Leave of Absence

Individuals covered

Anyone who has a regular employment relationship with the University and meets the eligibility requirements has entitlements under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993. This policy describes these and other leave benefits available to members of the University administrative and research staff.

Policy

Northwestern University grants leaves of absence for medical care for oneself, for maternity or other family care, for some personal reasons, and for military duty. With a leave of absence, an individual may under some circumstances temporarily leave a University position with an intention to return to active university employment and during the leave maintain a relationship with the University that provides access to certain benefits and does not break service.

Kinds of leave

The following pages describe the provisions for six kinds of leave of absence available from the university:

  • Medical leave is absence to care for a personal serious health condition, such as identified on the back of the Health Certification form that follows this policy statement.
  • Maternity leave is absence for a woman following the birth of her child.
  • Family care leave is absence for the adoption of a child, or for a father of a newborn child, or for placement of a child in foster care, or for a serious health condition affecting a spouse, parent, child, or declared same-sex domestic partner.
  • Personal leave is absence taken for personal development related to University employment, for research, for travel, for seeking re-employment after involuntary separation as through staff reduction, or after the expiration of leave for personal medical or family care.
  • Military training leave is absence for military reserve training.
  • Military active duty leave is absence for active military service for employees who enlist or are inducted into the armed forces of the United States.

Benefits during leave

Insured benefits. During leaves of absence, insured benefits are available. The payment of premiums varies among the kinds of leave as described on the following pages. 

Retirement contributions. University contributions to the individual’s retirement accounts continue as a percent of the University salary paid during the leave, such as for vacation or holiday pay, but these contributions are not made when the individual receives income from insurance benefits. Employees on unpaid leave may make their own contributions directly to the retirement plan without the University matching funds.

Paid time benefits. Vacation continues to accrue while paid vacation and extended sick time is being taken and during University scheduled and personal floating holidays. Vacation and sick time do not accrue during unpaid leave.

Confirmation from the Department of Human Resources

A leave of absence is approved upon the confirmation received by the staff member from the Department of Human Resources, even though the start date of the leave might precede the receipt of the confirmation.

End of the leave

A leave of absence ends upon resuming active employment, whether at the University or another employer.

An employee on leave of absence who takes temporary work at the University within six months of the start of a leave has returned to regular, benefits-eligible employment, having already qualified for benefits under ERISA; and the leave of absence ends. An employee on leave of absence who takes temporary work at the University after six months from the start of the leave becomes a temporary employee not eligible for benefits under ERISA, even through the person continues to have access to University benefits programs as may be provided by the leave of absence.

On taking a benefits-eligible position at another employer, a leave of absence ends and the individual is separated from the University.