Orientation

Leaves of Absence

Classified

  1. Sick Leave
  2. Vacation Leave
  3. Other Leaves

Faculty

  1. Sick Leave
  2. Other Leaves

Administrator / Academic Supervisory

  1. Sick Leave
  2. Vacation Leave

District Leaves

  1. Baby Bonding
  2. Bereavement
  3. California Family Rights Act (CFRA)
  4. Catastrophic Illness Leave Program
  5. Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
  6. Family Illness
  7. Holiday Pay
  8. Jury Duty
  9. Military Leave
  10. Personal Necessity
  11. Pregnancy Disability Leave
  12. Personal Business Leave without Pay
  13. Time off for School Visits
  14. Time off voting
  15. Workers' Compensation

Classified

  1. Sick Leave

    • A full time, 12 month per year, 37.5 hour employee accrues 90 hours (12 days) of sick leave at the beginning of each fiscal year.
    • Probationary employees are allowed to use up to six (6) days of sick leave.
    • Sick leave accumulates from year to year without limitation.
    • In accordance with Education Code Section 88202, sick leave balance may be transferable to and from the District within one year of separation from a community college district, office of a superintendent of schools, please complete request for transfer of accumulated illness leave form.
    • Upon retirement, sick leave balance is credited for additional service.
    • Sick leave can be used for Employee Illness, Immediate Family Illness, and Personal Necessity. There is a limit amount that can be used for immediate family illness and personal necessity. Please refer to your union contract: AFSCME sec10 / CSEA sec10  .
    • Absences are reported each month in hours through WebSMART (Login and go to the Employee Services menu and click on Leave Report). Learn more about WebSMART Leave Reporting Procedures  .
    • Medical verification may be required to make proper determination of eligibility for paid leave of absence of illness or injury.

  2. Vacation Leave

    • Please refer to Vacation Leave Accrual Rates   for rate accruals. Accrual rate is based on a full-time 12 month per year, 37.5 hours per week work schedule. Accrual rates changes per years of service. Vacation Leave accrues in hours at the end of each month.
    • There is a maximum of two years of accumulated Vacation Leave hours.
    • Probationary employees are not allowed to use Vacation Leave accumulated.
    • Absences are reported each month in hours through WebSMART (Login and go to the Employee Services menu and click on Leave Report). Learn more about WebSMART Leave Reporting Procedures  .
    • Upon retirement/separation of employment, employees are paid for unused Vacation Leave hours.

  3. Other Leaves

    Compensation time accumulation is allowed - up to 50 hours at any given time. Additional hours earned each month will be used or paid as overtime. At the end of each fiscal year, the accumulated compensation time is paid out to you. Please see Frequently Asked Questions and Timesheet for Overtime/Compensatory Time  .

Faculty

  1. Sick Leave

    • A full time, 10 month full-load (15 FLCs) work schedule employee accrues 50 hours (10 days) of sick leave per academic year and is provided at the beginning of each academic year. Hours will be adjusted for decreased workload (AFT section 11.1). These employees may earn an additional day for summer assignments of at least six-week length (AFT section 11.1.2).
    • Sick leave accumulates from year to year without limitation.
    • In accordance with Education Code Section 87782 & 87783, sick leave balance may be transferable to and from the District within one year of separation from a community college district, or office of a superintendent of schools. Please complete request for transfer of accumulated illness leave form  .
    • Upon retirement, sick leave balance is credited for additional service.
    • Sick leave can be used for Employee Illness, Immediate Family Illness, and Personal Necessity. There is a limit amount that can be used for immediate family illness and personal necessity. Please refer to your employment handbook.
    • Absences are reported each month in days through the Faculty Absence Affidavit Form available in the District Portal website.
    • Medical verification may be required to make proper determination of eligibility for paid leave of absence of illness or injury.

  2. Other Leaves

    A faculty member attending professional development program for conference/professional meeting attendance; short-term projects defined as activities of three (3) weeks or less; long-term projects of more than three (3) weeks up to a full semester; and extended leaves defined as full release from regular duties for an academic year as long as funds are available may be off work with full or partial pay depending on the circumstance (AFT13).

    A full-time tenure-faculty who accepts an overload assignment is allowed to bank the units and receive the same bank units that would equal the usual salary. Bank units are coordinated with the dean and the employee. The final approval is given by the Vice President. Overload units may be banked for a qualifying activities such as overload teaching, laboratory work, counseling and program coordination. There is a limit on the bank units allowed (AFT22).

Administrator / Academic Supervisory

  1. Sick Leave

    • A full time, 12 month per year, 37.5 hour employee accrues 90 hours (12 days) of sick leave at the beginning of each fiscal year.
    • Probationary employees are allowed to use up to six (6) days of sick leave.
    • Sick leave accumulates from year to year without limitation.
    • In accordance with Education Code Section 88202, sick leave balance may be transferable to and from the District within one year of separation from a community college district, or office of a superintendent of schools. Please complete request for transfer of accumulated illness leave form  .
    • Upon retirement, sick leave balance is credited for additional service.
    • Sick leave can be used for Employee Illness, Immediate Family Illness, and Personal Necessity. There is a limit amount that can be used for immediate family illness and personal necessity. Please refer to your employment handbook.
    • Absences are reported each month in hours through WebSMART (Login and go to the Employee Services menu and click on Leave Report). Learn more about WebSMART Leave Reporting Procedures  .
    • Medical verification may be required to make proper determination of eligibility for paid leave of absence of illness or injury.

  2. Vacation Leave

    • Administrators/Supervisors accumulate 2.25 days per month or 16.88 hours per month.
    • Executives earn 2.50 days per month or 18.75 hours per month.
    • Vacation Leave accrues in hours at the end of each month.
    • There is a maximum of two years of accumulated Vacation Leave hours.
    • Probationary employees are not allowed to use accumulated Vacation Leave.
    • Absences are reported each month in hours through WebSMART (Login and go to the Employee Services menu and click on Leave Report). Learn more about WebSMART Leave Reporting Procedures  .
    • Upon retirement/separation of employment, employees are paid for unused Vacation Leave hours.

District Leaves

  1. Baby Bonding

    An employee may use up to thirty (30) days of paid sick leave per academic year, less any time taken from personal necessity days and immediate family illness days, to care for a new born child or placement of an adopted child. The leave applies to:

    • A biological parent using the leave within the first year of his or her infant’s birth
    • A non-biological parent using the leave within the first year of legally adopting a child

    Written verification will be required. This time taken will run concurrently with applicable regulated laws and applicable accrued paid leaves and unpaid leaves. (education code 87784.5 and 88207.5)

    Please review our Leave of Absence policy/procedures  .

  2. Bereavement

    The District provides up to three (3) days of bereavement leave for in-state travel or five (5) days of out-of-state travel per occurrence due to the death of an employee’s spouse, child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, son/daughter/mother/father-in-law, sibling, aunt and uncle (applies to AFSCME/CSEA), domestic partner, domestic partner’s child/parent, or any person (who has legally filled the role AFT11.3) who stood in place of a parent or relative living in the immediate household of the employee. (AFSCME10.6 AFT11.4, CSEA10.4)

  3. California Family Rights Act (CFRA)

    An employee may take unpaid leave up to 12 work weeks in a 12-month period through the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) (Gov. Code, § 12945.2) to ensure secure leave rights for the following:

    • Birth of a child for purposes of bonding
    • Placement of a child in the employee's family for adoption or foster care
    • For the serious health condition of the employee's child, parent or spouse
    • For the employee's own serious health condition

    To be eligible for CFRA leave, an employee must be either a full-time or part-time employee working in California, have more than 12 months (52 weeks) of service with the employer, have worked at least 1,250 hours in the 12-month period before the date the leave begins.

    Written verification will be required. This time will run concurrently with applicable regulated laws and applicable accrued paid leaves and unpaid leaves.

    Please review our Leave of Absence policy/procedures  .

  4. Catastrophic Illness Leave Program

    The Catastrophic Illness Leave Program   allows an employee to donate one sick leave day per fiscal year to an employee who has been diagnosis with a life threatening medical condition. This program will allow the disabled employee to receive up to fifty (50) days of donated sick leave from their colleagues. The disabled employee can then utilized this time to recover from their medical condition and remain on paid status. Certain restrictions apply. Please review the program policy  .

  5. Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

    Family and Medical Leave act allows an employee to be off work for twelve weeks without pay for the following reasons:

    • Serious health condition that interferes with employee’s ability to perform his or her work
    • Birth, adoption, or foster care placement of employee’s child
    • Care of employee’s spouse, child, or parent with a serious health condition
    • Eligible employee who is a spouse, son, daughter, parent or next to kin (military caregiver leave) to care for a service member who is recovering from a serious illness or injury while on active duty
    • Employee’s spouse, son, daughter or parent who is a covered military member on covered active duty for any qualifying exigency

    You must have worked at least 12 months and at least 1250 hours over the previous 12 months preceding the start of the leave.

    To care for a military service member, an employee is eligible to take up to twenty-six (26) weeks of unpaid leave.

    Written verification will be required. This time will run concurrently with applicable regulated laws and applicable accrued paid leaves and unpaid leaves.

    Please review our Leave of Absence policy/procedures  .

  6. Family Illness

    A maximum of six (6) accrued sick leave days per fiscal year may be used in the event of a serious illness of an employee’s immediate family: spouse, child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, son/daughter/mother/father-in-law, sibling, aunt and uncle (applies to CSEA), domestic partner, child/parent-of-domestic partner, or any person (who has legally filled the role AFT11.3) who stood in place of a parent or relative living in the immediate household of the employee. (AFSCME10.5, AFT11.3, CSEA10.3)

  7. Holiday Pay

    The District provides 16 negotiated paid holidays per fiscal year. Please visit the Academic Calendar / Administrative Holidays for listing.

  8. Jury Duty

    The District provides full salary while an employee is in jury duty service (witness of subpoena on behalf of District services- applies AFSCME10.10, CSEA10.8) for any duration of time. Proof of service is required. Please email Jim Vlahos vlahosjames@smccd.edu in Human Resources a copy of your jury duty summons. The employee shall not allocate funding from the county for these services. An employee is reimbursed mileage from the court directly. (AFSCME10.10, AFT,10.8, CSEA10.8) 

  9. Military Leave

    To protect the employment rights of employees entering the armed forces of the United States and to ensure conformance with the applicable federal laws, the SMCCCD will grant thirty (30) days of paid leave of absence to all regular employees who enter military service for active duty as a result of the following:

    • Initial enlistment in the armed services of the United States
    • Initial training period in the National Guard
    • Activation of military service as a member of the Reserves or National Guard for an indefinite period or for a periodic training period up to ten working days
    • Any service requirements under the Selective Service Act

    There is no waiting period to be eligible for Military Leave. An employee should advise the District of their estimate return to work when requesting the leave and contact the supervisor at least two weeks prior to the expiration of the leave to discuss the return to work. Subject to the governing federal and state laws, employees are entitled to full re-employment rights.

  10. Personal Necessity

    An employee may utilize their sick leave for a maximum of seven (7) days per fiscal year for the following reasons listed below:

    Two (2) days of the 7 days can be used at the employee’s discretion without prior approval. (applies to AFT11.5., CSEA10.5.1)

    • Additional days involving the employee or their property or immediate family member or property.
    • Additional days beyond bereavement leave of three (3) days or five (5) days
    • Appearance in court or before administrative tribunal as a litigant or witness of subpoena
    • Religious holidays on which the employee would otherwise be required to work
    • Such other reasons as approved by the District.
    • Imminent danger to employee’s home from flood, fire, or serious in nature, which under circumstance employee cannot reasonably be expected to disregard, and which requires the attention of employee during assigned hours of service.
    • Such other reasons approved by the District

    Two (2) of the seven (7) personal necessity days may be used at the employee’s discretion without prior approval. (Applies AFT sec.11.5.2; CSEA sec10.5.1)

  11. Pregnancy Disability Leave

    An employee may be off work due to a pregnancy related medical condition up to four months without pay. An employee is not required to be employed for a specific duration of time before taking this leave.

    Written verification will be required. This time will run concurrently with applicable regulated laws and applicable accrued paid leaves and unpaid leaves.

    Please review our Leave of Absence policy/procedures  .

  12. Personal Business Leave without Pay

    An employee may be off work without pay with the approval of their manager. For leaves that are less than twenty nine (29) days, the leave is coordinated with the department manager. These types of leaves are adjusted in the employee’s pay.

    If an employee needs to be off work for thirty (30) or more days, board approval is required. An employee is required to complete a leave of absence request form and may be required to submit a medical certification or other documentation that can assist in the decision making process. An employee may request a leave of absence without pay once all paid leave available has exhausted. An employee may request up to three medically-verified leaves of six (6) months each, for a total of eighteen (18) months. You are required to provide at least thirty (30) day notice prior to the start of the leave for a foreseen event.

    It is strongly recommended that an employee contact Human Resources to advise you of your rights and obligations.

  13. Time off for School Visits

    If you are the parent, guardian or custodial grandparent of a child in a licensed daycare facility or school (from kindergarten through 12th grade), you may take unpaid time off to participate in an activity at the school. However, school activity leave may not exceed (regardless of the number of children):

    • Eight hours in any month, and
    • 40 hours in any calendar year

    Upon returning to work, you will be required to provide proof of the school visit. You are required to provide to your manager reasonable notice of the need for the time off.

    For these visits, employees may utilize partial-day or full-day of an employee’s own accrued vacation leave (applies to CSEA/AFSCME/Non-Representative) or personal necessity (sick leave), take time without pay, or make up the time per manager’s discretion.

  14. Time off voting

    If an employee is not able to vote before or after the working hours, four (4) hours of leave will be permitted by the District. Depending on each case employee’s own accrued vacation (applies to AFSCME/CSEA/Non-Representative), sick leave, compensation time (applies to AFSCME/CSEA/some non-representatives) may be used through your supervisor’s coordination.

  15. Workers' Compensation

    If an employee is injured on the job, the employee may be entitled to worker’s compensation of total temporary disability that requires an employee to be off work per medical verification. Total temporary disability is usually two-thirds of your prior earnings before the injury occurred. The state regulates the minimum and maximum benefits allowed for total temporary disability. Total Temporary Disability is tax-free. An employee is provided with 60 days of worker’s comp regardless of the total temporary disability benefit amount. This benefit is not accumulated. After the first 60 days while an employee receives total temporary disability an employee will be allowed to use sick leave, vacation time or any allowable paid leave accrual to receive a full salary. The District will continue to provide normal salary throughout the worker’s compensation leave until the employees accrued paid leave exhausts and while the employee receives total temporary disability of worker’s comp benefits.