Employee Leaves

At PSU, there are a variety of leaves available to employees as provided under federal and/or state law, administrative rules, collective bargaining agreements, or University policy. These are available to address employee needs for illness, injury, academic pursuit, civic responsibility, military needs, inclement weather, and similar types of events as identified here.

Employee Leaves may be paid and/or unpaid time off. For periods of unpaid time, an employee may have access to one or both of available vacation and sick leave benefits offered by the University. All leaves must be approved by the University within mandated guidelines and/or at the sole discretion of the University. In addition, leave type may or may not provide for health and retirement benefits continuation.

The following information is established to guide you through the primary provisions of the various leaves and the appropriate steps to access those benefits. Please review the information carefully and consult with the appropriate department as outlined in each leave description to understand the requirements you must follow to access the leave benefit.

Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and Oregon Family Leave Act (OFLA)

These federal and state mandated leave benefits provide unpaid, job-protected leave to eligible employees for certain family and medical reasons. For more detailed information visit the FMLA/OFLA page.

University Closure

Occasionally, weather conditions are such that the University President or his/her designee declare a full or a partial day school closure. Employees can expect to receive announcements and updates regarding school closures via voice mail from the President's Office to their assigned PSU telephone extension. In addition, local television and radio stations will carry various announcements. To determine leave and pay available for these events, please visit the University Closure Policy page. Click here for information regarding Winter Break Closure 2012-2013.

Jury Duty/Court Appearances

There are times that an employee may be called to serve on jury duty or for an appearance in court, legislative committee or judicial or quasi-judicial body as a witness in response to a subpoena or other direction by proper authority for matters other than the employee's officially assigned duties. For detailed information on this leave benefit, visit our Jury Duty/Court Appearances page.

Military Leave

This leave benefit is administered in accordance with the federal Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USSERA). For detailed information visit our Military Leave page.

Personal Leave

There are times when employees may require time off work for reasons not otherwise covered. The University offers leaves without pay as an option for those events. The leave without pay is a Personal Leave that must be applied for and may or may not be approved by the University. For detailed information visit our Personal Leave page.

Bereavement Leave

The University supports providing time off to employees in the event of a death in the immediate family. "Immediate family" includes the parent, wife, husband, child, domestic partner, brother, sister, grandmother, grandfather, grandchild, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, or another member of the immediate household. If necessary, an employee may request to use additional earned leave credits or if earned leave credits are not available, leave without pay subject to supervisory approval, at the time of death of an immediate family member.

Classified employees are eligible for a maximum of four (4) days paid bereavement leave arising from the death in the immediate family of the employee or the employee's spouse or domestic partner. Additional leave, other than sick leave, may be granted to provide additional time to a classified employee for bereavement purposes. Unclassified employees are eligible to use earned sick leave credits for a period of absence that requires the employee's attendance upon the death of an immediate family member.

Sabbatical

This leave benefit is administered in accordance with the Oregon State Board of Higher Education Administrative Rules and the AAUP Collective Bargaining Agreement, Article 33. Sabbatical leave may be applied for and granted to qualified unclassified employees having academic rank. For more detailed information visit the Office of Academic Affairs, ABC's, Section S, Sabbatical page.

Workers' Compensation

The University is committed to providing a safe workplace with most of the activities for continuous improvement beginning in our Environmental Health and Safety office. If an employee experiences an accidental injury, or occupational disease that qualifies for workers' compensation protections, medical and/or time loss benefits may be available through SAIF Corporation. Procedures for reporting an injury and/or need for medical treatment for these types of claims is outlined under our FAQs for Workers' Compensation.

Domestic Violence Leave

The Victims of Certain Crimes Leave Act of 2007 (OVCCLA) is a law that allows eligible employees to take unpaid leave to obtain services or treatment relating to domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking. Employees are eligible for this benefit if they have worked an average of 25 or more hours per week for a 180 day period prior to the leave. The law provides protection for absences taken for domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking, whether suffered by the employee, or by the minor child or dependent of the employee. The employee may take leave for purpose of seeking legal or law enforcement assistance, medical treatment, to obtain counseling, to relocate or take other steps to ensure health and safety. You may apply for this leave on the FMLA/OFLA Request form.