Leave
Leave
Leave of Absence
Because sometimes you just have to...leave.
Sometimes life calls for a pause, which is why we offer a “leave of absence” option. This means you can take approved time off from work for more than three consecutive days, whether it’s paid or unpaid, with the President’s nod.
Learn More
If you’re planning to embark on this break, just fill out a Medical Certification form and send it over to our friendly HR team.
We’re all about inclusivity here, so if you have a unique struggle or disability, don’t worry! We’ll work to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate your needs. That includes granting you an extended leave if necessary.
Now, about returning after your rejuvenating break— while we can’t always promise a specific position will be waiting if you were on a non-FMLA leave, we’ll give your case the personalized attention it deserves. Once you’re back, we’ll do our best to match you with a role that suits your skills and experience perfectly. If your leave was for medical reasons, we may need your doctor’s stamp of approval to ensure that it’s safe for you to come back to work.
Your well-being is our priority, so take your time and come back when you’re ready.
Leave with Pay
Spend time doing...
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PTO – Vacation Benefits
We truly value the importance of taking time off to unwind, recharge, and pursue personal adventures. That’s why we offer paid vacation time to Consolidated team members who have been with us for six months or more. (Unless we’ve worked out a different plan together, of course!)
Here’s the break down for regular, full-time employees:
⦁ If you’ve been with us for 6 months: You’re entitled to 40 hours of vacation time. If you started after August 1st, we’ll prorate it at 3.33 hours per month.)
⦁ With 1-5 years under your belt: Enjoy 80 hours.
⦁ Celebrating 6-10 years? You’ve earned 120 hours.
⦁ Reaching 11-15 years: It’s 160 hours for you!
⦁ If you’ve been with us for 16 years or more: You get a fabulous 200 hours to play with!
Even our part-time pals get in on the fun! If you work part-time, your vacation time accrues based on the hours you work each month.
You can use your time in increments as small as half an hour. Just chat with your supervisor and get the thumbs-up before you jet off on your adventures.
Let’s get it on the books first – Here’s wat it looks like when it comes to scheduling your time away:
⦁ If you request vacation before January 31st for any time during the year, we’ll factor in your length of service and do our best to make it happen. Requests after January 31st are first-come, first-served.
⦁ If you’re planning to take your getaway during January, those requests are also first-come, first-served.
⦁ For vacations requested for February through December, we’ll start considering them on February 1st, taking your years of service into account.
We’ll always try our best to grant your vacation wishes, but keep in mind there’s a cap of 120 hours per vacation period, unless there’s a true emergency or the big boss says otherwise.
Sorry, there’s no swapping vacation days for extra pay. But hey, when you retire or decide to say farewell, we’ll make sure you get paid for any unused vacation time from the current year.
Didn’t use up your vacation days? Don’t fret! You can carry up to 40 hours of vacation time over to the next year, unless management gives the okay for more on a case-by-case basis. If retirement is on the horizon, you can bank more vacation hours to help with insurance costs afterward.
Once you do retire, you’ve got options! You can cash in your unused vacation time or use it to cover any ongoing insurance premiums. And don’t worry, if the unexpected happens before you’ve used it all, the value goes to your chosen beneficiary.
There you have it! Time to start dreaming up your next great adventure. Happy vacation planning!
Floating Holidays/Personal Days
Once your six-month introductory period as a full-time regular employee has ended, you’ll unlock a little something special: three floating holidays or personal days every calendar year. For our fantastic part-time team members, your personal days will be divvied up based on the hours you put in each month.
While we love the idea of saving personal days for a rainy day, they reset at the start of each year, and we can’t offer you cash for unused days. It’s all about using your well-deserved time off.
Ready to use those personal days? Just give us a heads-up, and we’ll take it from there. So go ahead, plan that spa day or that picnic in the park. Your personal days are here for you to enjoy!
Observed/Paid Holidays
We’ve got nine very special days circled on our calendar – they’re our paid holidays:
⦁ New Year’s Day
⦁ Memorial Day
⦁ Independence Day
⦁ Labor Day
⦁ Thanksgiving
⦁ Day after Thanksgiving
⦁ Christmas Eve
⦁ Christmas
⦁ New Year’s Eve
If you are on our part-time super team, you’ll receive holiday pay at your regular rate for the hours you’re normally scheduled to work.
Here’s a little calendar trick: If a holiday falls on a Sunday, we’ll celebrate it on Monday. If it lands on a Saturday, the party starts on Friday!
Now, let’s talk vacation and sick days. If you’re off on one of our holidays because you’re sick or already enjoying some well-deserved time off, don’t worry – we won’t count it against your vacation or sick leave. But, if you’re on an unpaid leave of absence, unfortunately, holiday pay won’t be in the cards.
We totally get that everyone has different traditions and celebrations, so if you need time off for a religious holiday, just chat with your supervisor. You can use vacation days, personal days, or take unpaid leave, and we’ll do our best to make it work without causing any undue stress.
So go ahead, mark those holidays in your planner and get ready to celebrate!
Parental Leave
When your family grows through birth, adoption, or foster care placement, you get two weeks (80 hours) of paid time off from Consolidated to settle in.
Who’s Eligible?
Full-time employees who’ve completed their introductory period are in luck. Unfortunately, part-timers, seasonal staff, temps, and interns do not have this benefit. Please note, this policy does not apply if an adopted child is 18 or older, or if they are the child of a spouse.
What You Get:
Two weeks of paid leave per birth, adoption, or placement of a child. This is a one-time deal per event, even if you’re welcoming more than one child at the same time.
You’ll get your regular pay for those two weeks, paid on schedule. Time off is automatically approved when taken within two weeks post-birth, ideally in one chunk, but you can request shorter periods.
Paid parental leave works on a rolling 12-month schedule – no employee can take more than two weeks in a 12-month period. If you don’t use up your two weeks within 12 months of birth, adoption, or placement, it will disappear without reimbursement.
Enjoy making memories with your newest family member(s)!
Bereavement
We offer our deepest sympathies and support if you experience the loss of a loved one.
If you need time off for funeral preparations or to attend services, we’ve got you covered. You can take up to three paid days off if a death occurs in your immediate family, which includes spouses, parents, children, grandchildren, siblings, and any relatives living with you.
We understand that sometimes it’s not just immediate family who needs us. That’s why you can also request one funeral-leave day for extended family members like uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews, and cousins, along with their in-laws and step-relations.
Please note, our bereavement leave includes corresponding in-law and step-relations.
To make sure everything is in order, please talk to your supervisor as soon as possible to get your bereavement leave approved. If you need more time off beyond what’s offered, they can help. With their approval, you can use any available paid leave. In special cases, the President may even approve additional leave.
We’re here to support you during your time of need, so don’t hesitate to reach out. Take care of yourself and know that we’re here to help however we can.
Jury Duty
Doing your civic duty is an important part of being a responsible member of our community, and we support it! If you’re called for jury duty, don’t worry. We will treat it as an excused leave of absence so you can fulfill your duty without any stress.
Here’s what you need to know:
As soon as you receive your jury duty summons, let your supervisor know. We’ll work together to make sure everything is taken care of during your absence. You’ll be paid your regular base rate for the first ten working days of jury duty or witness service on behalf of the organization. Just remember to submit any payment you receive for jury duty to payroll (excluding mileage allowance).
To qualify for pay, make sure to return to work for your regular duties on any days you’re released from jury service before noon. Once your jury duty is over, provide a statement from the court clerk confirming the dates and payment received.
If jury duty lasts longer than ten working days, the remaining time will be unpaid. However, you can use accrued vacation if you prefer. In rare cases where jury duty creates serious operational difficulties, either the Cooperative or you can request to be excused. We’ll handle it with understanding and flexibility.
So, if you get that jury duty summons, you can rest assured that we’ve got your back. Fulfill your civic duty with pride, knowing that your job is safe and supported.
Witness Duty
Whether you’re testifying for us or just lending a hand in the legal world, we’ve got a solution to keep things fair and stress-free!
If you’re called to serve as a witness on behalf of the Cooperative, we’ll have your back – and your paycheck! Your time in court, along with travel time, is considered paid working time. Plus, if the President decides that your appearance indirectly benefits Consolidated or rural electrification in general, you could still get your regular wages too.
If you’re summoned as a witness for something unrelated to the Cooperative, that’s considered a personal situation. You can use your vacation time to make sure you’re paid for the time away.
Workers' Comp
Consolidated employees are covered by the Ohio Workers’ Compensation law, which means if you’re injured or sick due to work-related duties, we’ve got you covered.
Here’s the skinny: You’ll get medical care and partial compensation for any time off work beyond seven consecutive days due to job-related injuries or illness. If anything happens on the job, whether it’s a sprained ankle or a pesky illness, be sure to let your supervisor know right away.
Your health and well-being are top priorities for us, so don’t hesitate to reach out if you need assistance. We’re all in this together!
FMLA is short for the Family and Medical Leave Act, and it could be just what you need if life throws you a curveball.
To be eligible, these two statements must apply to you:
⦁ You’ve been part of the Consolidated Cooperative crew for at least 12 months.
⦁ You’ve put in at least 1,250 hours of work in the 12 months leading up to your leave request.
But what is FMLA used for? Consider FMLA if you are:
⦁ Dealing with your own or a close family member’s (like your spouse, child, or parent) serious health condition.
⦁ Welcoming a new addition to the family through birth, adoption, or foster care.
⦁ Handling any unexpected situations that pop up because your spouse, child, parent, or even you are in the military and on active duty.
⦁ If you’re caring for a service member with a serious injury or illness, you could qualify for up to 26 weeks of leave.
For all the details, you can check out the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division Family Medical Leave Act. If you’ve got questions or need more info about your rights under FMLA, our friendly HR team is here to help.
Sick Leave
Are you sick? Stay home. No, seriously...stay home!
Look at sick leave like your own personal safety net here at Consolidated. If you’re feeling under the weather or dealing with a minor injury, take a sick day and get back on your feet!
Learn More
Remember, while it’s important to look after yourself, sick leave also protects everyone you work with by preventing the spread of illness. Just a friendly reminder, though, sick leave isn’t meant to be used as extra vacation days – it’s meant to help you take care of yourself. If you’re feeling unwell, don’t hesitate to use it!
Accumulation
Your sick leave adds up! Here are a few things you should know:
⦁ If you’re a full-time employee, you’ll get eight hours of sick leave for each full calendar month of active employment.
⦁ If you work part-time, your sick leave will grow in sync with the hours you work each month.
⦁ You’ve got to work at least 50% of a month to accumulate sick leave.
⦁ The maximum sick leave that you can build up for actual use is 720 hours – that’s plenty of cushion for those unexpected sniffles and bumps along the way.
⦁ As a special bonus, you can accumulate an extra 192 hours of sick leave above your 720 usable hours to cash in at retirement. When you’re ready to ride off into retirement, we’ll compensate you for those extra hours.
⦁ If your immune system takes a vacation while you’re approaching retirement and you must cash in your entire usable sick leave stash (720 hours), we can help! If your situation (an event like a major injury or illness) matches the following qualifications, we’ll credit you for the hours that you would not be able to re-accumulate before you retire:
⦁ You must have accumulated 912 hours before the event occurred
⦁ The injury or illness must be something that could have made you eligible for a short-term disability benefit (this one’s up to the Cooperative’s discretion)
⦁ Your accumulated leave must be reduced below the point where you could rebuild it to 912 hours before you retire.
As you can see, we’ve got your back. So, go ahead and build up that sick leave with a smile!
Use
1. Sick leave is there for your own well-being when you’re sick or injured.
2. You can use up to three (3) earned sick days in a year to take care of your immediate family including:
a. Your spouse, child, mother, or father (whether by blood or adoption).
b. Any person you’re entirely responsible for who’s living with you, and too sick to manage on their own.
3. Sometimes situations arise where you need more than your allotted sick days for family needs due to illness. In those cases, we want to work with you! We’ll consider approving additional sick days from your accumulated leave. Each individual request will be treated on its own merit.
4. Using sick leave for purposes other than those outlined in this policy could result in disciplinary action. We take this seriously, because sick leave is designed to support sick leave is designed to support your and your family’s health while preventing the spread of illness on our team, and it should be reserved for that purpose.. Additionally, using sick leave without proper notice can create undue strain on the rest of the team.
5. For the nitty-gritty on how to report absences, check out our Attendance and Punctuality Policy.
6. Planning to use sick leave for something you know is coming up? No sweat! Just give us a heads-up at least 30 days before, if possible. If it’s a last-minute thing, just let us know as soon as you can.
7. Sometimes, we might ask you for a doctor’s note – from your personal doctor or our own physician.
8. Requests for unpaid extended sick leave by disabled employees will be handled according to the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act. We’ll work it out case by case.
9. Any benefits from Worker’s Compensation or long-term disability will be adjusted from your sick leave benefits.
10. If you’re an FLSA-exempt employee, the rules regarding leave under this policy will follow the guidelines set in the Deductions from Salaries of FLSA Exempt Employees.
Donation
At Consolidated, we look out for each other. We allow sick leave donation on a case-by-case basis for employees who have run out of paid time off due to a medical situation or emergency.
Here’s how it works: If you find yourself needing more sick leave because of an emergency situation, reach out to your supervisor or HR to talk about sick leave donation. The President gives the approval for donation and the number of hours that employees can receive, based on each individual circumstance.
Please note, donating sick leave is a special option for rare, unexpected, and really tough situations.
Advance
If you’ve used up all your paid leave options, the President has the authority to give you an advance of up to thirty (30) days of sick leave. Any future leave you earn will go towards repaying that advance until the balance is paid off.
If you leave Consolidated before earning back that advance, we’ll deduct it from your final paycheck. We’ll be sure to talk with you about it first to make sure we’re all on the same page.
Compensation
If you’ve been with us for 10 years or more, you’ve got options with your accumulated sick leave! When you retire, you can either snag a cash payout for half of your unused sick leave or put the whole shebang towards keeping your insurance premiums covered after you retire.
If, knock on wood, the unexpected happens before you’ve used up that sick leave value for insurance, it’ll go to your beneficiary.
If you’re leaving us for reasons other than retirement, we’ll chat about what happens with your unused sick leave.
Leave without Pay
When we won’t see you for a while...
There are two ways that an employee could leave for an extended time without pay but still return to Consolidated life: Military leave and non-FMLA leave.
Learn More
Military leave
When duty calls, we’ve got your leave covered! If you are called to serve in the U.S. uniformed services, you’re entitled to a military leave of absence. We do ask for a heads up beforehand unless it’s just not possible due to military needs.
This leave is unpaid, but don’t worry – if you’ve got any paid time off saved up, you can dip into that during your absence. If you need to brush up on your rights under USERRA, you can visit their website or reach out to our HR team for help!
Non FMLA
If you take a non-FMLA leave, especially a long one, we cannot always guarantee that your specific job will be waiting for you when you get back – unless the law says otherwise. But don’t worry, we’re all about fair play! Each case gets its own personal touch, and when you’re ready to return, we’ll do our best to put you into the best available position that fits your skills.
If your time off was medically related, we might ask for a note from your doctor when you get back.
Leave of Absence
Because sometimes you just have to...leave.
Welcome to Consolidated Cooperative! We’re glad you’re here. You are part of a wonderful team of talented, motivated, and productive people, all working together to bring quality of life to our members, customers, and communities. We could not be who we are without you.
The following pages will cover what it means to be part of this great team and how you can expect to thrive in our not-for-profit business world. From benefits and wellness initiatives to policies and procedures. Everything matters. Every page. Every department. Every detail has been designed to support you in your new role at Consolidated. We expect good judgment from you (or we would not have hired you) and promise good judgment from us. We value respect, learning, growth, commitment, grace, responsibility, and as our name implies, cooperation.
As the leader of this fine organization, my hope is that you enjoy the people, work, and environment you find here nearly as much as I have in my years of service. And I look forward to serving you.
Leave with Pay
PTO – Vacation Benefits
We truly value the importance of taking time off to unwind, recharge, and pursue personal adventures. That’s why we offer paid vacation time to Consolidated team members who have been with us for six months or more. (Unless we’ve worked out a different plan together, of course!)
Here’s the break down for regular, full-time employees:
- If you’ve been with us for 6 months: You’re entitled to 40 hours of vacation time. If you started after August 1st, we’ll prorate it at 3.33 hours per month.)
- With 1-5 years under your belt: Enjoy 80 hours.
- Celebrating 6-10 years? You’ve earned 120 hours.
- Reaching 11-15 years: It’s 160 hours for you!
- If you’ve been with us for 16 years or more: You get a fabulous 200 hours to play with!
Even our part-time pals get in on the fun! If you work part-time, your vacation time accrues based on the hours you work each month.
You can use your time in increments as small as half an hour. Just chat with your supervisor and get the thumbs-up before you jet off on your adventures.
Let’s get it on the books first – Here’s wat it looks like when it comes to scheduling your time away:
- If you request vacation before January 31st for any time during the year, we’ll factor in your length of service and do our best to make it happen. Requests after January 31st are first-come, first-served.
- If you’re planning to take your getaway during January, those requests are also first-come, first-served.
- For vacations requested for February through December, we’ll start considering them on February 1st, taking your years of service into account.
We’ll always try our best to grant your vacation wishes, but keep in mind there’s a cap of 120 hours per vacation period, unless there’s a true emergency or the big boss says otherwise.
Sorry, there’s no swapping vacation days for extra pay. But hey, when you retire or decide to say farewell, we’ll make sure you get paid for any unused vacation time from the current year.
Didn’t use up your vacation days? Don’t fret! You can carry up to 40 hours of vacation time over to the next year, unless management gives the okay for more on a case-by-case basis. If retirement is on the horizon, you can bank more vacation hours to help with insurance costs afterward.
Once you do retire, you’ve got options! You can cash in your unused vacation time or use it to cover any ongoing insurance premiums. And don’t worry, if the unexpected happens before you’ve used it all, the value goes to your chosen beneficiary.
There you have it! Time to start dreaming up your next great adventure. Happy vacation planning!
Floating Holidays/Personal Days
Once your six-month introductory period as a full-time regular employee has ended, you’ll unlock a little something special: three floating holidays or personal days every calendar year. For our fantastic part-time team members, your personal days will be divvied up based on the hours you put in each month.
While we love the idea of saving personal days for a rainy day, they reset at the start of each year, and we can’t offer you cash for unused days. It’s all about using your well-deserved time off.
Ready to use those personal days? Just give us a heads-up, and we’ll take it from there. So go ahead, plan that spa day or that picnic in the park. Your personal days are here for you to enjoy!
Observed/Paid Holidays
We’ve got nine very special days circled on our calendar – they’re our paid holidays:
1. New Year’s Day 2. Memorial Day 3. Independence Day 4. Labor Day 5. Thanksgiving Day 6. After Thanksgiving 7. Christmas Eve 8. Christmas 9. New Year’s Eve
If you are on our part-time super team, you’ll receive holiday pay at your regular rate for the hours you’re normally scheduled to work.
Here’s a little calendar trick: If a holiday falls on a Sunday, we’ll celebrate it on Monday. If it lands on a Saturday, the party starts on Friday!
Now, let’s talk vacation and sick days. If you’re off on one of our holidays because you’re sick or already enjoying some well-deserved time off, don’t worry – we won’t count it against your vacation or sick leave. But, if you’re on an unpaid leave of absence, unfortunately, holiday pay won’t be in the cards.
We totally get that everyone has different traditions and celebrations, so if you need time off for a religious holiday, just chat with your supervisor. You can use vacation days, personal days, or take unpaid leave, and we’ll do our best to make it work without causing any undue stress.
So go ahead, mark those holidays in your planner and get ready to celebrate!
Parental Leave
When your family grows through birth, adoption, or foster care placement, you get two weeks (80 hours) of paid time off from Consolidated to settle in.
Who's Eligible?
Full-time employees who’ve completed their introductory period are in luck. Unfortunately, part-timers, seasonal staff, temps, and interns do not have this benefit. Please note, this policy does not apply if an adopted child is 18 or older, or if they are the child of a spouse.
What You Get:
Two weeks of paid leave per birth, adoption, or placement of a child. This is a one-time deal per event, even if you’re welcoming more than one child at the same time.
You’ll get your regular pay for those two weeks, paid on schedule. Time off is automatically approved when taken within two weeks post-birth, ideally in one chunk, but you can request shorter periods.
Paid parental leave works on a rolling 12-month schedule – no employee can take more than two weeks in a 12-month period. If you don’t use up your two weeks within 12 months of birth, adoption, or placement, it will disappear without reimbursement.
Enjoy making memories with your newest family member(s)!
Bereavement
We offer our deepest sympathies and support if you experience the loss of a loved one.
If you need time off for funeral preparations or to attend services, we’ve got you covered. You can take up to three paid days off if a death occurs in your immediate family, which includes spouses, parents, children, grandchildren, siblings, and any relatives living with you.
We understand that sometimes it’s not just immediate family who needs us. That’s why you can also request one funeral-leave day for extended family members like: uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews, and cousins, along with their in-laws and step-relations.
Please note, our bereavement leave includes corresponding in-law and step-relations.
To make sure everything is in order, please talk to your supervisor as soon as possible to get your bereavement leave approved. If you need more time off beyond what’s offered, they can help. With their approval, you can use any available paid leave. In special cases, the President may even approve additional leave.
We’re here to support you during your time of need, so don’t hesitate to reach out. Take care of yourself and know that we’re here to help however we can.
Jury Duty
Doing your civic duty is an important part of being a responsible member of our community, and we support it! If you’re called for jury duty, don’t worry. We will treat it as an excused leave of absence so you can fulfill your duty without any stress.
Here’s what you need to know:
“As soon as you receive your jury duty summons, let your supervisor know. We’ll work together to make sure everything is taken care of during your absence. You’ll be paid your regular base rate for the first ten working days of jury duty or witness service on behalf of the organization. Just remember to submit any payment you receive for jury duty to payroll (excluding mileage allowance).
To qualify for pay, make sure to return to work for your regular duties on any days you’re released from jury service before noon. Once your jury duty is over, provide a statement from the court clerk confirming the dates and payment received.”
If jury duty lasts longer than ten working days, the remaining time will be unpaid. However, you can use accrued vacation if you prefer. In rare cases where jury duty creates serious operational difficulties, either the Cooperative or you can request to be excused. We’ll handle it with understanding and flexibility.
So, if you get that jury duty summons, you can rest assured that we’ve got your back.
Fulfill your civic duty with pride, knowing that your job is safe and supported.
Witness Duty
Whether you’re testifying for us or just lending a hand in the legal world, we’ve got a solution to keep things fair and stress-free!
If you’re called to serve as a witness on behalf of the Cooperative, we’ll have your back – and your paycheck! Your time in court, along with travel time, is considered paid working time. Plus, if the President decides that your appearance indirectly benefits Consolidated or rural electrification in general, you could still get your regular wages too.
If you’re summoned as a witness for something unrelated to the Cooperative, that’s considered a personal situation. You can use your vacation time to make sure you’re paid for the time away.
Workers' Comp
Consolidated employees are covered by the Ohio Workers’ Compensation law, which means if you’re injured or sick due to work-related duties, we’ve got you covered.
Here’s the skinny:
You’ll get medical care and partial compensation for any time off work beyond seven consecutive days due to job-related injuries or illness. If anything happens on the job, whether it’s a sprained ankle or a pesky illness, be sure to let your supervisor know right away.
Your health and well-being are top priorities for us, so don’t hesitate to reach out if you need assistance. We’re all in this together!
FMLA is short for the Family and Medical Leave Act, and it could be just what you need if life throws you a curveball.
To be eligible, these two statements must apply to you:
- You’ve been part of the Consolidated Cooperative crew for at least 12 months.
- You’ve put in at least 1,250 hours of work in the 12 months leading up to your leave request.
But what is FMLA used for? Consider FMLA if you are:
- Dealing with your own or a close family member’s (like your spouse, child, or parent) serious health condition.
- Welcoming a new addition to the family through birth, adoption, or foster care.
- Handling any unexpected situations that pop up because your spouse, child, parent, or even you are in the military and on active duty.
- If you’re caring for a service member with a serious injury or illness, you could qualify for up to 26 weeks of leave.
For all the details, you can check out the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division Family Medical Leave Act. If you’ve got questions or need more info about your rights under FMLA, our friendly HR team is here to help.
Sick Leave
Are you sick? Stay home. No, seriously...Stay home!
Look at sick leave like your own personal safety net here at Consolidated. If you’re feeling under the weather or dealing with a minor injury, take a sick day and get back on your feet!
Remember, while it’s important to look after yourself, sick leave also protects everyone you work with by preventing the spread of illness.
Just a friendly reminder, though, sick leave isn’t meant to be used as extra vacation days – it’s meant to help you take care of yourself. If you’re feeling unwell, don’t hesitate to use it!
Accumulation
Your sick leave adds up! Here are a few things you should know:
1
If you’re a full-time employee, you’ll get eight hours of sick leave for each full calendar month of active employment.
2
If you work part-time, your sick leave will grow in sync with the hours you work each month.
3
You’ve got to work at least 50% of a month to accumulate sick leave.
4
The maximum sick leave that you can build up for actual use is 720 hours – that’s plenty of cushion for those unexpected sniffles and bumps along the way.
5
As a special bonus, you can accumulate an extra 192 hours of sick leave above your 720 usable hours to cash in at retirement. When you’re ready to ride off into retirement, we’ll compensate you for those extra hours.
6
If your immune system takes a vacation while you’re approaching retirement and you must cash in your entire usable sick leave stash (720 hours), we can help! If your situation (an event like a major injury or illness) matches the following qualifications, we’ll credit you for the hours that you would not be able to re-accumulate before you retire:
1. You must have accumulated 912 hours before the event occurred.
2. The injury or illness must be something that could have made you eligible for a short-term disability benefit (this one’s up to the Cooperative’s discretion)
3. Your accumulated leave must be reduced below the point where you could rebuild it to 912 hours before you retire.
Use
- Sick leave is there for your own well-being when you’re sick or injured.
- You can use up to three (3) earned sick days in a year to take care of your immediate family including:
- Your spouse, child, mother, or father (whether by blood or adoption).
- Any person you’re entirely responsible for who’s living with you, and too sick to manage on their own.
- Sometimes situations arise where you need more than your allotted sick days for family needs due to illness. In those cases, we want to work with you! We’ll consider approving additional sick days from your accumulated leave. Each individual request will be treated on its own merit.
- Using sick leave for purposes other than those outlined in this policy could result in disciplinary action. We take this seriously, because sick leave is designed to support sick leave is designed to support your and your family’s health while preventing the spread of illness on our team, and it should be reserved for that purpose.. Additionally, using sick leave without proper notice can create undue strain on the rest of the team.
- For the nitty-gritty on how to report absences, check out our Attendance and Punctuality Policy.
- Planning to use sick leave for something you know is coming up? No sweat! Just give us a heads-up at least 30 days before, if possible. If it’s a last-minute thing, just let us know as soon as you can.
- Sometimes, we might ask you for a doctor’s note – from your personal doctor or our own physician.
- Requests for unpaid extended sick leave by disabled employees will be handled according to the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act. We’ll work it out case by case.
- Any benefits from Worker’s Compensation or long-term disability will be adjusted from your sick leave benefits.
- If you’re an FLSA-exempt employee, the rules regarding leave under this policy will follow the guidelines set in the Deductions from Salaries of FLSA Exempt Employees.
Donation
At Consolidated, we look out for each other. We allow sick leave donation on a case-by-case basis for employees who have run out of paid time off due to a medical situation or emergency.
Here’s how it works:
If you find yourself needing more sick leave because of an emergency situation, reach out to your supervisor or HR to talk about sick leave donation. The President gives the approval for donation and the number of hours that employees can receive, based on each individual circumstance.
Please note, donating sick leave is a special option for rare, unexpected, and really tough situations.
Advance
If you’ve used up all your paid leave options, the President has the authority to give you an advance of up to thirty (30) days of sick leave. Any future leave you earn will go towards repaying that advance until the balance is paid off.
If you leave Consolidated before earning back that advance, we’ll deduct it from your final paycheck. We’ll be sure to talk with you about it first to make sure we’re all on the same page.
Compensation
If you’ve been with us for 10 years or more, you’ve got options with your accumulated sick leave! When you retire, you can either snag a cash payout for half of your unused sick leave or put the whole shebang towards keeping your insurance premiums covered after you retire.
If, knock on wood, the unexpected happens before you’ve used up that sick leave value for insurance, it’ll go to your beneficiary.
If you’re leaving us for reasons other than retirement, we’ll chat about what happens with your unused sick leave.
Leave Without Pay
Military leave
When duty calls, we’ve got your leave covered! If you are called to serve in the U.S. uniformed services, you’re entitled to a military leave of absence. We do ask for a heads up beforehand unless it’s just not possible due to military needs.
This leave is unpaid, but don’t worry – if you’ve got any paid time off saved up, you can dip into that during your absence. If you need to brush up on your rights under USERRA, you can visit their website or reach out to our HR team for help!
Non FMLA
If you take a non-FMLA leave, especially a long one, we cannot always guarantee that your specific job will be waiting for you when you get back – unless the law says otherwise. But don’t worry, we’re all about fair play! Each case gets its own personal touch, and when you’re ready to return, we’ll do our best to put you into the best available position that fits your skills.
If your time off was medically related, we might ask for a note from your doctor when you get back.
We are here to help you!
We value your feedback and inquiries. Should you have any questions, suggestions, or simply want to get in touch, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.