Sick Time Off
Sick Time Off
Sick time off is granted for personal illness, injury, and quarantine, as well as for medical, dental, or optical examinations and treatment. The policy also permits the use of sick time off for illness in the immediate family when the employee’s presence is required.
Full-time staff and administrative employees earn sick time off at a rate of 3.69 hours per pay period, equivalent to 12 days per year. Sick time off may be used only after it has been earned. Upon the recommendation of the employee’s supervisor, an employee may be advanced unearned sick time off with pay, not to exceed the amount that would be earned during the next succeeding 12 months, or 96 hours for full-time employees.
Unused sick time off may be carried forward from year to year without limit. Upon termination, employees hired prior to January 1, 1993, who have five (5) or more consecutive years of service with Montgomery College are eligible to receive payment for 25 percent of their unused sick time off balance, up to a maximum of 25 percent of 180 days. This benefit is not available to employees hired on or after January 1, 1993.
For faculty members, sick time off is accrued based on teaching schedules, as outlined in the applicable collective bargaining agreement.
Sick and Safe Time Off
The Maryland Healthy Working Families Act (MHWFA) establishes a uniform minimum sick and safe time off program. Under this program, sick and safe time off is provided to eligible part-time credit and non-credit (WDCE) faculty, casual temporary staff, student aides, and work-study students.
Additional information about the program is available in the memo addressed to the College and through the accompanying frequently asked questions documents.
Employees who are unable to report to work due to illness or injury should notify their supervisor as soon as possible, preferably before or during the working hours of the first day of absence. Supervisors are required to report excessive or questionable use of sick time off in writing to the Office of Human Resources and Strategic Talent Management.
If you have any questions, please contact LeaveRequest@montgomerycollege.edu.
Sick and Safe Time Off FAQs
The Maryland Healthy Working Families Act (MHWFA) is a state law that requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide a minimum amount of paid sick and safe time off. The law took effect on February 11, 2018. Under the law, employees earn one (1) hour of sick and safe time off for every 30 hours worked.
Sick and safe time off allows eligible employees to take paid time off for health, safety, and family-related reasons. It is broader than the College’s previous sick time off policy.
Eligible employees may use sick and safe time off for the following reasons:
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To care for their own mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition
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To receive preventive medical care for themselves or a family member
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To care for a family member who is ill or injured
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For maternity- or paternity-related needs
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For situations involving domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking affecting the employee or a family member, including:
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Medical or mental health care
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Support services from a victim services organization
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Legal services or court proceedings
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Time needed to temporarily relocate for safety
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All College employees are covered by the law, but the impact varies by employee type.
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Full-time faculty, regular full-time employees, regular part-time employees, and temporary employees with benefits already receive more generous time off benefits and will not see a change.
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Part-time credit and non-credit faculty, casual temporary staff, student aides, and work-study students are directly impacted and will accrue sick and safe time off under the law.
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For sick and safe time off purposes, a family member includes:
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A child, including biological, adopted, foster, stepchild; a child under legal or physical custody or guardianship; or a child for whom the employee stands in loco parentis
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A parent, including biological, adoptive, foster, or stepparent of the employee or the employee’s spouse, a legal guardian, or someone who acted as a parent
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A spouse
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A grandparent
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A grandchild
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A sibling
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Yes, the College may request proof of a family relationship if needed. However, supervisors must coordinate all requests for verification through the Office of Human Resources and Strategic Talent Management (HRSTM). The College will not request documentation about the reason for the leave unless the employee has used sick and safe time off for more than two consecutive scheduled workdays.
A supervisor may ask what type of time off an employee is using, such as annual time off or sick and safe time off. A supervisor may not ask for medical details, documentation, or specific personal information related to the reason for the absence. If additional review is needed, the supervisor should contact Leave Request or HRSTM.
Yes. Sick and safe time off must be reported in increments of 0.01 hours. Faculty should report time off according to their department’s established guidelines.
Employees request sick and safe time off through Workday. Credit and non-credit part-time faculty should follow their department’s time reporting procedures.
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Non-benefits-eligible employees who regularly work at least 12 hours per week, or 24 hours per pay period, are eligible.
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Employees covered by the AFSCME and AAUP bargaining units must follow the sick time off provisions in their current contracts until those agreements are modified.
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Eligible employees in the SEIU bargaining unit are entitled to sick and safe time off.
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Full-time and part-time regular employees and temporary employees with benefits continue to accrue sick time off under College policy, which exceeds state requirements.
Sick and safe time off balances are updated each pay period and are available in Workday.
Sick and safe time off is paid at the employee’s regular rate of pay.
Eligible employees may use sick and safe time off as soon as they begin working, if needed.
Eligible employees earn one (1) hour of sick and safe time off for every 30 hours worked, provided they work at least 24 hours in a pay period.
Under the law:
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Employees may earn up to 40 hours per year
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Employees may carry over up to 40 unused hours
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Employees may have no more than 64 hours available at any time
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Employees may use no more than 64 hours in a year
If an eligible employee is rehired within 37 weeks of leaving the College, any unused sick and safe time off will be restored.
Yes, when possible.
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If the need for sick and safe time off is foreseeable, employees must request it at least seven days in advance.
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If the need is unforeseeable, employees must notify their supervisor as soon as possible.
Using sick and safe time off for an approved reason will not count against the employee.
Yes. A request may be denied if the employee fails to provide required notice and the absence would disrupt College operations. Any denial must be reviewed and approved by HRSTM.
If sick and safe time off use appears excessive or questionable, supervisors must contact HRSTM. All documentation requests are managed by HRSTM. If required documentation is not provided, future requests for sick and safe time off for the same reason may be denied.
No. Employees covered by the AFSCME contract continue to follow the sick time off provisions outlined in their collective bargaining agreement unless the contract is changed.
Yes. SEIU-covered employees who work at least 12 hours per week are entitled to sick and safe time off under the law. They earn one hour of sick and safe time off for every 30 hours worked, in addition to the absence provisions already outlined in their contract.
No. AAUP-covered employees continue to follow the sick time off provisions in their collective bargaining agreement until the contract expires or is modified.