Leaves of Absence
COVID-19 Quarantine/Isolation Leaves
Visit FAQs for COVID-19: Health Questionnaire, Vaccinations, and Quarantine Leaves
NYS Paid Sick Leave (PSL)
New York’s paid sick leave law requires eligible employers to provide paid sick leave to all employees. On September 30, 2020, covered employees in New York State began to accrue leave at a rate not less than one hour for every 30 hours worked. On January 1, 2021, employees may start using accrued leave.
For employees subject to a collective bargaining agreement, please review the applicable CBA for more information on sick leave.
Learn more about Paid Sick Leave at the New York State website.
For more PSL information from NYS, visit https://www.ny.gov/programs/new-york-paid-sick-leave
NYS Paid Family Leave (PFL)
New York’s Paid Family Leave provides eligible employees with job-protected, paid time off to bond with a newly born, adopted, or fostered child, care for a family member with a serious health condition, or assist loved ones when a family member is deployed abroad on active military service. Eligible employees pay for these benefits through a weekly payroll deduction, which is a percentage of their weekly wages up to a cap set annually.
In 2023, the Paid Family Leave benefit provides up to twelve weeks of leave and is paid at 67% of the employees’ average weekly wage, capped at $1,131.08 (67% of the NYS Average Weekly Wage). The employee may use their vacation/sick accruals to supplement this time. If the leave event qualifies for leave under both Paid Family Leave and FMLA, the two leaves run concurrently.
Visit PaidFamilyLeave.ny.gov or call the Paid Family Leave Helpline at (844) 337-6303 for more information. Requests for Paid Family Leave and forms submissions should be emailed to the Vassar College Benefits Office in Human Resources. You can also call the Office at (845) 437-7761.
Form - Care for a Family Member with Serious Health Condition
Form - Bond with a Newborn, a Newly Adopted or Foster Child
Form - Assist Families in Connection with a Military Deployment
Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993
The FMLA entitles eligible employees of covered employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons with continuation of group health insurance coverage under the same terms and conditions as if the employee had not taken leave. The employee may use their accruals to supplement this time. Leave may be taken all at once, or may be taken intermittently as the medical condition requires. When the employee returns to work, they will return to the same job, or one that is nearly identical. Eligible employees are entitled to:
Twelve workweeks of leave in a 12-month period for:
- the birth of a child and to care for the newborn child within one year of birth;
- the placement with the employee of a child for adoption or foster care and to care for the newly placed child within one year of placement;
- to care for the employee’s spouse, child, or parent who has a serious health condition;
- a serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the essential functions of his or her job;
- any qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that the employee’s spouse, son, daughter, or parent is a covered military member on “covered active duty;” or
Twenty-six workweeks of leave during a single 12-month period to care for a covered servicemember with a serious injury or illness if the eligible employee is the servicemember’s spouse, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin (military caregiver leave).
If the leave event qualifies for leave under both Paid Family Leave and FMLA, the two leaves run concurrently.
Learn more about the Family Medical Leave Act on the Department of Labor website. Requests for FMLA forms and forms submissions should be emailed to the Vassar College Benefits Office in Human Resources or via (845) 437-7761.
Certification of Healthcare Provider for a Serious Health Condition
Employee’s serious health condition, form WH-380-E
Employee’s serious health condition, form WH-380-E (Rich Text format)
Family member’s serious health condition, form WH-380-F
Family member’s serious health condition, form WH-380-F (Rich Text format)
Certification of Military Family Leave
Qualifying Exigency, form WH-384
Qualifying Exigency, form WH-384 (Rich Text format)
Military Caregiver Leave of a Current Servicemember, form WH-385
Military Caregiver Leave of a Current Servicemember, form WH-385 (Rich Text format)
Military Caregiver Leave of a Veteran, form WH-385-V
Military Caregiver Leave of a Veteran, form WH-385-V (Rich Text format)
Bereavement Leave
When a family member passes away, the grieving employee should contact either their supervisor or the Human Resources department with information about the days needed to be out of work. Time off from work is for handling funeral arrangements and attending funeral and memorial services. The amount of paid time off often depends on the relationship between the employee and the deceased family member. Reference your negotiated union contract or handbook for this information. Employees and their supervisor have the responsibility for keeping a full record of bereavement days in Workday by submitting a Time Off Request.
Short-Term Disability and Maternity Leave
Employees who must be absent from work due to a short-term disability, illness or injury, must supply sufficient evidence from their physician to the Benefits Office. This physician’s notice must state the reason for absence, the beginning date of disability, and the expected date of return to work.
For payment information while on medical or maternity leave, reference your negotiated union contract or employee handbook.
Requests for disability forms and forms submissions should be directed to the Vassar College Benefits Office in Human Resources. Email the Vassar College Benefits Office or call (845) 437-7761 for more information or to schedule a meeting.
Jury Duty
Employees who are called to serve as jurors must notify their supervisor or department head and provide the Office of Human Resources with the official notification as soon as it is received.
Employees have the responsibility for keeping a record of jury days in Workday by submitting a Time Off Request and selecting “Jury Duty”. For payment information, reference your negotiated union contract or employee handbook.
Parental Leave
The right to parental leave benefits are established by your negotiated union contract, employee handbook, FMLA, and NYS paid family leave.
Requests for parental leave should be directed to the Vassar College Benefits Office in Human Resources. Email the Vassar College Benefits Office or call (845) 437-7761.
Workers’ Compensation Leave (Work Related Injuries)
It is important that all occupational illnesses or injuries, however minor, be reported immediately to the Employee Health Nurse at (845) 437-5801 and to the Office of Human Resources (845) 437-7761 or (845) 437-5819.
Complete the Incident Report to explain the illness or injury. Deliver the form to the Office of Human Resources, email the form to benefits@vassar.edu, or fax it to (845) 437-7729. (You can also download the Incident Report as a Rich Text file.)
Treatment of job-related illnesses or injuries is covered by Workers’ Compensation Insurance, provided the proper procedure for reporting is followed, and subject to adjudication by Vassar’s Workers’ Compensation insurer.
Unpaid or Personal Leave
The right to unpaid or personal leave benefits are established by your negotiated union contract or employee handbook. Direct any questions to the Vassar College Benefits Office in Human Resources, by contacting the Office at benefits@vassar.edu or calling (845) 437-7761.