Leave FAQs
How much sick leave is available to employees?
At HCC, full time employees accrue personal sick leave at a rate of 8 hours per month of full-time continuous paid HCC service. Personal sick leave can be taken for personal illness or to care for ill immediate family members defined in policy. Personal sick leave hours accrue on the 1st of each month.
Who approves personal sick leaves of absence?
The immediate supervisor approves all leaves (other than FMLA). To report unscheduled absences, employees are expected to contact their supervisors during the first half hour of the workday and to keep supervisors apprised of their conditions and expected durations of absences.
Are any forms required?
Upon return to work, the online Application for Leave form should be completed and submitted to the supervisor for approval. All HCC employees are required to complete this form upon return from any type of absence. These are given to the time entry person for preparation of the timesheet/roster.
Where are the completed forms stored and how long do they need to be kept?
Completed forms, timesheets, and rosters are kept in the Department for a period of 2 years and then should be archived to storage for an additional two years. Consult Records Management for proper disposition.
As a supervisor, must I approve all requests for vacation and personal business leave?
Employees are expected to give appropriate advance notice for these types of leave (at least 24 hours prior notice for personal business leave). A supervisor is responsible for assuring that the business of the work group can be conducted at all times. Requests for vacation and personal business leave are subject to the needs of the work group. You should establish department procedures for scheduling vacation in your work group.
How are other types of leaves (bereavement, jury duty, etc.) reported?
Employees complete the Application for Leave form, indicating the type of absence, and return it to the supervisor for approval. For court appearances, a copy of the subpoena should be attached. For jury duty absences, affidavit from clerk of the court is required.
Can personal business leave be used to extend vacation or scheduled holidays?
No. Personal business leave is to be used only for time needed to attend to personal business that cannot be conducted outside of regular working hours. At least 24 hour prior notice is required. Requests are made to one’s immediate supervisor.
An employee tells me that he/she must be off from work to care for a seriously ill family member. What do I do?
Refer to your HCC Supervisor Desk Reference - Family and Medical Leaves. The employee may be eligible for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993. Refer the employee to HR Benefits by phone to 713-718-8288 or email to hrbenefits@hccs.edu.
When is a medical release from a physician required to return to work?
An employee absent from work for more than five working days is required to submit an medical release to his/her supervisor, on or before the return to work date. Supervisor should immediately contact HR Benefits if presented with a medical release containing restrictions. An accommodation to allow return to work with restrictions is generally desirable but a determination has to be made whether restrictions are compatible with work requirements and do not pose risk to the employee or the college. It must also be established when employee will be further evaluated to obtain an unrestricted release.
In what time units is leave time reported?
Leave time is reported in 15-minute increments on payroll timesheets.
Who is responsible for the accurate reporting of leaves?
Employees are responsible for requesting and reporting leave time, according to HCC policy. Supervisors are responsible for approving and reporting all leave time taken, including the completion of the Application for Leave form. This form is filed with the timesheet/roster.
When is a leave to be designated as FMLA leave?
Qualifying leaves of greater than 5 days duration are to be considered FMLA leaves. Refer to your HCC Supervisor Desk Reference - Family and Medical Leaves and consult with your HR Generalist about specific requests.
What is the required notice for foreseeable FMLA leaves?
For time off that is anticipated, employees are required to give 30 days notice to the supervisor.
Who should be notified when an employee returns to work after FMLA leave?
It is important for the supervisor to contact the HR Generalist and Benefits Representative to report the date of return. Remember that a Personnel Action Form (PAF) should be completed to return the employee to "active" status.
Under what circumstances can catastrophic leave be requested?
Catastrophic leave is to be used for an employee's own major illness or accident, which may require extensive hospitalization and is certified by a physician. To utilize catastrophic leave hours, employee must submit a written request, with physician certification, to the Chief Human Resources Officer. Upon approval, leave hours are submitted each pay period using the Application for Leave form (HR-102), designating the catastrophic leave category.
