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Employee Leave Guidance

Specific reasons related to the COVID-19 health pandemic, may require employees to take leave from work. Employees who are required to care for a spouse, child, or parent who test positive for COVID-19, may be eligible for leave time under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitles eligible employees to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons. To determine your eligibility please complete the questionnaire or email Hrconsultancy@louisiana.edu.

In addition to the leave guidance provided below, employees who test positive for COVID-19, must complete the COVID-19 Positive Test Reporting Form.

Sick Leave (CSR Rule 11.13 (a) 4 and 5)

High-Risk Immunological Disorder

Some employees with an immunocompromised or weakened immune system may need to isolate from the workplace to avoid a risk of exposure. The high-risk immunological disorder (compromised immune system) must be supported by medical certification. Such certification should be forwarded to the Office of Human Resources (HRconsultancy@louisiana.edu). Accrued sick leave may be utilized by the employee. As appropriate the authorized use of compensatory and or accrued annual leave maybe utilized.

The need to care for a Son or Daughter

Accrued sick leave may be utilized by an employee when there is no other suitable person available to care for the son or daughter, as defined by the Family and Medical Leave Act, because his or her school or place of care has been closed or the childcare provider is unavailable due to a reason directly related to the health pandemic.
 

Special Leave Related to COVID-19 Health Pandemic (CSR 11.35 (c), (d) and (e)

Asymptomatic Employee (CSR 11.35 (c))
An appointing authority may grant time off without loss of pay, annual or sick leave to an asymptomatic employee who is directed by the appointing authority to be tested for COVID-19 and/or self-quarantine after being exposed through close contact to an individual with a confirmed positive COVID-19 diagnosis.
Such special paid leave shall not extend beyond 14 calendar days as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Once the employee develops symptoms of illness or is confirmed with a positive COVID-19 diagnosis, he shall immediately be placed in an appropriate leave status, including leave without pay if the employee has exhausted both annual leave and sick leave.

Quarantine, Isolation, Childcare (CSR 11.35 (d)) (Expires September 30, 2021)
An appointing authority may grant paid leave of up to 80 hours for a full-time employee through September 30, 2021 for any one or a combination of the following:

  • an employee subject to a quarantine or isolation order related to COVID-19;
  • an employee advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine related to COVID-19;
  • an employee experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and seeking a medical diagnosis;
  • for an employee caring for an individual subject to a quarantine or isolation order related to COVID-19 or caring for an individual advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine related to COVID-19.
  •  an employee caring for a child whose school or place of care is closed or childcare provider is unavailable for reasons related to COVID-19

NOTE: Leave set forth in this rule CSR 11.35 is only available to employees who have not previously exhausted these leave allotments in under the former Families First Coronavirus Response Act or previous versions of his rule.

Vaccinations (CSR 11.35 (e))
An Appointing Authority may grant time off without loss of pay, annual leave, or sick leave to receive a COVID-19 vaccine or recover from the side effects of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, provided such leave shall not exceed four hours for each occurrence. If vaccine side effects last longer than four hours, accrued sick leave will be required for additional time off.

Employees can also receive up to four hours to assist immediate family members who receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Immediate family members are those who reside in the employee’s household. If you need to assist additional family members who receive a vaccine, contact our office at hrconsultancy@louisiana.edu.

Proof of vaccination is required for employees only, not family members.

Families First Coronavirus Response Act

EXPIRED December 31, 2020

For absences between April 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020, The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) , required the University, to provide paid leave for specified reasons related to the COVID-19 pandemic under the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA) and the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act (EFMLA).  Eligible employees who were unable to work, including unable to telework because the employee:

  1. Was subject to a Federal, State, or local quarantine or isolation order related to COVID-19;
  2. Had been advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine related to COVID-19;
  3. Was experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and is seeking a medical diagnosis;
  4. Was caring for an individual subject to an order described in (1) or self-quarantine as described in (2);
  5. Was caring for his or her child whose school or place of care is closed (or childcare provider is unavailable) due to COVID-19 related reasons or
  6. Was experiencing any other substantially similar condition specified by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

To determine if you were eligible for paid leave under the FFCRA, between April 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020  please complete the questionnaire or email HRConsultancy@louisiana.edu.

Employees Not Covered by Leave Provisions

Employees whose reason for being away from work is not covered by one the leave provisions above will be required to report to work as directed.  The supervisor may, at their discretion, allow these employees to use available compensatory and annual leave time. Employees who have exhausted all annual and compensatory leave or who are not eligible to earn leave will not automatically be placed on leave without pay.  Leave without pay must be approved in advance by the President. Employees without available annual or compensatory time will be required to report to work until LWOP is approved.  These employees are not eligible to use sick or special leave.