Leave of Absence Without Pay

• U of A
• Human Resources
• Working at the University
• Employee Handbooks
• Paid and Unpaid Leave
• Leave of Absence Without Pay

(Board Policy 420.6)

The President’s approval, upon the recommendation of the chancellor or chief executive officer for each campus, division or unit, is required for any employee’s request for a leave of absence without pay, unless such leave is requested in accordance with the provision for military leave, the Family and Medical Leave Act, or the Americans with Disabilities Act, in which case the request may be approved by the chancellor, chief executive officer, or a designee.

Leave of absence without pay shall not exceed six months, provided that the President may under special circumstances approve leave without pay for an additional six months.

Leave of absence without pay is available under the following circumstances through specific campus policies and processes involving Human Resources and the Office of Equal Opportunity, Compliance, and Title IX.

• Necessary absences because of your or your immediate family member's serious health condition (see 7.6 Family and Medical Leave) or because of disability or personal reasons when the absence extends beyond your available earned annual and sick leave. On a case-by-case basis, unpaid leave will be considered as a form of reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities. 
• Leave for the birth or placement of a child with you for adoption or foster care (see 7.6 Family and Medical Leave and 7.7 Maternity Leave).
• Military leave that involves active duty or active duty for specialized training (see 7.10 Military Leave). 
• Leave for religious holiday observance not included in the university's published schedule of official holidays, pursuant to UASP 435.1.

To seek leave without pay for circumstances not falling into one of the above categories, employees must make a written request for approval to the chancellor. Such requests for leave of absence without pay are made through and must be approved by your department head and supervisory chain.  If approved by the Chancellor or a designee, the request is furnished to the President for final consideration.

Employees may be put on leave of absence without pay for disciplinary reasons.

You must use all of your accumulated annual leave before you take leave without pay, except when the leave qualifies as maternity leave, certain types of military leave, or when the leave is for disciplinary purposes. You will not earn annual leave or sick leave if you are on leave without pay for 10 or more days during a calendar month. You will not be paid for official university holidays while you are on leave without pay.

When you are on leave without pay, you may continue to participate in the university's group insurance programs. However, you must pay the total cost (your part and the university's matching part) of your coverage for any month when you are on leave without pay for 10 or more consecutive days. For those benefits provided by the university, with no employee contribution (basic life insurance and long-term disability insurance), you must pay the amount of the university's contribution or risk loss of coverage, except when those benefits are protected by FMLA regulations (see 7.6 Family and Medical Leave).

If you fail to report to work promptly at the end of an authorized period of leave without pay, your employment with the university may be terminated.