Leaves / Time Off / Disability

The University’s Leaves of Absence Policy (VI.E.2) is available for review here. The policy outlines paid leave including vacation, sick, personal business, bereavement and more. It also outlines military leave, worker's compendation and unpaid leave. 

Contact your campus HR office for Leave/Time Off questions regarding:

• Eligibility and processing, including FMLA
• Policy interpretation
• Benefit programming (i.e., Worker's Compensation, Short-Term Disability, and Long-Term Disability)
• Issues with a leave of absence

Utilize the Employee Information, Timekeeping and Time Off web page for information regarding how to utilize SuccessFactors for Leave/Time Off  requests.

Faculty, Executive, Management, Professional, Continuing Lecturer, Postdoctoral Researcher, Clinical Intern, Clinical Resident and Operations/Technical in Benefit-Eligible Positions

• Leaves of Absence information specific to these positions is available here. 
• The Summary of Leaves Policies and Flexible / Remote Work Guidelines for these positions is available here.

Administrative & Operational Support and Fire/Police and Skilled-Trades Positions

• Leaves of Absence information specific to these positions is available here.
• The Summary of Leaves Policies and Flexible / Remote Work Guidelines for these positions is available here.

During an approved paid leave, the employee pays their regular portion of benefit premiums and the University continues its usual contribution.

Bereavement (Paid Leave)

The University provides the following bereavement leave per event:

• Immediate Relative: Employees are eligible for up to five workdays of paid bereavement leave over six consecutive calendar months for the death of the employee's spouse, parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling, and corresponding in-law or step-relative.
• Relative Living in Employee's Home: Employees are eligible for up to five workdays of paid bereavement leave over six consecutive calendar months for the death of the employee's uncle, aunt, niece, nephew, or first cousin if the relative lived in the employee's home.
• Relative: Employee's are eligible for up to one workday of paid bereavement leave for the death of the employee's uncle, aunt, niece, nephew, or first cousin.
• Fellow Employee: Employees are eligible for up to one workday of paid leave to attend the funeral of a fellow employee, subject to the staffing needs of the employee's department as determined by the head of the department.

Paid Parental Leave

• Paid parental leave (PPL) provides parents additional flexibility and time to bond with their new child, adjust to new family situations and balance professional obligations. Review the policy here.
• Eligible employees receive up to 240 hours (6 weeks) if employed by the University for at least one continuous year, half-time or more, in a benefits-eligible position. If both parents are employed by the University, each parent may receive up to 240 hours of paid parental leave.

Paid Vacation

Review the Paid Vacation section of the policy to understand vacation accrual.

• Eligible employees in positions classified under Faculty, Executive, Management (levels 3-6), Professional (levels 4-6), Continuing Lecturer, Postdoctoral Researcher, Clinical Intern, and Clinical Resident who are employed on a fiscal-year basis will accrue up to 22 workdays (i.e., 176 hours) of vacation leave during each year of service.
• Eligible employees in positions classified under Management (levels 1-2), Professional (levels 1-3), and Operations/Technical who are employed on a fiscal-year basis will accrue up to 15 workdays (i.e., 120 hours) of vacation leave during the first year of service and up to 22 workdays (i.e., 176 hours) in each subsequent year of continuous service.
• Eligible employees in positions classified under Administrative and Operational Support and Police, Fire and Skilled Trades accrue vacation as of their date of hire in direct proportion to the time they are in paid status. They can accrue up to 80 hours in their first year of employment. They also receive an additional paid vacation day each July 1.

Paid Sick Leave

Review the Paid Sick Leave section of the policy to understand sick leave accrual or visit the below web pages:

• Leaves of absence specific to faculty, executive, management, professional, continuing lecturer, postdoctoral researcher, clinical intern and operations/technical
• Leaves of absence specific to administrative and operational support, and fire/police and skilled trades

Jury Duty and Court Witness Duty (Paid Leave)

• The University grants unlimited leave with pay to allow employees to fulfill their civic responsibility when subpoenaed for jury duty or court witness duty.

Military Leave Up to 15 Calendar Days (Paid Leave)

• The University grants up to 15 workdays of paid leave per year to allow employees to fulfill their responsibility when ordered to report for military duty. (See Leaves without Pay for information on unpaid military leave beyond 15 days.)

The following leaves are without pay:

Note: Graduate Staff requesting unpaid personal time off for an internship should include “Internship” in the Comment field in SuccessFactors.

During approved unpaid leave, the employee pays for their regular portion of benefit premiums and the University continues its usual contribution. For extended unpaid leaves, the employee will be billed for benefits and expected to pay in order to keep benefits active.

Family and Medical Leave (Unpaid Leave) Act (FMLA) Leave

To be eligible for FMLA leave, an employee must have been employed by the University for at least 12 months (consecutive or non-consecutive) and have worked at least 1,250 hours during the 12-month period preceding the date FMLA leave commences.

An employee meeting the above requirement is eligible for a maximum of 12 weeks of unpaid leave for the following reasons:

• The employee's own serious health condition
• Birth of a child
• Adoption of a child or placement of a child for foster care
• Bonding with the child during the first 12 months following birth or placement
• Serious health condition of a parent, spouse or child

Military Leave (Beyond 15 Calendar Days)

The University grants unpaid leave for military duty that extends beyond 15 workdays in a calendar year. Employees should contact their Human Resources team for information about University benefits during a military leave of more than 15 workdays. (See Leaves with Pay for information on military leave up to 15 days.)

Paid Military Differential

In the instance that a benefits-eligible employee’s military pay is less than their regular salary, including shift differential, the University will pay the difference in salary from day 31 through 24 months of leave, upon the employee’s request. This differential pay is paid through the employee’s regular payroll cycle.

Personal Leave (Unpaid Leave)

All personal leaves are without pay. Personal leave may be used for religious observance, research, education, newborn infant care, personal business, illness, disability, vacation and other situations that cannot be addressed through a paid leave. Personal leaves granted for medical reasons run concurrently with leave allowed under the Family and Medical Leave Act.

For information on the approval process for granting a personal leave, please contact your Human Resources team or refer to the Quick Reference Guide on Requesting Personal Time Off.

This plan is currently administered by Guardian.

Long term disability (LTD) insurance provides income replacement during extended periods of disability resulting from illness or injury. The plan covers both occupational and non-occupational disabilities.

The LTD benefit period begins after a 90 calendar-day elimination period for benefit-eligible administrative and operational support, police/fire, and skilled trades staff, and after a 180 calendar-day elimination period for all other benefit-eligible faculty and staff.

Detailed information is available here.

This plan is currently administered by Guardian.

If you are a benefits-eligible employee in an administrative operational support, policy/fire or skilled trade position with Purdue University or in a benefits-eligible position with Purdue Global, you may be interested in short term disability (STD). 

The program pays you a benefit equal to 65 percent of your budgeted salary for the days or weeks you remain disabled. STD benefits cover any illness or injury for which you would otherwise be paid sick leave, including pregnancy.

Detailed information is available here.

This guide provides information about the continuation of benefit programs for individuals employed in regular faculty and staff positions. Temporary, graduate student and undergrad student positions are not included.