ Compensation leave are expected to remain under the care of a qualified healthcare provider and comply with all prescribed treatment plans, which may include regular medical appointments and physical therapy. Updated medical documentation must be submitted at least every thirty (30) days to verify the employee’s continued inability to work and current work status.

Employees may not return to work until they have obtained written medical clearance from their healthcare provider. Any return to work must also be approved by Human Resource and Payroll Services, and the employee’s supervisor, before the employee resumes their duties.

Note: Members of PEF, PBAofNYS and NYSCOPBA should contact Human Resource and Payroll Services for options for Workers’ Compensation leave.

Please reference the Workers’ Compensation webpage for additional information.

Mandatory Alternate Duty

New York state’s Mandatory Alternate Duty Program helps employees return to work before they are able to resume their full job duties following a workers’ compensation-related disability. The program also enables agencies to utilize the skills and abilities of employees who would otherwise be unable to return to duty.

To be eligible, an employee must be 50% or less disabled and have a medical prognosis indicating full recovery within 60 calendar days. Eligible employees are returned to the payroll at full salary.

The employee’s physician must complete a Physical Capabilities Form, which is reviewed by Human Resource and Payroll Services and the employee’s supervisor to determine eligibility and identify appropriate work assignments. This form is available in Human Resource and Payroll Services or from the workers’ compensation physician.

Management may assign mandatory alternate duties that the employee is medically able to perform. These assignments may differ from the employee’s regular title, salary grade or job responsibilities. Management should make reasonable efforts to accommodate the employee’s restrictions and apply consistent, sound judgment when developing alternate duty assignments.

Vacation Leave

Accrual of Vacation Leave

State employees accrue between 13 and 25 days of vacation leave annually, depending on their bargaining unit, years of service and date of hire.

Employees earn vacation leave only when they are in full-pay status for the majority of the accrual period. This generally requires:

Classified employees (e.g., CSEA, PEF): at least 10 workdays in pay status during a biweekly pay period.
Unclassified employees (e.g., MC, UUP): at least 15 calendar days in pay status during a month.

Vacation Accumulation

Employees may accumulate up to 40 days of vacation leave. Upon retirement, separation, or death, payment is limited to a maximum of 30 days, subject to applicable contractual provisions.

Many bargaining unit agreements allow employees to temporarily exceed the maximum accumulation during the year, provided their balance is reduced to the contractual limit by the end of the applicable fiscal or calendar year.

Supervisors should monitor employee balances and encourage the use of vacation leave to help prevent the loss of accrued credits.

Use and Approval of Vacation Leave

Vacation leave requires prior supervisory approval, except in emergencies when advance notice may be waived.

Vacation requests should be approved whenever operational needs permit. Supervisors may deny requests when the employee’s absence would adversely affect departmental operations, but requests should not be denied arbitrarily or unreasonably.

Employees should be encouraged to use vacation leave regularly. Taking time away from work supports employee well-being and helps reduce stress and burnout.

Vacation Scheduling

Agencies may establish reasonable procedures for requesting and scheduling vacation leave, including advance notice requirements.

When multiple employees request the same vacation period and operational needs prevent approval of all requests, collective bargaining agreements may require that requests be granted based on seniority. Supervisors should consult the applicable bargaining agreement and agency procedures for specific requirements.

Supervisors should review and respond to vacation requests in a timely manner. If a request is denied, employees should be informed of the reason consistent with agency policy and contractual requirements.

In administering vacation benefits, supervisors should balance operational needs with employee interests and work collaboratively with employees to schedule leave at mutually convenient times.

Personal Leave

Eligible classified employees receive up to five (5) days of personal leave annually, depending on their bargaining unit, date of hire, and years of service. Personal leave is intended for personal business, religious observances and other personal needs, and may also be used in the same manner as vacation leave.

Employees are generally required to obtain supervisory approval in advance and comply with agency procedures for requesting personal leave. In emergency situations, approval may be requested after the absence.

Employees are not required to provide a reason when requesting personal leave. Approval should be granted whenever operational needs permit. However, when a request for personal leave has been denied, an employee may benefit by providing a reason in order to have the request reconsidered.

Personal leave does not carry over from year to year. Any unused balance expires at the close of business on the day before the employee’s personal leave anniversary date.

Holidays

Holidays Observed

The following 13 holidays are observed by the state each year:

When a holiday falls on a Sunday, it is generally observed on the following Monday. Holidays that fall on a Saturday are typically observed on that day. Employees who are not regularly scheduled to work on Saturdays are generally credited with an earned day of holiday leave, which must be used within one year, in accordance with applicable contractual provisions.

These holidays do not apply to ten-month academic employees. Please reference the Holiday Information website for additional information.

Floating Holidays

Two of the state holidays are designated as Floating Holidays each year for most employees, Lincoln’s Birthday and Election Day. If a holiday is so designated, it should be treated as a regular workday. On the date of the holiday, employees in full pay status are credited with one day of earned holiday leave, as appropriate. Employees may use floating holidays subject to agency procedures for requesting time off. Floating holidays may be used in units of a ¼ workday. An employee must use a floating holiday within a twelve-month period or forfeit the day.

Holidays are not floated for PBAofNYS or NYSCOPBA.

Earning Holiday Leave

If a holiday falls on an employee’s regular day off (pass day), the employee is entitled to receive holiday leave in the amount of the employee’s standard workday.

Classified employees who are required to work on a holiday are given the option of receiving holiday leave or additional compensation (holiday pay) for time worked on the holiday. An employee may waive holiday pay for all holidays which fall during the period of the waiver but may not do so for an individual holiday. New classified employees receive additional compensation until they are eligible to make an election in the waiver period. The waiver period is April 1 to May 15 of each year. Waiver forms are updated annually and can be found on the Forms page under Waiver of Holiday Compensation.

Eligible classified employees who are required to work on the days observed by the State as the Thanksgiving and Christmas Day holidays are eligible to receive holiday compensation in the form of holiday pay or holiday leave at the rate of time and one-half.

Eligible UUP employees who are required to work on the days observed by the State as the Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day holidays are eligible to receive holiday compensation instead of earned holiday time. Waiver forms are updated annually and can be found on the Forms page under Waiver of Holiday Compensation – UUP.

Holiday Leave Accumulation and Use

Most employees are required to use holiday leave within one year after it is earned, or it is forfeited. Accordingly, supervisors should encourage employees to use holiday leave as soon as possible after it is earned. Absences which would otherwise be charged to personal leave (if applicable) or vacation leave should be charged to holiday leave, provided the employee is not approaching the maximum accumulation for vacation leave accruals or the employee’s personal leave anniversary date.

The use of holiday compensatory leave is subject to prior supervisory approval, consistent with the operating needs of the agency. As with personal leave and annual leave credits, such authorization should not be unreasonably or arbitrarily withheld.

Compensation for Unused Holiday Leave

Generally, employees are not entitled to cash compensation for unused accrued holiday leave upon separation from state employment. However, in the Security Services Unit, the Security Supervisors Unit and the Agency Police Services Unit, the time is added to accrued vacation credits and the rules concerning liquidation of vacation credits apply to liquidation of holiday credits.

Medical/Parental/Family Leaves

Most of the leave types described below require the completion and submission of a Medical/Family Leave Request Form. Because leave eligibility and requirements can vary based on applicable collective bargaining agreements, employees are encouraged to contact Human Resource and Payroll Services as early as possible when considering any type of leave. Staff will be happy to answer questions, provide guidance and work with employees throughout the leave request process.

Family and Medical Leave Act

The Federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitles eligible employees to up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave per calendar year for qualifying reasons, including: (1) incapacity related to pregnancy, prenatal care, or childbirth; (2) bonding with a newborn child or a child placed for adoption or foster care; (3) caring for a spouse, child, or parent with a serious health condition; or (4) the employee’s own serious health condition that prevents them from performing the essential functions of their job.

Eligibility Requirements — Employees are eligible if they have worked for the state of New York for at least 12 cumulative months and have worked 1,250 hours over the 12 months prior to the leave.

Use of Leave — Leave can be taken intermittently or on a reduced leave schedule when medically necessary. Employees must make reasonable efforts to schedule leave for planned medical treatment so as not to unduly disrupt the employer’s operations.

Military Family Leave Entitlements — Eligible employees with a spouse, child, or parent serving on active duty, or called to active duty in the National Guard or Reserves in support of a contingency operation, may use up to 12 weeks of FMLA leave for certain qualifying exigencies. These may include attending military events, arranging childcare, addressing financial or legal matters, participating in counseling and attending post-deployment reintegration activities. FMLA also provides eligible employees with up to 26 weeks of leave during a single 12-month period to care for a covered service member with a serious injury or illness incurred in the line of duty. A covered service member is a current member of the Armed Forces who is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy; is in outpatient status; or is on the temporary disability retired list due to a qualifying service-related injury or illness.

Please reference the FMLA webpage for additional information.

Cancer Screening

Under New York State Civil Service Law, employees are entitled to up to four hours of paid leave annually for cancer screening. This leave is not cumulative and expires at the end of each calendar year.

The four-hour allowance includes travel time. Any absence exceeding four hours must be charged to the employee’s leave accruals. Paid leave is available only when the screening is scheduled during the employee’s regular work hours; screenings conducted outside of regular work hours must be completed on the employee’s own time.

Employees must provide satisfactory medical documentation verifying that the absence was for a cancer screening. A Cancer Screening Leave Form is available on the HRS website for completion by the medical provider, although other acceptable documentation may be submitted. If the required documentation is not provided, the absence may be charged as sick leave or leave without pay.

Leave for Bone Marrow and/or Organ Donation

Section 202-b of the New York State Labor Law provides that any employee of the state will be allowed up to seven workdays of leave with pay without charge to accruals to undergo a medical procedure to donate bone marrow and up to 30 workdays to serve as an organ donor. There are notification and medical documentation requirements for these leaves.

Maternity Leave

The Attendance Rules of the State of New York, in conjunction with the Policies of the Board of Trustees and the collective bargaining agreements covering university employees, require that sick leave only be charged during a period of disability. Under this guideline, disability arising from pregnancy or childbirth is treated the same as any other disability in terms of eligibility for, and entitlement to sick leave.

The period of disability begins when the doctor’s certification deems it to begin. This varies with each individual based on medical condition as determined by the attending physician. Human Resource and Payroll Services will require medical certification for all extended periods (usually defined as an absence of four or more days) of disability, which would include pregnancy/maternity.

The period of medical disability ends when the doctor’s certification deems it to end. Most pregnancy/maternity disability absences span a six- to eight-week period, but each situation can vary. The guiding principle in this procedure is that the individual employee will be entitled to charge sick leave for the pregnancy/maternity period during the time so indicated by the employee’s physician.

Employees who are absent from work due to an extended disability must provide a medical release authorizing their return to work before resuming their duties. Employees are also required to keep Human Resource and Payroll Services informed of their status throughout the leave period.

Human Resource and Payroll Services will periodically request medical status updates, typically on a monthly basis. However, routine updates are generally not required during the standard six- to eight-week disability period associated with childbirth.

Child Care Leave

Child care leave is available under state policy on a mandatory basis to either parent for a maximum of seven months from the date of birth of the child. For adoptive parents, child care leave is available for a maximum of seven months commencing any time between date of placement and the effective date of adoption. Child care leave is unpaid leave but employees may elect to charge credits other than sick leave. When both parents are state employees, one may take the entire leave or the seven-month leave may be split. An employee who returns to work prior to the expiration of the seven-month period forfeits entitlement to child care leave for the balance of that seven-month period.

NYS Paid Parental Leave (PPL)

New York State will provide 12 weeks of Paid Parental Leave for executive branch state employees to bond with a newly born, adopted or fostered child. Eligible employees may take leave with pay (no charge to accruals) for up to 12 weeks for each qualifying event, defined as the birth of a child or placement of a child for adoption or foster care. PPL is available for use once every 12-month period. Please consult the Human Resource and Payroll Services for additional information and eligibility or visit www.cs.ny.gov/ppl/.

NYS Paid Family Leave (PFL)

Currently, only employees represented by UUP and Management/Confidential employees, are eligible for this benefit.

PFL is intended to balance the demands of the workplace with the needs of families by providing workers with reasonable amounts of paid time off. It should be noted that PFL is not available for an employee’s own serious health condition or military activation. PFL program provides workers with up to 12 weeks of job-protected, paid leave to bond with a new child, care for a loved one or relatives with a serious health condition or to help relieve family pressures when someone is deployed abroad on active military service.

During this leave, employees are paid at 67% of the employee’s average weekly wage, not to exceed 67% of the New York State Average Weekly Wage (NYSAWW). Employees utilizing PFL benefits are paid via the PFL insurance carrier and are deemed to be in leave without pay status from the state payroll. Benefits will be impacted.

Please consult Human Resource and Payroll Services for additional information and eligibility or visit https://www.suny.edu/benefits/attendance/pfl/.

Rights of Nursing Mothers to Express Breast Milk in the Workplace

Under current New York state law, all employers must give employees a 30-minute paid break each time there is a reasonable need to express milk while at work. This break is in addition to the employee’s usual break and mealtimes. This policy recognizes that all employees are different and there may be a customized approach for each person. Employees may use usual break and meal periods for expressing milk when an employee needs to extend their lactation break over the given 30 minutes.

Additional information can be found within the Lactation Accommodation Policy or by contacting Human Resource and Payroll Services.

Other Leaves

Employee Organization Leave

Employee Organization Leave (EOL) is release time, without charge to an employee’s accumulated leave credits, which is granted to designated representatives or officers of the union for the purpose of conducting union business. The intent of EOL is to protect employees who are designated as representatives of the union from loss of earnings or leave credits for time spent conducting union business during regularly scheduled work hours. Employees are not entitled to receive any form of overtime compensation or compensatory time off for time spent conducting union business outside of the regularly scheduled workday or on a holiday. EOL is permitted for two purposes: (a) to conduct the internal affairs of the union; and (b) to directly represent employees.

In administering this leave provision, supervisors should keep in mind that the primary responsibility of every state employee is to provide services to the State. EOL should not be granted when it would unduly interfere with the proper functioning of the department or agency. The supervisor has both the right and the responsibility to monitor the use of EOL to ensure that it is properly used and to ensure that its use does not interfere with the reasonable operating needs of the state. However, the supervisor also has a responsibility to ensure that employees who are designated as eligible to use EOL are not unreasonably or arbitrarily denied the opportunity to do so.

Questions concerning the use of EOL should be directed to Human Resource and Payroll Services.

Court Appearances and Jury Duty

To allow an employee to perform civic duties without penalty, he or she may report for jury duty or as a witness in a court or quasi-judicial matter without charge to leave credits, provided the employee is not party to the action.

A supervisor may request satisfactory proof that the employee’s presence is required for such purposes. In addition, the employee must provide a record of jury duty attendance from the court for each individual day of attendance.

Employees should generally be required to report for duty in their agencies at all times when their attendance for court or jury purposes is not required. However, employees who have devoted a full day to jury duty or a court appearance, and who are scheduled to work a full shift other than a regular day shift, may at the discretion of the appointing authority be granted leave with pay for the scheduled shift. The supervisor may opt to reschedule the employee to the day shift for the duration of jury duty or court assignment. The supervisor is required to reschedule shifts, where practicable, for employees in the Operational, Institutional, and Administrative Services Units. Under no circumstances may an employee be granted compensatory time off in lieu of ordered appearances and jury duty attendance on a pass day or holiday.

Although employees should generally be encouraged to fulfill their civic duties, they may be encouraged, but may not be required, to request a deferment of jury duty responsibilities when it is deemed necessary for the efficient conduct of government business.

Civil Service Examinations

Upon sufficient advance notice to their supervisors, employees are entitled to receive leave at full pay without charge to leave credits for the purpose of taking a New York state Civil Service examination which is scheduled during regular work hours or to be interviewed for a state position, provided the employee did not initiate the interview.

An interview which results from response to a canvass letter or other agency-initiated inquiry directed to a specific employee is not deemed to be employee-initiated. An employee is deemed to have initiated an interview if the interview is the result of a phone inquiry made by the employee, an unsolicited resume submitted by the employee or a response to a posting.

Reasonable travel time and mealtime, if appropriate, should also be granted in connection with this leave. Some of the negotiated agreements additionally require that, under certain circumstances, the employee be given time off prior to an examination.

Time off for the purpose of reviewing or appealing examinations must be charged to leave credits other than sick leave. A supervisor may not disapprove use of leave for this purpose if, as a result of that disapproval, the employee is denied the opportunity to review or appeal an examination which the employee has taken.

Military Leave

In accordance with Section 242 of the Military Law, employees who are members of the National Guard or a reserve component of the Armed Forces are entitled to receive up to 30 calendar days or 22 workdays, whichever is greater, of military leave with full pay each calendar year or during a continuous period of absence spanning more than one calendar year for ordered military duty. Requests for military leave should be supported by copies of orders, submitted in advance where possible. Employees cannot, however, be refused leave for failure to provide orders in advance. Actual performance of ordered military duty may be confirmed by requiring employees to submit a copy of their Leave and Earnings Statement or other confirmation following completion of military duty.

Military leave with full pay may not be used in less than full day units. After exhausting the 30 calendar days or 22 workdays of leave with full pay, employees are entitled to military leave without pay for this purpose. Employees must be allowed to use leave credits other than sick leave during such period of leave, at their option, after exhausting their entitlement to military leave with pay under Section 242. Regular days off and shift assignments cannot be rescheduled to avoid military drills during working hours, unless the employee requests a schedule change.

Employees who enlist in the armed forces are eligible for military leave without pay under Section 243 of NYS Military Law and under federal military law.

Reservists and members of the National Guard activated for military service in connection with the war on terror may also be entitled to special military benefits. Such employees should contact Human Resource and Payroll Services for details.

Military Leave for Combat Related Health Care Services

Section 242 (5)(b) of the Military Law entitles state officers and employees to paid leave without charge to leave credits for up to five (5) workdays of paid leave annually for any healthcare related services associated with an illness or injury sustained while in a combat theater or combat zone of operations.

Time Off to Vote

Employees who are required to work on Election Day, and who do not have sufficient time to vote outside of working hours, are entitled to receive up to two hours of leave with pay without charge to leave credits to vote. Sufficient time to vote is defined as four consecutive hours either between the opening of the polls and the start of the employee’s work shift or between the end of the employee’s work shift and the closing of the polls. Such time off should be granted at either the beginning or the end of the workday as designated by the appointing authority, unless otherwise mutually agreed to by the supervisor and the employee. If the employee requires time off to vote, the employee is required to notify the supervisor not more than ten (10) and not less than two (2) days prior to Election Day.

Absence — Extraordinary Circumstances

Extraordinary circumstances are defined as emergency situations such as severe weather conditions or building conditions which impact on the ability of employees to report to work, or which make it unsafe for employees to remain in the workplace.

Employees who have reported to work and are directed by the agency head to depart early because of extraordinary circumstances beyond their control are not required to charge the remainder of their work shift to accrued leave. Directed early departures generally do not apply to essential service staff. Directed early departures apply only to employees present at work at the time the departure is directed. Employees who reported but who left work prior to the directed departure must charge leave credits from the time they left work until the end of their shift.

Early departures may only be directed by the agency head with the approval of the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations. Supervisors are not authorized to direct early departures or to instruct employees not to report to work.

Full-day absences due to extraordinary circumstances must be charged to leave credits. In certain cases, SUNY and/or the Civil Service Commission may subsequently suspend the Attendance Rules to excuse such absences without charge to leave credits. Please note that these instances are very rare and are never invoked unless the extraordinary circumstances affect large numbers of state employees.

Employees should acquaint themselves with the Absences for Extraordinary Weather Conditions Policy.

Professional Leave

Employees may receive leave with pay to attend job-related seminars and conferences of professional organizations and/or take a job-related professional examination. The number of professional leave days allowed per year and the guidelines governing the use of such days varies among collective bargaining agreements. However, the use of professional leave is uniformly subject to supervisory approval.

Voluntary Reduction in Work Scheduling (VRWS)

Voluntary Reduction in Work Schedule (VRWS) provides agencies with a flexible mechanism for allocating staff resources while permitting employees to reduce their work schedules to reflect personal needs and interests. Some examples of the use of VRWS include shorter workday, shorter workweek, block of time off and intermittent time off.

Full-time annual-salaried employees with at least one year of service are eligible to voluntarily trade income for time off. Participation in a work reduction program requires supervisory approval. The employee develops the plan to be approved by supervisory personnel. The plan for a reduced work schedule must include duration, percent of work schedule and salary reduction and the schedule for the use of the time earned.

Individual VRWS agreements may be entered into for any number of payroll periods up to a maximum of twenty-six (26) biweekly pay periods in duration. Participation in VRWS may impact benefits so we encourage employees to reference their collective bargaining agreement for specific information.

VRWS applications, work schedules and Time Earned Chart can be found on the HRS forms page. Questions regarding use of this program should be directed to Human Resource and Payroll Services.

Leave for Emergency Volunteers

Section 82-a of the Civil Service Law authorizes paid leave for full or partial days for volunteer firefighters and volunteer ambulance squad members while engaged in the actual performance of firefighter ambulance duties during a state of emergency declared by the governor. Prior approval of the appointing authority is required.

Leave for Red Cross Volunteers

Section 82-b of the Civil Service Law provides up to 20 work days of paid leave without charge to leave credits per calendar year for employees who are certified by the American Red Cross as disaster volunteers to participate in specialized relief operations. Requests for the services of such volunteers are made in writing by the Red Cross to the appointing authority and are subject to the approval of the appointing authority.

Leave for Blood Donation

Section 159-d of the Civil Service Law authorized up to 4 hours of paid leave for employees to donate blood on an annual basis. Eligible employees are entitled to this leave, subject to supervisory approval. Employees will be required to submit documentation showing that their absence was for the purpose of donating blood. Employees are required to give reasonable notice of the need for such leave. Employees who donate blood outside of their regular work schedule, do so on their own time.

Tardiness

Tardiness is defined as reporting to work after the employee’s scheduled start time or returning to work after the designated meal period has ended without prior supervisory approval.

SUNY Plattsburgh maintains a tardiness penalty schedule for classified employees (see below), and all instances of tardiness must be addressed in accordance with that schedule.

Because tardiness can disrupt operations and place an undue burden on coworkers and the institution, it is considered a serious attendance matter. The penalty schedule outlines the standard disciplinary measures that may be applied for instances of tardiness. The application of these penalties does not preclude the university from taking additional disciplinary action when warranted. Repeated or excessive tardiness may also result in a less-than-satisfactory performance evaluation.

The state may excuse tardiness when uncontrollable circumstances affect the arrival times of a group of employees. However, full-day absences generally may not be excused and must be charged to the appropriate leave credits.

The state may also excuse tardiness for volunteer firefighters and ambulance squad members who are responding to an emergency assignment. However, full-day absences and early departures related to such service are not excused and must be charged to the appropriate leave credits. Supervisors may require documentation verifying that the employee was actively engaged in volunteer emergency service duties.

Tardiness Penalty Table for Classified Employees
*(within each two-week period)*
Tardiness	Penalty
One or two latenesses not to exceed a total of 14 minutes	None
More than two latenesses not exceeding 14 minutes	¼ hour
One or more latenesses totaling 15 minutes or more	¼ hour for each 15 minutes or fraction thereof up to 2 hours
Excess over 120 minutes	½ hour for each 15 minutes or fraction thereof

Unauthorized Absences

An unauthorized absence occurs when an employee fails to obtain supervisory approval for an absence, either in advance or as soon as practicable following the absence.

Unauthorized absences are considered a serious attendance matter and may result in counseling and/or disciplinary action. Supervisors should address unauthorized absences promptly to ensure compliance with attendance expectations and workplace standards.

When determining the appropriate corrective action, supervisors should consider the following factors:

The nature and duration of the absence, including the circumstances surrounding it;
The employee’s overall attendance record; and
Any previous counseling, corrective action, or efforts to address attendance-related concerns.

Supervisors are encouraged to consult with their manager and/or Human Resource and Payroll Services when evaluating unauthorized absences and determining an appropriate course of action.

Release Time

Release time is defined as authorized time away from an employee’s regular work duties, without charge to leave accruals, for attendance at a university-sponsored event or function that has been approved by the university president or their designee.

The use of release time is not automatic. Employees must obtain supervisory approval before attending an authorized event or function during their scheduled work hours. Supervisors may deny a request when the employee’s absence would significantly disrupt departmental operations or the delivery of essential services.

While release time is subject to operational needs, requests should not be routinely denied. Supervisors are encouraged to make reasonable efforts to adjust work schedules and departmental resources, when feasible, to support employee participation in authorized university events and functions.

Release time may also be approved for educational and professional development activities that are sponsored by the university, offered through negotiated programs or determined to be job-related or career-related.

Course work must meet one of the following criteria to be approved as job-related:

It is specifically required by New York state, or by law or regulation, to maintain salary, status, or job; or
It directly supports or improves skills required for current job assignments, duties, or responsibilities.

Course work must meet one of the following criteria to be approved as career-related:

It directly prepares employees for advancement within the employee’s current title series or occupation;
It directly develops the administrative or management capacity of employee’s; or
For non-degreed employees, it is course work necessary to obtain an undergraduate degree to qualify them for job opportunities within State service at the paraprofessional or professional level.

Participation in educational opportunities through the SUNY Tuition Assistance Program, CSEA LEAP vouchers or other tuition waiver programs does not automatically qualify an employee for release time.

When coursework or educational activities occur during an employee’s normal work hours, the employee and supervisor may explore alternative arrangements, including a flex time agreement, a voluntary reduction in work schedule (VRWS) agreement or the use of appropriate leave accruals.

Guide to Leave Benefits for SUNY Plattsburgh Employees

Attendance & Leave

Policies & Procedures