Leave Bank Program and Procedure

The following process provides direction for the administration of the Leave Bank Program.

Leave Bank Program

Program Overview

The Leave Bank Program is a voluntary program that allows an Eligible Employee Donor to contribute accrued sick time to the Leave Bank and an Eligible Employee Recipient to request donated sick time from the Leave Bank. Donations can be made by Eligible Employees in increments of eight (8) hours up to a maximum of forty (40) hours per enrollment period. Once a Recipient’s accrued paid time off (vacation, sick and compensatory) is exhausted, the Recipient may request up to 240 hours within a rolling 12-month period.

Employees in the first year of employment are eligible to apply if they meet all the eligibility requirements other than the previous years’ donation requirement. Employees who take advantage of the Leave Bank in their first year of employment will be required to donate the minimum number of hours to the Leave Bank in a subsequent enrollment period after the employee has met the minimum 120 hours leave accrual.

To ensure confidentiality, questions and completed forms should be sent to Benefits Administration at benefits@uakron.edu. 

The use of any donated leave will run concurrently with an eligible employee’s Family Medical Leave (FML) or approved medical leave of absence (LOA).

Donation Rules

In order to be eligible to donate during designated open enrollment periods a Donor must:

  • Not be employed in a position that is grant funded.
  • Be an active full-time classified/unclassified unrepresented staff, contract professional or unrepresented faculty employee.
  • Have a minimum of 120 hours of accrued sick time after having donated to the Leave Bank.

Donations of sick time must be made in eight (8) hour increments up to a maximum of forty (40) hours at any one time. Donations are irrevocable. To donate, an employee must complete the Leave Enrollment Donation Form during a designated enrollment period, available at here.

Recipient Rules

In order to be eligible to receive sick time from the Leave Bank, the employee must meet all of the following criteria:

  • Have applied for Family Medical Leave (FML) or medical leave of absence (LOA) or are in the process of doing so.
  • Have exhausted all accrued vacation, sick, and compensatory time (if appropriate) OR will do so before the return-to-work date.
  • Be suffering from a catastrophic illness or non-work related injury OR caring for an immediate family member who is suffering from a catastrophic illness or injury. Caring for an immediate family member requires that the employee’s presence is deemed medically necessary and documented as such by a physician and that the individual is receiving care is defined as immediate family by applicable University Rule 3359-11-01 or 3359-26-04.
  • Not currently receiving, nor has ever received Workers’ Compensation benefits for the requested condition.
  • Have donated a minimum of eight (8) hours of sick time in one of the last two calendar years. (Note: this will not apply to employees who were hired within the past twelve (12) months. Employees who receive hours from the Leave Bank in their first year of employment will be required to donate at least eight (8) hours in a subsequent enrollment after the employee has met the 120 hours leave accrual requirement.)
  • Received less than 240 hours from the Leave Bank in the last rolling twelve (12) month period.
  • Have no record of disciplinary action related to the abuse of leave time or absenteeism prior to submitting a withdrawal request.

Completed bank withdrawal requests, including supplemental information, will be processed in the order received by the Office of Benefits Administration. To request a withdrawal from the Leave Bank, an Eligible Employee must complete the Leave Bank Request Form, available here.

Withdrawals from the Bank will cease when:

  • The end of the approved leave of absence has occurred.
  • The Recipient’s doctor releases her/him to return to work full duty. Restrictions will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
  • The Recipient has received the allowed maximum 240 hours of donated leave.
  • The Recipient applies for and is approved for a disability retirement benefit.
  • The Recipient separates from the University or upon the death of the Recipient or immediate family member, or at any time upon written request from the Recipient.
  • The Recipient becomes eligible for short-term disability, long-term disability or any other form of replacement compensation.

Any general questions can be directed to the Office of Benefits Administration at extension 7090 or benefits@uakron.edu.