1. Who is affected by this new leave ordinance?

This ordinance affects different types of employees in different ways.

Regular full-time and part-time staff employees who are scheduled to work at least 20 hours per week will not be affected by this new leave ordinance. Current Loyola University Chicago sick-leave and vacation policies provide time off greater than or equal to what is required by this new ordinance. 

The updated sick leave policy will specifically impact hourly paid staff employees who work less than 20 hours per week, including temporary, seasonal, active casual hourly paid staff, and hourly paid student workers.

Paid Leave will apply to employees who currently do not receive vacation time, which includes part-time faculty and hourly paid staff employees who work less than 20 hours per week, including temporary, seasonal, active casual hourly paid staff, and hourly paid student workers. 

2. What does this new ordinance require? 

Under the new ordinance, employees are eligible for up to forty (40) hours (5 days) of paid sick leave and forty (40) hours (5 days) of paid leave to be used for any reason in a 12-month period.

3. Paid Sick Leave

This applies to hourly paid staff employees who work less than 20 hours per week, including temporary, seasonal, active casual hourly paid staff, and hourly paid student workers.

Will accrue at a rate of one (1) hour per thirty-five (35) hours worked in a 12-month period.

It can be used to recover from illness, take care of family members, address domestic violence, and public health emergencies.

Employees can accrue up to forty (40) hours per year. Unused hours can be rolled over each year (up to 80 hours) but will not be paid out upon termination.

4. Paid Leave

This applies to employees who do not currently receive vacation time, which includes part-time faculty and hourly paid staff employees who work less than 20 hours per week, including temporary, seasonal, active casual hourly paid staff, and hourly paid student workers. 

Employees who receive vacation time are exempt from the paid leave policy as the current vacation time policy provides time off that is greater than or equal to what is required by the ordinance. 

Will accrue at a rate of one (1) hour per thirty-five (35) hours worked of paid leave in a 12-month period.

Employees can accrue up to forty (40) hours per year.

Up to sixteen (16) unused hours can be rolled over at the end of the year.

Unused hours will be paid out upon termination.

5. How does this new ordinance impact existing sick leave and paid leave?

Hourly paid staff employees who work less than 20 hours per week, including temporary, seasonal, active casual hourly paid staff, and hourly paid student workers, will now accrue one (1) hour of paid sick leave for every thirty-five (35) hours worked instead of every forty (40) hours worked.

The new ordinance also provides for the accrual of paid leave in addition to paid sick leave. Employees will accrue one (1) hour of paid leave for every thirty-five (35) hours worked up to a maximum of forty (40) hours per year. Up to sixteen (16) hours of unused paid leave may be rolled over at the end of the calendar year.

6. How will employees record time off?

Bi-weekly paid employees and student workers will record their time off in Kronos Timecard bi-weekly by selecting the pay code “Sick Pay” or “Vacation Pay/Paid Leave Pay.” 

Monthly paid employees will track time off with their department supervisor.

7. Does the new law change how sick leave and paid leave are paid out upon termination, resignation, and retirement?

Sick leave is not paid out upon termination, resignation, and retirement.

Up to fifty-six (56) hours of accrued paid leave will be paid out upon termination, resignation, and retirement.  Payment will be included in the final paycheck.

In addition, if an employee has not had an active work assignment for sixty (60) days, they may request any accrued but unused paid leave be distributed to them by contacting Human Resources. 

8. When are these changes effective, and when can employees start using this time?

Sick leave can be used 30 days after July 1, 2024.

The new Paid Leave policy will become effective on July 1, 2024, and employees can start using paid leave for any reason on September 30, 2024.

9. How far in advance do I need to request time off?

Employees should provide notice of time off as soon as it is foreseeable. Time off requests will be subject to manager approval.

10. Do employees have to provide documentation to use time off under this new ordinance?

Documentation is not required to use time off under this new ordinance.

11. How will paid leave hours be determined for adjunct / part-time faculty?

The calculation of working hours for adjunct / part-time faculty will follow the same method used to determine benefits eligibility for ACA purposes. One course credit hour of hire equals 3 hours of work, and as a result, a 3-credit course is the equivalent of 9 hours of work each week during the semester term.

For example, a three-credit course amounts to 135 working hours in a 15-week semester and 3.86 hours of paid leave per semester.

12. How is the payment of unused paid leave calculated?

The payment of unused paid leave will be calculated as total hours of unused paid leave multiplied by an average hourly rate. 

For monthly paid employees, the current salary will be divided by the appropriate annual working hours.

For monthly paid adjunct / part-time faculty calculating work hours is listed above in the FAQ: "How will paid leave hours be determined for adjunct / part-time faculty?”