Serious Illness and Disability Leave for Faculty

Each constituent institution must establish a written policy to provide a period of leave for faculty in cases of extraordinary illness, major disability, or for parental purposes. Nine-month faculty at UNC institutions do not accrue sick leave.[1] However, institutions should anticipate situations in which faculty members, because of serious illness, disability, or family responsibilities, will be unable to perform their duties for an extended period. In addition, under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA, 1993), employees are eligible to take paid or unpaid leave up to a total of 12 weeks per year. The North Carolina Family Illness Leave Act (2002) allows for up to 52 weeks of leave without pay during a five-year period in cases of serious illness of a child, spouse, or parent. UNC constituent institutions need written leave policies for faculty that can be coordinated with these policies and with the North Carolina Disability Income Plan.

Serious illness and disability leave policies required by this policy will apply to faculty members who do not accrue sick leave and are eligible to participate in the N.C. Teachers’ and State Employees’ Retirement System or the UNC Optional Retirement Program [i.e., continuing faculty who are employed at least 75 percent of full-time].

The president may issue Guidelines for the specific features of these policies, based on the recommendations of the Task Force on Serious Illness and Disability Policies for Faculty (March 2003). Campus policies must be made available as information to current and prospective faculty members.

[1]Individuals employed at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics pursuant to its Regulations on Faculty Employment who work at least 75% of full time earn sick leave and are therefore not subject to this Policy.