Sick Time
Q – How much sick time do Unit Professionals get?
A – According to section 9.01 of the contract, “All professional staff members shall be entitled to one hundred twelve and one half (112.5) hours [fifteen (12) days] of sick leave for each year of service.” This is accumulated “at the rate of 0.057692 hours of sick leave per hour of employment [one and one-quarter (1 1/4) days of sick leave for each full month of employment].
Q – Can sick time be accumulated?
A – Yes. “Sick leave not used in any year may be accumulated.”
Q – How may I use my sick time?
A – Sick time may be used, a. “when a unit member cannot perform that unit member’s duties because that member is incapacitated by personal illness or injury; b. When, through exposure to contagious disease, the presence of the person at that individual’s post of duty would jeopardize the health of others; c. In case of serious illness of husband, wife, child, parent of either spouse or of any other person subject to these rules, or of any person living in the immediate household of a person subject to these rules, that person may be granted sick leave with pay not to exceed fifty two and one-half (52.5) hours within the fiscal year [seven (7) working days within the fiscal year].” For further information on sick time, see the sick time page of the contract.
Q – How many days can I take off to care for my sick child?
A – You may take up to fifty two and one half hours within the calendar year or seven working days within the fiscal year to care for a sick child or other member of your household. “In case of serious illness of husband, wife, child, parent of either spouse or of any other person subject to these rules, or of any person living in the immediate household of a person subject to these rules, that person may be granted sick leave with pay not to exceed fifty two and one-half (52.5) hours within the fiscal year [seven (7) working days within the fiscal year]” Also See FMLA, below.
Q – What benefits do I get under the provisions of the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)?
A – Please see this FAQ put out by Dennis Fitzgerald.
Q – How do I let my employer know that I am sick?
A – according to section 9.01, A3, “Notification of absences shall be given as early as possible on the first (1st) day of absence.” So it is best to notify your supervisor as soon as possible. The contract goes on to say, “If such notification is not made, such absence may, at the discretion of the College President or the President’s designee, be applied to absence without pay. For any period of absence on account of sickness, the College President or the President’s designee may require a physician’s certificate proving the necessity of such absence. If such certificate is not filed within seven (7) calendar days after a request therefor, such absence may be applied at the discretion of the College President or the President’s designee to absence without pay.”
Bereavement Leave
Q – How much time may I take off for a death in my family?
A – You may take up to seven consecutive days of paid time off for the death of a spouse, domestic partner, child or step child. You may take up to four consecutive days for the death of a grandparent, parent, step-parent, mother or father in-law, step-sibling, brother or sister. Should interment take place at a different time, the Unit member may ask for a deferment of one day. For further information, consult the Bereavement Leave page of the contract.
Vacation
Q – How much vacation time do I receive?
A – It depends on how long you have worked. For those full-time Unit Professionals working a 12 month year:
- Who are in their first year, they are entitled to 20 days.
- Who have worked for one through seven years, they are entitled to 22 days.
- Who have worked eight through eleven years, they are entitled to 23 days.
- Who have worked twelve through nineteen years, they are entitled to 24 days.
- Who has completed “twenty(20) full years of service or more” are entitled to 25 days.
For further information on vacation time, go to the contract page.
Q – For what period of time does the vacation year cover?
A – From July 1 to June 30th.
Q – Can vacation time be carried from year to year?
A – Yes, but there is a limit to how many hours you may carry from one year to the next, and this amount has recently changed with the most recent contract. According to the contract, section 9.01 F1, “ Effective July 1, 2019, an employee may carry over 375 hours (50days) of vacation leave from year to year; provided further that in no event shall vacation leave amounts in excess of fifty(50) days be carried over for more than one (1) year. Notwithstanding the above, current employees with vacation leave amounts in excess of the fifty (50) days shall haveuntilJune30,2021to lower their accrued vacation leave amounts to or below the fifty (50) day limit. ” For more information, consult the contract.
Q – What happens to vacation time that I earned that is over 375 hours?
A – This has changed also with the new contract. Until June 30, 2021 that time will be converted to sick time, but after that it will be forfeited. The contract states, “At the end of the last payroll period of June 2021, any employee who is carrying vacation leave credits of more than 375 hours (50 days) shall have any such accrued vacation leave credits converted to sick leave. After June 30, 2021, accrued vacation leave in excess of 375 hours (50 day) shall not be converted to sick leave and any accrued vacation credits above 375 hours (50 days) shall be forfeited at the end of the last payroll period in December of each year.”
Q – My supervisor informed me that I can not take vacation anytime in August. Is that true?
A – No. There are no blackout dates for vacation. Blocks of time when vacation is not permitted or blackout dates are prohibited by or contract.
Q – What if my supervisor denies my vacation request?
A – The contract states (9.01 F4) , “If an employee requests vacation leave at least thirty (30) days in advance, and the employee’s supervisor either does not respond to the request or denies the request for use of vacation leave, the employee may appeal within three working days to the College’s Chief Human Resources Officer. The Officer will review the request with the employee’s supervisor and the President when necessary. The Chief Human Resources Officer shall take one of the following actions regarding the request for vacation leave: Overturn the decision of the supervisor; Uphold the decision of the supervisor; Offer alternative days or dates to the employee on which the employee shall be allowed to use vacation leave.”
Q – They are working me non-stop. What if because of operational needs, I can’t take all my vacation quick enough in order to avoid forfeiture? Do I lose the time I earned?
A – The contract states (9.01 F4, second paragraph) that you may appeal and possibly get an extension, but read the fine print here, “If an employee has been unable to utilize vacation leave due to the operational needs of the college or other unforeseen circumstances as determined by the employee’s supervisor in writing and therefore would forfeit accrued vacation leave pursuant to the terms of this Article, the employee may appeal to the College’s Chief Human Resources Officer who, after reviewing the appeal with the employee’s supervisor and the President when necessary, may offer an extension of time up to one (1) year to use the vacation leave over the accrued fifty (50) day vacation cap in order that the employee can use such vacation leave without forfeiting it. The Chief Human Resources Officer’s decision shall be a written determination specifying the reason(s) for the decision and shall be final and not be subject to the grievance and arbitration provisions of this collective bargaining agreement.”
Holidays
Q – What Holidays do we get off?
A – New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, President’s Day, Patriot’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Consult the contract for more information.
Q – We used to get Evacuation Day and Bunker Hill Day off? What happened to these holidays?
A – Those days are no longer part of the paid holidays.
Q – What happens if a holiday falls on a Saturday or a Sunday? Do we still get a day off?
A – “Whenever any holiday falls on a Sunday, such holiday shall be deemed to fall on the day following. Whenever any holiday falls on a Saturday, unit members shall, where possible, be given the preceding Friday off without loss of pay, or if said day off cannot be given due to the operational needs of the college, the unit member shall be given the Monday following the Saturday off without loss of pay. In making assignments related to any Saturday holidays, the President or President’s designee will take into account unit member preferences. Where two or more unit members have expressed the same preference, unit seniority will determine the day worked. Holiday assignments under this provision may be adjusted by mutual agreement between the College President or his or her designee, and the Chapter President.”
Personal leave
Q – How many Personal Days do professional staff get?
A – “Effective January 1, 2019, each professional staff member shall be entitled to thirty-seven and one half (37.5) hours (five (5) days) of personal leave per calendar year beginning on January 1 of each year. ” Please note that this will be prorated if you are hired during the years. Consult the contract.
Q – Are Personal Days the same as Professional staff “Off Campus” days?
A – NO. Professional staff “Off Campus” days constitute an entirely different type of leave that you are entitled to. Professional staff “Off Campus” days are in addition to the personal days described in the above question.
Q – What are Professional staff “Off Campus” days?
A – According to Article 12.04C – the following is stated about Off Campus Days in the contract:
” Upon request of a professional staff member, the President of the College or the President’s designee may assign up to three (3) days during the fiscal year in half-day segments or greater for participation in off-campus activities outside those assigned under the provisions of 12.04; one of these days shall be granted for the day following the Thanksgiving holiday. Such requests shall not be unreasonably denied.”. When entering Professional Time on your time sheets, use AOCAD. (Approved Off-Campus Activity.) Previously, MCCC’s Dennis Fitzgerald posted this about Off-Campus Days. Dennis has stressed that NO reporting is required. In other words you don’t have to say what you did and where you went.
Q – When during the calendar do Professional staff “Off Campus” days and Personal Days run?
A – Professional Staff “Off Campus” Days run from July 1st until June 30th. Personal Days run the calendar year, from January 1 until December 31st.
For further information, consult the Contract at the MCCC main website.
Return to the FAQ page.