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LEAVES OF ABSENCE
Reference: Handbook, Vol. IV, Part V, Chapter 4
Dean's Office contact: Sue
Barnhart
Leave of absence without salary
Professional
leave. The Dean's Office distributes information and application
instructions concerning professional leave of absence with pay (sabbatical
leave) to departments at the beginning of Autumn Quarter. The total percentage of leaves with pay in
any one year is limited by the Legislature.
Applications are prepared by the individual faculty members and are
approved or denied by the department chair; the approved applications are
forwarded to the Dean's Office for competitive review. There is one consideration period for review
of leave applications by the Dean's Office, normally occurring at the end of
Autumn Quarter (see Calendar
of annual due dates).
A faculty member is eligible for a professional leave not earlier
than the seventh year of service to the University or not earlier than the
seventh year after return from a previous professional leave. Assistant Professors are not eligible for
paid professional leave until they have been reviewed and approved for
promotion and tenure.
A complete professional leave consists of one of the
following options:
(1) one quarter of leave at 100% salary, or
(2) two quarters of leave at 75% salary, or
(3) three quarters of leave at 66.67% salary.
The leave may be spread out over more than one academic year
(e.g., one quarter in each of three successive years); the faculty member then
is eligible for an equivalent amount of leave (e.g., one quarter) seven years
after the year in which the initial portion of the leave was taken. When a leave is intended to be spread out
over more than one academic year, a new leave application should be submitted
for each year.
Leave of
absence without salary. A faculty member may apply for a
full or partial leave of absence without salary. Applications should normally be submitted by
the same date as professional leave applications.
A partial leave of absence without pay may be requested when
a faculty member receives a fellowship or award that does not pay full salary
or when he/she is working outside the University at less than 100% time.
When a full leave without pay is taken, the faculty member
should consult with the Benefits Office about insurance coverage during the
leave. The retention of at least 5% of
University salary will allow the person to stay on University-paid benefit
programs. The University duties to be
performed for the paid portion should be negotiated with the department chair
and should be stated on the leave application form or in an attached memo.
If an Assistant Professor takes a leave of absence without
salary that is (1) more than 50% time and (2) six months or more in length
during an academic year, the mandatory promotion/tenure date is extended by one
year.
Faculty members are expected to be in residence during the
year of their mandatory review for promotion/tenure. No leaves will be approved by the Provost's
Office for Assistant Professors during the sixth year of appointment.
Sick leave. The University's faculty sick leave policy may be applied
for a faculty member's personal illness or for the care of a faculty member's
child under 18 years old where treatment or supervision is required. The policy provides for up to 90 days per
academic year of sick leave, with salary and benefits continued during periods
in which the person normally receives salary.
If unable to return to work after this time, the faculty member should
apply for long-term disability and may request a leave of absence without pay
for up to six months, renewable for up to two years (and will have to self-pay
benefits).
Family leave.
The state's
Family Medical Leave Act entitles employees to up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave
each academic year for parental leave, personal medical leave, or care of a
sick spouse, child, or parent. The
University will pay for up to 12 weeks of benefit continuation.
For more information on sick leave/family leave/medical
leave, see the pages and the Leave Comparison Chart provided by Academic Human
Resources on their Web site at:
http://www.washington.edu/admin/acadpers/admin/medical_leave.html