File: GBGH-R

Leave Sharing Program

Application for Leave

A permanent employee with a minimum of one year of state service is eligible to apply for the donation and use of transferred leave. In the case of a catastrophic health condition, application may be made for a personal or immediate family member need. For purposes of the leave sharing program for immediate family members, preference will be given to a child, parent, or spouse requiring the employee’s direct care.

All applicable paid leave must be exhausted before applying for donated leave (e.g., annual, personal, sick, compensatory time, military, administrative leave for active military or American Red Cross, etc.).

A written application must be made on the form available from the human resources office

(GBGH-E-1). If the employee is personally unable to complete the application, an immediate family member or other representative may do so.

The requesting employee’s supervisor, program administrator and the superintendent must approve the application prior to submission to the human resources office. Required documents also must be provided with the application.

Processing of Requests / Conditions

The superintendent shall approve or deny applications. The superintendent’s decisions are based on the merits of each individual case using the following guidelines.

  • Requests must be for reasons listed in policy relative to the purpose of the program, and consideration given to the merits of each individual case; e.g., seriousness of the illness/injury, nature of the tragedy, exhaustion of leave, availability of other benefits.
  • In addition to the merits of the case, requests may be denied for a pattern of sick leave abuse or excessive use as shown by leave records, incomplete application, refusal to supply requested information, or ineligibility.
  • Tenure and performance may be considered as documented by performance evaluations and employment history. In the case of a catastrophic event, consideration will be given to the documented impact on the family, such as the extent of loss, other sources of available support, need for leave to prepare for evacuation or to take precautions to prevent complete loss of the family home. In the case of initial military activation, documented financial hardship will be considered.
  • An employee’s application does not constitute approval of the request. Denial is not a determination that the situation is not a personal emergency.
  • The applicant and/or applicant’s supervisor(s) may be contacted to obtain information regarding the request or invited to present information relative to the application.
  • The decision to approve or deny the application is final and not subject to grievance or appeal under applicable CSDB policies and procedures.
  • All or any portion of the requested time up to 520 hours may be granted. Repayment of transferred leave is not required. Donated leave is not transferrable.
  • In cases where the situation ceases to exist or the employee leaves CSDB employment, any unused portion of the donated leave is forfeited and will be proportionally refunded to the donors.
  • Donated leave may be applied retroactively to the beginning of the unpaid leave period for the condition or event for which it was granted.
  • Personnel rules and/or CSDB policies that apply to paid leave apply to use of donated leave except that it is not part of the final payout at retirement or separation. For example, in the case of a catastrophic medical condition, donations are recorded as sick leave for the recipient and are not part of the final sick leave payout upon retirement/separation.

Contributions

Subsequent to approval of the application, contributions of donated leave will be solicited and managed by the human resources office on behalf of the employee within CSDB. Reasonable efforts shall be made to respect the applicant’s and donors’ anonymity. If CSDB cannot generate sufficient contributions, additional contributions may be sought from other state agencies if approved by the executive directors involved (except for active military leave sharing). No duty is assumed by CSDB to seek contributions from other state agencies.

Employee contributions shall only be made from the employee’s accrued annual leave (GBGH-E-2). However, non-classified staff who do not earn annual leave may contribute up to 20 hours of sick leave per person per approved application (GBGH-E-3). A minimum donation of one day’s accrued annual leave, or sick leave for non-classified staff who do not earn annual leave (eight hours, in most cases) is required. Donations may not result in a negative leave balance. The employee is strongly encouraged to keep some balance of leave for his/her own use.

Contributions are voluntary and confidential.

When more contributions are available than needed, they will (1) no longer be accepted when the amount needed has been received, or (2) donors will receive a proportionate refund.

Issued: February 1992

Revised and Adopted by the Superintendent: March 20, 2012

Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind, Colorado Springs, COPage 1 of 3