COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT STANDARD POLICY AND PROCEDURE

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1 COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT STANDARD POLICY AND PROCEDURE SUPERSEDES: SPP-0028 SPP NUMBER: _SPP-0066 DATE: 4/10/06 DATE: 02/13/08 Donald J. Mares Executive Director EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S APPROVAL: Donald J. Mares SUBJECT TITLE: Administrative and Other Employer Provided Leave CATEGORY/UNIT: Human Resources AUTHOR: Mike Dawson SUB-CATEGORY: DISTRIBUTION: PURPOSE: To inform employees of the Department s policy and procedures concerning the granting of administrative and other employer provided leave. In 2007, the Colorado Department of Personnel and Administration began the process of establishing Universal State Policies. The first application of a universal state policy has been incorporated into the bereavement leave section below. POLICY: Administrative and other employer provided leave may be granted up to eight hours per workday. Employees granted the privilege of flextime and scheduled to work more than eight hours in a day need to request leave for the extra hours beyond eight or arrange to make up the time during the week of the event/observance. Administrative Leave The State Personnel System Rules and Procedures provide that Administrative Leave MAY be granted for the following purposes: Periods of investigation into an employee s conduct; Incentive Awards; Coursework at a higher education institution directly related to the work; To participate in tests and interviews for state positions; (see explanation) To participate in school or community volunteer activities; (see explanation) Participation in official activities by elected officers of employee organizations; Administrative leave up to five days for local or 15 days per fiscal year for national emergencies to employees who are certified disaster service volunteers for the American Red Cross; Reasons determined to be for the good of the State. This includes CSEAP counseling sessions where the granting of such leave may be particularly appropriate when an employee is seeking help with a problem that affects job performance. Approval of administrative leave for CSEAP is delegated to the appointing

2 authority and may be further delegated to the appropriate supervisor for reasons of confidentiality. Administrative leave may be granted for up to six visits. The supervisor is also responsible for tracking such leave and reporting it to the Payroll Tech Support Unit. Discretionary administrative leave may be granted for attendance and participation at meetings, conferences or other activities only if approved by the Executive Director. These activities must be demonstrated to be related to the employee s job duties and responsibilities and/or deemed for the good of the State as a whole or for the good of the department. This includes service as a duly elected official of an employee organization. Administrative leave MUST be granted for the following: Participation in hearings or settlement conferences at the direction of the Personnel Board or Director of Personnel and to testify in court or official government hearings on state-related matters when required by an appointing authority or subpoena; Two hours to participate in general elections if the employee does not have three hours of unscheduled work time during the hours the polls are open. The three hours do not need to be sequential. Scheduled adjustments, availability of early voting and absentee balloting should be considered by employees and managers well in advance of general elections. Up to two days per fiscal year for organ, tissue, or bone donation for transplants. Attendance and participation at the Executive Director s regularly scheduled Employee Advisory Council meetings and participation on internal oral boards as a board member should be reported as work time. Administrative leave will not be authorized to conduct personal business, or to attend activities associated with organizations established for the personal benefit of individual employees. Such situations may be handled by the use of annual leave when approved by the appointing authority. Test and Interviews Administrative leave will not be authorized for time required to complete applications and/or to complete examination material. This includes any exams or preparation for exams which are to be accomplished on the employee s own time for transfers, promotional exams, open competitive exams or other employment opportunities. Administrative leave may be granted for tests and interviews that are administered during the employee s normal scheduled work hours. Up to 12 hours per fiscal year of administrative leave may be granted for employees with twelve months of state service to participate in tests and interviews. The 12 hour limit includes test time and travel time. All appropriate leave rules are in effect for hours in excess of 12 hours. School and Community Volunteer Service The Department recognizes the importance of supporting our local communities. Up to a maximum of 12 hours per fiscal year of administrative leave may be granted for employees with one year of state service to participate in your child s school activities and/or to perform a volunteer activity that benefits the community. The philosophy of school leave is to enable parents and legal guardians to attend or participate in their children s school events, activities, or conferences that are sanctioned and sponsored by the child s school. This leave is available for pre-k through 12 th grades only. The philosophy of volunteer activity is that the activity being performed should benefit the community at-large. School-sanctioned and community/volunteer administrative leave requests must be accompanied by supporting documentation* from: the school, or;

3 the charitable organization brochure, flyer or other announcement describing the community/volunteer activity, or; the School/Community Volunteer Activity Request Form available on the Human Resources website. * NOTE: It is recognized that supporting documentation can not always be obtained from the school. In these cases, please attach a completed School/Community Volunteer Activity Request Form (available on the HR website) to the Leave/Absence Request Form and route to your manager for approval. School-sanctioned and community volunteer leave requests are to be routed to your Appointing Authority for final approval, and must be posted to the correct leave type in Kronos. Bereavement Leave Up to 40 hours per occurrence (up to eight hours per day) of paid bereavement leave will be granted to permanent employees in connection with the death of a person with whom the employee has a relationship. The relationship should have had a significant impact on the employee s life. The amount of leave granted is dependant upon the amount of leave requested by the employee on the leave slip and the dialogue between supervisor and employee. The purpose of this dialogue is to determine a fair and reasonable amount of leave based on the individual circumstances and the employee s relationship to the deceased. The purpose of bereavement leave is to provide time for employees to deal with personal needs during the grieving process and to attend any services in connection with a death. However, bereavement leave is not intended to be used to deal with business such as settling the estate. Documentation may be required when deemed necessary by the supervisor. The Appointing Authority has final approval for bereavement leave requests of 40 hours or less. If the employee has a compelling need for additional time off beyond the 40 hours, a written request (which may be made via ) shall be submitted through the supervisory chain to the Office of Human Resources which will consult with the Executive Director for consideration. Such a request should outline the amount of additional time requested and the reasons for the request. Jury Leave Jury leave will be granted to permanent and temporary employees when called to jury duty. The supervisor or appointing authority will approve the leave. Substantiation of jury duty is required. Permanent employees are granted jury leave for the period they are required to serve, up to eight hours per day. Temporary employees are granted up to three working days (24 hours) when jury duty occurs during days they are normally scheduled to work. Military Training Leave and Military Leave Military Training Leave is paid leave granted to employees when they are called to active duty for training, whether voluntary or involuntary. Military Leave is unpaid leave granted to employees who are called to active service. State employees, whether probationary or certified, will be given Military Training Leave or Military Leave upon submission of proper documentation (official military orders from the Military/ Naval unit or organization to which the employee is assigned.) Leave Without Pay Leave without pay may be granted to permanent employees after other applicable paid leaves are exhausted. The employee s appointing authority must approve leave without pay. Voluntary Furlough Leave Without Pay

4 The purpose is to prevent the need for position reductions and/or abolishment when an Executive Director officially declares a budget deficit in personal services. Employees earn sick and annual leave and continue to receive service credit as if the furlough had not occurred. Victim Protection Leave This is unpaid leave granted to employees with one year of state service for up to twenty-four hours (prorated for part-time employees) per fiscal year for victims of stalking, sexual assault, domestic violence or abuse. (See SP-243 Leave Transfer/Leave Bank Program) PROCEDURE: Administrative leave and other employer provided leave requires the approval of the Executive Director or the Executive Director s designee unless otherwise stated. All requests and authorization for mandatory administrative leave must be submitted on the official Request and Authorization for Leave of Absence Form, or other type of electronic process implemented by the Department, and forwarded through the appropriate supervisory chain for review and approval by the Executive Director or designee in advance of actual use whenever possible. Requests for discretionary administrative leave must be submitted in the same manner and, if possible, two weeks in advance. The request should be accompanied by a written statement from the Appointing Authority clearly identifying how such leave meets the criteria. Time and Leave Coordinator (TLC) Supervisors are required to track and report administrative leave by type (i.e.: exam, interview, hearing, school, or volunteer, etc.). Copies of approved administrative leave requests must be forwarded to the Payroll Tech Support Unit. Time and Leave Coordinators (TLC s) may assist in this function. Questions regarding leave should be directed to the Office of Human Resources/Personnel.

5 Colorado Department of Labor and Employment School/Community Volunteer Activity Request Form Name Phone: Division: Supervisor: Description of School/Community Event/Activity: Date & Time of Event: Employee Signature: Supervisor/Mgr Approval: Date: Date: (Please attach any additional school or volunteer service documentation you might have to support this request)