GEN 3.B.7. Catastrophic Leave.

Faculty and Academic Staff members are, in special circumstances determined by the Chancellor or designee, able to donate leave to another unclassified staff member who has exhausted all paid leave benefits. Catastrophic leave is administered in accordance with UPG 9.07 Catastrophic Leave of the University of Wisconsin System Unclassified Personnel Guidelines. Procedures for applying for catastrophic leave for unclassified (and classified) employees can be found on the Human Resources Office web site. http://www.uwosh.edu/hr/

Board of Regents Resolution 8227 (October 6, 2000) established a catastrophic leave plan for faculty and academic staff. Where in the judgment of the Chancellor or designee, special circumstances validate the need, unclassified staff may at their option donate leave to another unclassified staff who has exhausted all paid leave benefits. Only vacation, personal holidays, floating holidays and leave “banked” in an annual leave reserve account may be donated. Sick leave may not be donated.

Catastrophic illness is defined as any illness, medical condition or injury that incapacitates, or is expected to incapacitate a staff member or a staff member’s “immediate family member,” (to include a domestic partner) as defined in Unclassified Personnel Guideline (UPG) #10.01, and that requires the staff member’s personal attention for an extended period of time.

Leave may be donated as frequently as the unclassified donor desires but must be donated in full day increments only. Donated leave will be transferred to a leave account for the recipient’s use.

In order to qualify for the receipt of donated leave under this program the unclassified staff member must satisfy the following conditions:

(1) Be on an approved unpaid leave of absence due to a catastrophic illness or medical condition of the staff member or the staff member’s “immediate family member”(to include a domestic partner) as defined in UPG #10.01.

(2) Provide sufficient information, in writing, to the Chancellor or designee, to conclude a catastrophic illness or medical condition exists. Such information or correspondence shall be treated in a highly confidential manner due to the sensitivity of the personal/medical nature of the request.

(3) Must have exhausted all paid leave benefits available to him/her including sick leave.

All unclassified staff may benefit from leave donated under this program. Recipients of donated leave will not be limited to vacation earning positions. The recipient retains all future rights and interest in the leave donated, credited to their account, under this program. The recipient may use the leave donated in any amount up to the percentage of his/her budgeted position.

Leave donated under the Catastrophic Leave program may be used to meet the Income Continuation Insurance (ICI) elimination period. At no time may payments received under the Catastrophic Leave Program and the ICI program, or any other state sponsored income replacement program, be collected simultaneously.

Unclassified leave can not be donated to classified staff or vice versa.