Leave without Pay Administration

Policy 603.12

Policy and Procedure Statements

Leave Without Pay Administration

Appalachian State University administers the Leave Without Pay policy as outlined in the State Personnel Manual. Leave without pay is granted for illness, education, vacation, or for other reasons deem justified by the ASU and the State Personnel Director.

Extended Leave Without Pay

1. It is the employee's responsibility to place in writing to the supervisor the request for leave without pay. This will outline the time line for the leave and when the leave is scheduled to begin and end.
2. The supervisor will contact Human Resources and provide proper documentation relating to the LWOP.
3. If extended LWOP is requested because of personal illness, Human Resources will provide employee with information relating to FMLA, Shared Leave, and possible participation in the Disability Income Plan. This can be done in writing or a one-on-one consultation with a benefit representative from the Human Resource Office.
4. Human Resources will complete a PD-105 and send to the payroll office for processing.
5. If employee is on LWOP benefit continuation will be handled as follows;
   1. The employee is responsible for health insurance coverage for employee and dependents. Employee will be required to write a check payable to ASU to cover premiums. If premiums are more than 30 days past due then Human Resources will provide a 15 day notice that coverage will cease. If premiums are still not paid then a lapse in coverage will occur. If the employee returns to work after the LWOP period, health insurance benefits will be restored to the equivalent that the employee had as if a leave had not occurred. Any retroactive premiums will be deducted from employee's first paycheck upon returning to work.
   2. Employee may write a check to ASU to cover any miscellaneous benefit premiums such as dental, vision, life insurance, etc., if employee elects not to continue miscellaneous benefits during LWOP period, then policies will be canceled. Employee will have the option of reinstating those benefits when leave ends and employee returns to work. Retroactive premiums will be calculated at the rate when returning to work
   3. All monies received from employee to cover health insurance coverage or miscellaneous benefits will be made payable to ASU and will be receipted and deposited in accordance with policies and procedures as established from the Cashier's Office.
   4. When employee is ready to return to work they must give written notice thirty days prior to returning to the University and return within or at the end of the time granted or notify the agency immediately when there is a decision not to return to employment.
   5. If the employee fails to report back to work at the end of the leave period, ASU will consider this as a resignation. The employee will be paid for any unused vacation/bonus leave at time of separation.
   6. Human Resources will complete a leave work-up and PD-105 to submit to Payroll for processing.

Short Leave Without Pay

1. Short leave without pay must be approved by employee's supervisor. No personnel action form is required for short periods of leave if less than one-half the workdays and holidays in the month or pay period.
2. It is the supervisors responsibility to alert Payroll and Human Resources when a possible short leave without pay occurs.
3. Employees who are absent without approved leave may be subject to disciplinary action.
4. Supervisors should always follow the Disciplinary Policy if disciplinary action is used.