University of Maryland Policy and Procedures for Non-Creditable Sick Leave for Faculty Members

In order to minimize the disruption of instruction to students, it is the policy of University of Maryland to provide a system of colleague substitution for instructional faculty who are absent due to incapacitation for brief periods as a result of short-term illness, injury or childbirth. The “collegial” method of accommodating faculty absence due to incapacitation is preferred. This is the practice whereby colleagues of the disabled faculty member assume responsibility for his/her classes and other essential functions, on a voluntary basis, in addition to carrying on their own work.

1. Faculty member must be an instructional faculty member.
2. Faculty member must hold a tenured, tenure-track or non-tenured appointment of at least one semester and be eligible for benefits.
3. Non-creditable “collegial” sick leave is available beginning the first day of an appointment.

1. Non-creditable “collegial” sick leave shall not exceed 25 work days per year for an individual faculty member on a 12-month appointment, and shall be prorated according to the faculty member’s academic year appointment, e.g., 9-month, 9.5- month or 10- month appointment. Once a faculty member has exhausted his/her annual limit of noncreditable “collegial” sick leave, his/her creditable sick leave shall be charged.
2. Use of non-creditable “collegial” sick leave spanning two fiscal years must be separated by at least 25 days of active service.
3. Part-time faculty can use non-creditable “collegial” sick leave prorated to the percentage of their part-time appointment.
4. Use of non-creditable “collegial” sick leave during the summer session is limited to a maximum of one-seventh of the summer contract period. Use of non-creditable “collegial” sick leave during the summer counts toward the faculty member’s annual limit.
5. The faculty member filling in for a colleague must have some familiarity with the course material.
6. Non-creditable “collegial” sick leave is not credited toward retirement and does not carry over to the next year.

1. Faculty will track use of non-creditable “collegial” sick leave in the University of Maryland electronic Time Entry/Faculty Leave Reporting System.
2. The faculty member’s supervisor will approve the non-creditable “collegial” sick leave posted in the System and monitor that the number of days taken does not exceed the faculty member’s yearly limit.

1. Departments will have access to a report and are responsible for monitoring noncreditable “collegial” sick leave usage.
2. The Office of the Provost will conduct post-audit reviews of non-creditable “collegial” sick leave usage. If supervisors are not approving the leave records or the maximum leave limits are exceeded, written notification will be sent to the Chairs and the faculty member with a copy to the Dean.