5.11 Sick Leave

Last Revised: July 1, 2014
Refer Questions to: Clerc Center Human Resources
Executive Sponsor: Chief Administrative Officer
Responsible Unit: Clerc Center Human Resources
Effective: July 31, 2026

Scope

This policy applies to regular status teachers in the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center (Clerc Center) of Gallaudet University.

Policy

Sick leave is defined as a period of time when medical conditions, including pregnancy-related disabilities, make it impossible for a regular status teacher to work.

In compliance with the DC Accrued Sick and Safe Leave Act leave may also be used for an absence if a teacher or the teacher’s family member is a victim of stalking, domestic violence or sexual abuse. The absence may be pertaining to seeking medical attention for the teacher or family member, seeking services from a victim services organization, obtaining psychological or other counseling or temporarily or permanently relocate.

A maximum of seven days or 49 hours may be used each academic year for the medical and/or safety needs (per the Act) of an immediate family member,  defined as a spouse, registered domestic partner, son or daughter (biological, adopted, foster, stepchild, legal ward, grandchild or a child of a person standing in loco parentis), siblings (including step-siblings, half-siblings, and siblings in law), a parent (including step-parents or a person who has acted in loco parentis), a parent of a spouse, spouses of children, and spouses of siblings, and a person who has co-habitated with the employee for at least 12 months. Personal leave or leave without pay may be requested to care for others not covered by this policy.

In addition to the protections provided by the Act, Gallaudet University offers additional flexibility. Employees may use up to 35 hours of sick leave per academic year to care for ill pets.

A 10-month full-time, regular status teaching fellow, and teacher accrues 10 days (or 70 hours) of sick leave for a full academic year (194 working days) of service. An 11-month full-time, regular audiologist and speech-language pathologist accrues 11 days (or 77 hours) of sick leave for a full academic year (214 working days) of service.

Regular status teachers who start after the beginning of the academic year or who are in a non-pay status accrue sick leave based on one day for each 19 working days, as follows:

Short and long-term substitute teachers earn sick leave at the rate of one (1) hour for each thirty-seven (37) hours worked (leave does not accrue while using leave), not to exceed forty-nine (49) hours per academic year. Leave is accessible after ninety (90) days of service.

A 10-month full-time, regular status residential educator accrues 9 days (or 90 hours) of sick leave for a full academic year (167 working days) of service. Regular status residential educators who start after the beginning of the academic year accrue sick leave based on one day for each 16 working days, as follows:

Sick leave is with pay and all benefits continuing. The annual accrual is advanced at the beginning of the academic year, or on the starting date for a regular status teacher who begins after the start of the academic year. Sick leave may be used in half-hour increments. Regular status teachers on paid sick leave continue to accrue leave in the usual manner. Personal leave may be used when sick leave has been exhausted. Sick leave may accrue indefinitely; however, it is not reimbursed upon separation.

Advancement of Additional Sick Leave

After 30 calendar days of continuous service, an advancement of sick leave in excess of the amount of paid leave available to a regular status teacher may be granted by the Clerc Center Leadership designee in situations when a teacher has not had an opportunity to accrue sufficient leave or when a teacher has experienced a chronic illness or long-term disabling condition and has exhausted his/her leave accrual. Employees who are eligible to receive other disability benefits (e.g., long-term disability insurance coverage, workers’ compensation, recovery of income through settlement) are not eligible for a sick leave advance.

An advancement of sick leave is for a personal illness or injury only. Documentation from a physician or health care practitioner must be provided. No more than 60 working days may be advanced in any academic year. The amount takes into consideration, among other factors, the leave necessary to enable the teacher to be eligible for long-term disability insurance coverage. Upon return to work, the teacher is expected to repay the advanced leave at the rate of one-half of the annual accrual until the leave is repaid in full. If a teacher does not return or later resigns, they are responsible for reimbursing the University for any advanced sick leave which has not yet been repaid.

Teachers who continue to be disabled after all paid sick leave has been exhausted may request leave without pay and apply for long-term disability coverage. Leave without pay will be approved for a maximum of two semesters.

Approved by: Gallaudet University Board of Trustees

Procedures

1. A regular status teacher is expected to notify the supervisor or other designated person as early as possible if they are unable to report for duty because of the need to take sick leave. Leave for scheduled appointments should be requested at least three working days in advance.
2. Leave may be taken in half-hour increments.
3. A regular satus teacher is required to provide documentation from a health care provider for any absence exceeding three consecutive working days.
4. A regular status teacher may be required to provide documentation from a health care provider to support the use of sick leave for any absence if the supervisor has reason to believe that sick leave privileges have been abused.
5. For absences of 20 consecutive working days or more, a regular status teacher must provide certification from a health care provider which provides sufficient medical facts to support a serious health condition, indicate that they are unable to perform the essential functions of the job, the date the condition commenced, and the probable duration of the condition. Re-certification is required in 30 calendar day intervals.
6. A regular status teacher on extended sick leave is expected to keep the supervisor or the designated person regularly informed (at least bi-weekly) of his/her condition and to notify the supervisor or designated person in advance when they intend to return to work.
7. The Clerc Center reserves the right to arrange for a second or third medical opinion at its expense.
8. Should a regular status teacher fail to provide the requested documentation or to keep the supervisor or designated individual regularly informed, or refuse a request for a second or third medical opinion, paid sick leave will not be approved, and they must use personal leave or leave without pay. Abuse or misuse of leave may be reflected in their performance evaluation.
9. Teachers are not eligible for paid sick leave while receiving workers’ compensation, long-term disability, disability retirement, or other forms of compensation.
10. Sick leave may not be substituted while on another type of leave.