D. Family and Medical Leave

Family and medical leaves of absence will be granted to full‐time employees for childbirth, adoption, or the serious personal illness of an employee or an employee’s child, spouse, or parent. To be considered eligible for a family or medical leave, an employee must have been employed by UT for twelve (12) months and must have worked 1250 hours during the 12‐month period preceding the leave.

For a faculty member to qualify for a medical leave, he/she should obtain a letter from a physician stating that the faculty member is unable to perform the functions of his/her position, along with the onset date of the faculty member’s condition, the probable duration of the condition, and the appropriate medical facts concerning the condition. Medical certification is also required to support a claim for leave related to caring for a seriously ill child, spouse, or parent. The certification must state the family member’s need for such care and must include an estimate of time the faculty member will need to provide the necessary care.

The length of leave will vary depending upon the condition of the faculty member or family member and the physician’s recommendation. Should a faculty member need a longer leave than originally requested, a leave of absence extension should be requested from the Office of Human Resources. Extensions may require a doctor’s statement stating the reason for the extension and the expected date the faculty member will be able to return to work. Family medical leaves, including extensions, shall not exceed 12 weeks.

When the need for medical leave is foreseeable, such as in cases of birth, adoption, or planned medical treatment, faculty members must give the University thirty (30) days notice. Before a faculty member on medical leave of absence can return to work, he/she must obtain a note from his/her physician, stating that there has been sufficient recovery from the condition so that the faculty member can perform normal job duties. If the faculty member is to be placed under any restrictions by their physician, the restrictions should be specifically stated in the note.

A faculty member returning from family or medical leave will be reinstated to his/her former position or an equivalent position upon return to work. If the faculty member fails to return to work at the end of their leave, he/she will be considered to have voluntarily resigned.

Time off granted for family or medical leave shall not be counted as a break in service for purposes of determining eligibility for employee benefits. The University will continue employee health care and other benefits while the faculty member is on leave.