Leave Benefit Policies

Annual leave is equivalent to personal or vacation leave and may be utilized by an academic faculty member for any purpose with the approval of their department.  Only Benefits-eligible administrative professionals, library faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and research faculty are eligible for annual leave.

With the exception of Postdoctoral Fellows, this leave shall be paid according to the following formula:

The change in accrual rates will occur beginning with the first day of the month following the month in which employment period reaches the 108th month.

For Postdoctoral Fellows, leave shall be paid according to the following formula:

Full-time Benefits-eligible employees who work less than one full month and part-time Benefits-eligible faculty will earn annual leave on a pro rata basis.  Employees who wish to use annual leave must submit a request to their supervisor and receive approval.  Supervisors may deny use of annual leave.  Employees who use annual leave must report their usage monthly through the leave reporting system and submit their leave reports to their supervisor within the deadlines established by Payroll.  Employees may take paid annual leave only as earned or accrued.  While on paid leave, employees will accrue annual leave at the normal rate.  Employees on unpaid leave will not accrue annual leave. Any leave taken which has not been accrued will be treated as leave without pay.  The maximum carryover limits set forth above shall be effective at the end of each fiscal year.  An employee may accrue annual leave in excess of the applicable limit during the course of a fiscal year, but they must either use all leave accrued in excess of the limit during the fiscal year or forfeit the excess at the earlier of the end of the fiscal year or termination of employment.  An employee will be paid in full at their current rate of pay for unused hours of annual leave, up to the applicable maximum carryover limit, upon change from twelve-month to nine-month contract status, upon termination of employment, or at the time of retirement or death.  Upon the death of an employee, the estate of the deceased employee will be paid for the employee’s accrued annual leave, up to the applicable maximum carryover limit.

The President may grant administrative leave with pay to a Benefits-eligible employees for any purpose deemed by the President to be in the best interests of Mines, as long as the granting of administrative leave for such purpose is not prohibited by law.

Faculty who are eligible to vote in an election are entitled to use up to two (2) hours of paid election leave for the purpose of voting during the time the polls are open, if an employee’s work hours on the day of an election are such that there are less than three (3) hours between the time of opening and the time of closing of the polls during which the employee is not required to be on the job. Employees must request and receive approval for the leave prior to the election day. The appointing authority may specify the hours during which the employee may be absent, except that the employee shall be allowed to take the election leave at the beginning or end of the work shift if requested.

In accordance with federal requirements, after one year of Mines service, an employee working 1250 hours over the prior 12 months may be eligible for up to 520 hours of unpaid Family Medical Leave, taken either continuously or intermittently, for the following purposes:

1. 1.  the birth and care of a child within one year of the birth;
   2. the placement and care of an adopted child within one year of the placement;
   3. treatment for and recovery from a serious health condition;
   4. providing care for the serious health condition for their child, parent, or spouse;
   5. when a child, parent, or spouse experiences a qualifying exigency directly related to being called to or on active duty for a contingency operation during a declared war or;
   6.  when an employee is a military caregiver for a child, parent, spouse, or next of kin who suffers a serious injury or illness in the line of duty while on active duty in support of a contingency operation.

Family Medical Leave is prorated for part-time work. Benefits eligibility does not affect leave eligibility. The employee will be required to utilize all of their accumulated paid leave—in accordance with the applicable rules governing such usage set forth in other Mines leave policies—before they will be placed on unpaid family medical leave, but the use of paid leave will not extend the total period of time to which the employee is entitled to under this paragraph.

Mines observes Christmas Day, Independence Day, Juneteenth, Labor Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, New Year’s Day, and Thanksgiving Day as holidays.  Other days will be designated annually by the President as school holidays.

Mines shall grant up to 480 hours of paid injury leave to a benefits-eligible employee who has suffered a job-related injury, subject to the following conditions:

1. 1. The employee must file a timely First Report of Injury form for workers’ compensation purposes with the Office of Human Resources;
   2. Mines workers compensation insurer must certify that the injury is job-related or “compensable”; and
   3. The employee must agree to assign their right to receive salary payments from the workers compensation insurer to Mines during the period when the employee is receiving paid injury leave.

The Colorado School of Mines recognizes and supports the efforts of its non-tenure track faculty in delivering high quality instruction to its students. Instructional Development Assignments are available to eligible faculty. Reference Faculty handbook 6.1.6 for complete information, including eligibility and terms.

Mines may grant up to six weeks of paid medical disability leave to a Benefits-eligible employee for the purpose of childbirth and medical recovery therefrom, or for the treatment of a disabling medical condition or non-work-related injury, subject to the following limitations:

1. 1. The “disabling medical condition” may not be the result of elective surgery or a non-medically-necessary procedure;
   2. The conditions or injury must necessitate the employee’s continuous absence from work for a period in excess of two weeks;
   3. The employee must present to the Office of Human Resources a medical certification from the attending health care provider attesting to the disabling nature and the anticipated duration of the medical condition;
   4. Prior to receiving any paid medical disability leave, the employee must first exhaust 80% of their accrued sick leave;
   5. In the case of a foreseeable event such as childbirth, the employee must give her immediate supervisor and the Office of Human Resources written notice of the anticipated need for this leave three months in advance of the date the leave is expected to begin, or as much notice as is practicable and reasonable in the employee’s circumstances;
   6. The aggregate usage of the employee’s sick leave and medical disability leave granted hereunder shall not exceed three months; and
   7. Only that period of the disability leave that falls within the employee’s term of appointment shall be paid.

Upon request, Mines shall grant appropriate leave to its employees for military service as mandated by U.S. and Colorado law. Supporting documentation may be requested by their direct supervisor.

The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) is a federal law that establishes various rights and benefits for employees and applicants for employment who have served in the military or have engaged in other forms of protected governmental service. USERRA requires employers to provide leaves of absence and to re-employ workers who enter military service while employed.

It is irrelevant whether the reason for military service is voluntarily requested by the employee or required service when determining protection under USERRA. Therefore, a reservist who volunteers for extra training or additional reserve duty is still protected from discrimination or retaliation in relation to initial hiring, retention, promotion, reemployment, termination and any benefit of employment.

Employees are required to give a manager notice. Please contact the Office of Human Resources for more specific information on this subject.

Benefits-eligible employees are eligible for the parental leave outlined below.  An employee on paid parental leave must return to employment at Mines for at least six weeks after the conclusion of the parental leave period. An employee who does not fulfill this condition will be required to repay the full amount of compensation (salary plus employer-provided benefits) received from Mines during the paid parental leave period.  During any paid portion of parental leave, benefit coverage under Mines’ group health, dental, life, and long-term disability insurance plans shall continue in effect, consistent with the terms of the applicable insurance contracts and Mines policies regarding such benefits.  During the unpaid portion of a parental leave, benefit coverage under Mines’ group health, dental, life and long-term disability insurance plans shall continue in effect, consistent with the terms of the applicable insurance contracts and Mines policies regarding such benefits, provided that the premiums, including any amount normally contributed by Mines, are paid monthly by the employee.

The provisions of Medical Disability Leave and Parental Leave are intended to be interpreted in conjunction with Family Medical Leave.  Family Medical Leave runs concurrently with other Mines-sponsored leave plans and may be with pay, unpaid, or a combination of both, depending on the circumstances.  For a complete description of family medical leave and its relation to other Mines leave policies, please contact the Human Resources Office, benefits@mines.edu.

1. 1. Paid Leave Following the Birth or Adoption of a Child
      This paid leave will run concurrently with family medical leave, if applicable. A benefits-eligible employee may take up to six weeks of paid parental leave for the purpose of caring for and nurturing their newborn, newly adopted child, or a child placed in foster care as a pre-adoption requirement.  The leave will be paid at the employee’s regular base rate of pay.  Once starting paid leave, it must be taken consecutively and without interruption; paid parental leave may not be used on an intermittent basis.  Use of parental leave must occur and be completed within the twelve months immediately following the birth or adoption of a newborn or child.For uses of parental leave due to the birth of a child, a employee’s leave requests must be made to his or her immediate supervisor, with copy to the Benefits Office, at least sixty (60) days prior to the start of the anticipated leave period. Leave requests given with less than sixty (60) days notice will not be granted absent extraordinary circumstances. For uses of parental leave due to the adoption of a child, leave requests should be made to the immediate supervisor, copy sent to the Mines’ Benefits Office, with as much notice as possible. Only that period of the leave that falls within the employee’s term of appointment shall be paid.If the requested leave interrupts, or is expected to interrupt a semester in which an academic faculty member is normally scheduled to teach, the faculty member may choose to request relief from teaching for one entire semester, which shall be granted.  Such request must be made to the faculty member’s Department Head, in writing, at the same time as the request for Parental Leave.  For the period of the semester that the faculty member is not on medical disability or parental leave (paid or unpaid), the faculty member is expected to resume non-teaching duties, such as committee work, administrative work, and academic advising.  Paid Holidays will not extend the length of paid leave.  Paid leave from all sources shall not exceed 13 weeks per occurrence.
   2. Unpaid Leave Following the Birth or Adoption of a Child
      This unpaid leave will run concurrently with family medical leave. A benefits-eligible employee may request unpaid parental leave (in addition to paid parental leave) for the purpose of caring for a newborn or newly adopted child to be used immediately following the paid parental leave provided above. Such request must be submitted, in writing, to the employee’s immediate supervisor and the Mines’ Benefits Office as part of the request for paid Parental Leave. Taking into consideration the employee’s needs and those of the departments or offices most affected by their absence, the employee and their supervisor may negotiate a mutually acceptable length of time for the unpaid leave. If the employee qualifies for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act, they shall be entitled to take up to the amount of leave still available to the employee for the relevant twelve-month period.
   3. Unpaid Parental Leave for Temporary Faculty (adjuncts, administrative, athletics, and research faculty)
      While leave benefits are not normally part of a temporary employee’s employment with Mines, recognizing the special needs and circumstances attendant to the birth or adoption of a new family member, employees may request unpaid parental leave for the purpose of caring for a newborn or a child placed in foster care as a pre-adoption requirement. Such leave, if granted, is to be used immediately following the birth or adoption (including a child placed in foster care as a pre-adoption requirement). To be granted this leave, the temporary employee must make their request in the same manner as required of benefits eligible faculty outlined in Parental Leave above.

All sabbatical leave at Mines is governed by the Mines Sabbatical Leave Policy, which has been promulgated by the Board and is set forth in Section 10.2. This leave is available only to Academic Faculty.

Sick leave provides Mines employees with paid time off from work to attend to their health and medical needs, as well as the health and medical needs of their spouses, parents, minor children, adult children who are incapable of self-care, legal dependents, or persons in the household for whom the employee is the primary caregiver.  Employees are expected to utilize sick leave to cover their time off from work for preventive care and diagnostic medical examinations, receipt of medical treatment, and recovery from mental or physical illnesses, non-work-related injuries, and health conditions.  Paid sick leave may be used when the employee or the employee’s spouse, parent, children, legal dependents, or persons for whom the employee is the primary caregiver are the victims of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or harassment, and use of the leave is to seek medical attention for the domestic abuse, sexual assault, or harassment, obtain services from a victim services organization, obtain mental health or other counseling, or seek relocation or legal services (including participating in a related civil or criminal proceeding) due to the domestic abuse, sexual assault or harassment. Reasonable documentation for absences greater than four consecutive days may be requested by the supervisor.  Paid sick leave may also be used if a public health official has ordered closure of Mines, or if a public health official has ordered closure of the school or place of care for the employee’s child, and the employee needs to be absent from work to care for the child. Documentation may not be requested nor required for absences related to emergency leave.  For more information, please contact Mines Benefits (benefits@mines.edu).

Mines benefits-eligible employees shall accrue sick leave at the rate of ten hours for each calendar month worked.  The maximum annual carryover limit of paid sick leave shall be 720 hours.  Full-time benefits-eligible employees who work less than one full month and part-time faculty will earn sick leave on a pro rata basis.  Benefits-eligible employees on paid leave will accrue sick leave at the normal rate.  Benefits-eligible employees on paid leave will not accrue sick leave.  Benefits-eligible employees may take paid sick leave only as earned or accrued.  Any leave taken which has not been accrued will be treated as leave without pay.  The maximum carryover limit set forth above shall be effective at the end of each fiscal year.  A benefits-eligible employee may accrue sick leave in excess of the limit during the course of a fiscal year, but they must either use all leave accrued in excess of the limit during the fiscal year or forfeit the excess at the end of the fiscal year.

Non-benefits-eligible employees shall accrue paid sick leave at a rate of one hour for each thirty-hours worked, and shall not earn or use more than 48 hours of paid sick leave each fiscal year. Up to 48 hours of sick leave may carry over into a subsequent fiscal year, but a non-benefits-eligible employee may not use more than 48 hours of paid sick leave in a single year.  Employees may take paid sick leave only as earned or accrued.  A full-time, non-benefits-eligible employee who is exempt from overtime accrues sick leave based on the assumption that the employee works 40 hours per week.  If the employee works less than 40 hours per week, they will accrue sick leave based upon the number of hours that comprise a normal work week.

Sick leave shall be reported for any time away from Mines duties due to illness or medical or other appointments as set forth above. It is improper to use sick leave for the sole purpose of extending available funds from research or other externally funded accounts. Department Heads or equivalent directors may require a physician’s certificate for the use of sick leave.  Employees who use sick leave must report their usage monthly through the leave reporting system and submit their leave reports to their supervisor within the deadlines established by Payroll.

A benefits-eligible employee who is actively participating in the PERA Defined Benefit Plan at the time of separation from Mines service, after becoming eligible to receive a full or reduced retirement annuity pursuant to PERA guidelines, shall be paid for one-fourth of their unused sick leave at their current rate of pay, up to the maximum carryover limit set forth above. An employee is only eligible to receive this sick leave payout once, upon the original retirement event.

If a benefits-eligible employee dies prior to retirement or separation from Mines service, the estate of the deceased employee will be paid one-fourth of the employee’s unused sick leave at the time of the employee’s death, within the limits set forth in this paragraph.

Mines employees who separate and are rehired by Mines within six months after separation will have any accrued but unused paid sick leave reinstated.  If a benefits-eligible employee has been paid for one-fourth of their unused sick leave as set forth above, they shall only be entitled to reinstatement of three-fourths of any accrued but unused sick leave.

A Benefits-eligible Mines employee may request unpaid leave in writing through their department head or department director.  Such leave may be granted at the discretion of the Dean and Provost, or the appropriate Vice President. Unpaid leave of more than twelve months will generally not be granted.