Faculty/Professional

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NYS Paid Family Leave

NYS Paid Family Leave (PFL) was signed into law in 2016, and became available to classified Management/Confidential (MC06) employees in 2018.

As of January 1, 2019, PFL is available to unclassified Management/Confidential (SUNY MC13) and UUP-represented employees, and may become available to other union-represented employees through the collective bargaining process.

The purpose of PFL is to help employees with work-life balance by providing a paid leave alternative to charging paid leave accruals for leaves of absence to attend to family* needs associated with:

  • the birth or placement of a biological, adopted, or foster child (first 12 months)
  • a family member's serious health condition (physical or psychological care)
  • a call to active duty in the U.S. armed forces (qualifying exigency)

Information regarding NYS Paid Family LeaveLink to the Paid Family Leave Applicaiton to bond with a newborn, a newly adopted or fostered child

Bone Marrow and Organ Donor

Leave for bone marrow and organ donors' is granted to University  employees. Employees are allowed up to seven days paid leave to undergo a medical procedure to donate bone marrow, and up to thirty days paid leave to serve as an organ donor.

Legislation enacted in August 2002 (Chapter 362, Laws of 2002) entitles State employees (male & female) to take up to four hours of paid leave annually (without charge to leave credits) for breast cancer screening. Breast cancer screening includes physical exams and mammograms for the detection of breast cancer. The four hours of paid leave includes travel time. Absence beyond four hours must be charged to leave credits.

Cancer Screening

Employees are entitled to paid leave (up to 4 hours) when the cancer screening is scheduled during the employee's regular work schedule. Cancer screenings done outside the employee's regular work schedule (i.e. on a pass day or holiday) are on the employee's own time and compensatory time is not granted. Leave for cancer screening is not cumulative and expires at the close of business on the last day of each calendar year.

Employees must indicate "CS" (Cancer Screening) on their time sheet when using this leave, and attach appropriate medical documentation to support the absence.

Cancer screening includes physical exams, blood work, or other laboratory tests for the detection of cancer.


Child Birth / Adoption

As a public state agency, the University does not provide a paid maternity leave, such as that provided by some private employers. Instead, employees use accrued leave credits to remain in pay status.

To refer to detailed information for child care, child birth and adoption please see the general parameters below:

Discretionary Leave Without Pay

You may be eligible for a leave without pay for personal reasons, such as education or family circumstances, at the discretion of your supervisor, director, chair, dean, and your Vice President / Provost.

Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

FMLA - Basic Leave Entitlement: provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave to eligible employees for the following reasons:

  • For incapacity due to pregnancy, prenatal medical care or child birth;
  • To care for the employee's child after birth, or placement for adoption or foster care;
  • To care for the employee's spouse, son. daughter, or parent who has a serious health condition; or
  • For a serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the employee's job.

FMLA details and request forms

FMLA - Military Family Leave Entitlements

Eligible employees with a spouse, son, daughter, or parent on active duty or call to active duty status in the National Guard or Reserves in support of a contingency operation may use their 12-week leave entitlement to address certain qualifying exigencies. Qualifying exigencies may include attending certain military events, arranging for alternative childcare, addressing certain financial and legal arrangements, attending certain counseling sessions, and attending post-deployment reintegration briefings.

FMLA also includes a special leave entitlement that permits eligible employees to take up to 26 weeks of leave to care for a covered service member during a single 12-month period. A covered service member is a current member of the Armed Forces, including a member of the National Guard or Reserves, who has a serious injury or illness incurred in the line of duty on active duty that may render the service member medically unfit to perform his or her duties for which the service member is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy; or is in outpatient status; or is on the temporary disability retired list.

Click here for FMLA details and request forms

Jury Duty

Leave for Jury Service allows employees to perform their civic duties without penalty.  No charge to leave credits is required, however appropriate documentation is required and should be attached to your leave record or timesheet.

An employee, who is required to appear for jury duty or as a subpoenaed or otherwise ordered witness in court, is entitled to leave with pay without charge to leave credits if he/she is NOT a party to the action. Satisfactory documentation that the employee's presence is required must be submitted and attached to your leave record or timesheet.

An employee is not entitled to leave under this section if the employee is a party to the action regardless of having received a subpoena or other order. In a civil action, both plaintiff and defendant are parties to the action, therefore neither is entitled to leave under this section.

In a criminal proceeding, the parties to the action are the State and the defendant; the "victim" is not a party to the action and, if required to appear in accordance with a subpoena or other order, would be entitled to leave under this section.

Employees who appear in court in their official capacity both as parties to the action or as subpoenaed witnesses are appearing in duty status (regular workday).

An employee who receives a fee for testifying in a court of law as an expert witness does not appear in response to a subpoena or other order and is not eligible for leave under this section.

Military Leave

An employee entering active military duty is entitled to a leave of absence without pay while engaged in and going to and from military duty. Such leave cannot exceed a cumulative total of four years of voluntary service. See the military leave documents listed in the references at the end of this section for further assistance.

An employee who is a member of any reserve force is entitled to 30 calendar days or 22 work days of military leave a year or continuous period of military duty that spans more than one calendar year without a charge to leave credits for time required for duty/training in the reserves.

Prostate Cancer Screening

Legislation enacted in July 2004 (Chapter 237, Laws of 2004) amended the Civil Service Law to entitle State employees to take up to four hours of paid leave (without charge to leave accruals) annually for screening for prostate cancer. There is no requirement that employees be subject to the Attendance Rules in order to be eligible for this benefit.

Prostate cancer screening includes physical exams and blood work for the detection of prostate cancer. Travel time is included in the four hours of paid leave. Absence beyond four hours must be charged to leave accruals.

Employees who undergo prostate cancer screenings outside their regular work schedule (pass day or holiday) do so on their own time. Leave for prostate cancer screening is not cumulative and expires at the close of business on the last day of each calendar year.

Employees must indicate "PCS" (Prostate Cancer Screening) on their time sheet when the leave is used and attach appropriate medical documentation to support the absence.

Sabbatical (Faculty)

Sabbatical leaves may be granted for reasons and under conditions described in the Policies of the Board of Trustees.  Please refer to the sabbatical information on the Provost's website.

Sick Leave / Family Illness / Bereavement

Accrued sick leave provides you with protection against loss of income if you are unable to work because of illness or disability.  Please contact Human Resources if you need to be absent from work for an extended period of time for personal or family illness.

Sick leave may be used for absences due to personal illness or disability, or visits to a doctor, dentist, or other recognized medical practitioner. For UUP represented employees, up to 30 days per contract year may be used for family illness or death in the family. Use of family sick leave is limited to situations where the employee’s presence is required to provide direct care to the family member. For this particular section, the definition of family varies depending on your bargaining unit.

Employees who have exhausted sick leave credits may charge their absences against other leave accruals (i.e., vacation, holiday). When all other accruals are exhausted, an employee may be eligible the Leave Donation Program (see below).

In accordance with your department’s call-in procedures, you must notify your supervisor when you are absent because of illness. While employees are not routinely required to provide medical documentation for absences of four days or less, you may be asked to provide medical documentation as a condition of use of sick leave.

Title F / Other Leaves

The SUNY Policies of the Board of Trustees and the UUP agreement define, and describe the process for, Title F or "Other Leaves".

H-1B VISA HOLDERS

Please note that there are geographical work restrictions for those whose work authorization stems from an H-1B work visa.  If you plan to be out of residence from Binghamton University for periods lasting more than 1 week at a time, further action may be required.  Please contact the Human Resources office or the Dean's office prior to your anticipated time away.

Academic Employees:

The chief administrative officer may grant other leaves of absence for employees at full salary or reduced salary, or without salary, for the purpose of professional development, acceptance of assignments of limited duration with other universities and colleges, governmental agencies, foreign nations, private foundations, corporations and similar agencies, as a faculty member, expert, consultant or in a similar capacity, or for other appropriate purposes consistent with the needs and interests of the University. Leave of absence without salary may also be granted under appropriate circumstances, for the purpose of child care. Leaves of absence at full or reduced salary pursuant to provisions of this section shall be reported to the Chancellor. The Chancellor may require submission of such leave requests by an institution for his approval when he deems it in the best interest of the University.

Follow this link for a Title F request form for Faculty only.

Professional Staff:

The chief administrative officer may grant other leaves of absence for employees at full salary or reduced salary, or without salary, for the purpose of professional development, acceptance of assignments of limited duration with other universities and colleges, governmental agencies, foreign nations, private foundations, corporations and similar agencies, as a faculty member, expert, consultant or in a similar capacity, or for other appropriate purposes consistent with the needs and interests of the University.  Leave of absence without salary may also be granted under appropriate circumstances, for the purpose of child care. Leaves of absence at full or reduced salary pursuant to provisions of this section shall be reported to the Chancellor. The Chancellor may require submission of such leave requests by an institution for his approval when she/he deems it in the best interest of the University.

Follow this link for a Title F request form for Professionals only. 

Application:

Applications for such leaves of absence shall be made to the chief administrative officer. Each such application shall include a statement of the purpose for which the leave is requested, its anticipated duration and its values to the applicant and the University.

Leave Credits:

Vacation leave and sick leave credits shall not be accrued or used during a period of leave pursuant to provisions of this section.

Workers' Compensation

Please refer to the workers' compensation procedure.

Leave Donation Program

The intent of the Leave Donation Program (LDP) is to provide a means to assist employees who, because of long-term personal illness have exhausted their leave benefits and would otherwise be subject to a severe loss of income during a continuous absence from work.

Under appropriate circumstances, employees can donate VACATION time only to a qualified participant to be used as sick leave.

Leave Donation

Additional Sick Leave (Presidential Sick Leave)

SUNY Policies of the Board of Trustees, such additional sick leave may be at full, partial, or without pay. Additional sick leave at full or partial pay, together with use of any sick leave credits cannot be approved by the President beyond six months. Additional sick leave without pay may not exceed one year.

Authorization for such additional sick leave should be obtained by forwarding a request, through appropriate administrative channels (Dean to Provost to HR). Prior to being granted additional sick leave, an employee will be required to furnish HR with acceptable medical documentation. Generally this is faxed directly from the physician to Human Resources' confidential FAX (607) 777-4947. The granting of additional sick leave is discretionary, and the following factors will be considered by the President in arriving at a determination:

  • The dean or director's support of the request
  • Employee's length of service
  • Amount of leave requested
  • Employee history with respect to previous sick leave use