Benefits During Leaves

FMLA Leave and Benefits

Lawrence Tech complies with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 and 2009, as revised.  An eligible employee may request up to 12 work weeks of unpaid job-and benefit-protected leave of absence during a 12-month period for certain family and medical reasons. An eligible employees may request up to 26 weeks for a military family leave.  During the FMLA leave, an eligible employee is entitled to continued group health plan coverage as if the employee had continued to work. If the necessity for leave exceeds the twelve weeks, the employee may continue health insurance by paying the full cost through COBRA benefits. Upon return to work in a full-time eligible position, coverage will automatically be reinstated, with the University paying the employer portion of the coverage.

At the conclusion of the FMLA leave, subject to some exceptions, an employee generally has a right to return to the same or to an equivalent position. NOTE: FMLA Leave will run concurrently with any paid leave available to the employee. 

Other (Non-FMLA) Leave and Benefits

For all leaves other than FMLA, where applicable, the employee's health coverage and other benefits may or may not continue.  In the event of a lost of coverage, the employee's health coverage may be continued under the provisions of the Consolidated Omnibus Budgeted Reconciliation Act COBRA.  Arrangements may be made to continue payments for other optional coverage such as optional life insurance at the time of the unpaid leave.

Use of Leave Time

Staff and Non-Academic Administrative employees may or may not be required to exhaust available leave time during an approved leave of absence, which depends on the type of leave as specified below:

• Medical Leave: Employees are required to exhaust any available sick leave time and may elect to use any vacation or personal time during a medical leave before short-term disability income benefits are applied. 
• Family Leave: Employee are required to exhaust any available sick leave time and may elect to use any vacation or personal time for absence due to illness or injury of an eligible family member who resides in the employee's household. 
• Military Family Leave: Employee are required to exhaust any available sick leave time and may elect to use any vacation or personal time for absence due to illness or injury of an eligible family member. 
• Personal Leave: With the supervisor's approval, employees may use any available sick leave, vacation or personal leave time as part of the approved period of leave. 

This decision to use vacation or personal time must be made before any leave begins.

An employee on leave will not receive leave allocations. However, the leave time allocation will be prorated and applied upon return from an unpaid leave.