Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitles eligible employees to job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons. It also provides for the maintenance of benefits and helps employees balance work, health and family. Employees who have worked for the college for at least 12 months and 1250 hours within the past 12 months may qualify for FMLA. View the FAQ section to get answers to the most popular questions.
Leave Allowance
FMLA/Medical Leave of Absence allows leave based on the following circumstances:
- Employee's Own Serious Health Condition
- Care for a Spouse, Son, Daughter or Parent with Serious Health Condition
- Birth and Care of a Newborn Child of the Employee
- Placement with the Employee of a Child for Adoption or Foster Care
- Qualifying Military Exigency Leave
- Illness/Injury of a Covered Service Member
Additional Leave Benefits:
- Sick Leave Pool
- Unpaid Leave (if eligible)
Leave of Absence Notification
Contact Benefits at 972.599.3152 or email benefits@collin.edu. Regardless of whether an employee has sufficient paid leave time to cover absences, in order to inform employees of their rights and responsibilities under FMLA and/or determine leave of absence eligibility, Human Resources must be notified of:
- Any family or medical-related absence of more than three consecutive days.
- An absence due to a period of incapacity & in-patient treatment.*
- Any employee with a pattern of intermittent absences.
Please note: Prior to taking FML time, the employee will need to ensure their time off is entered through Workday absence reporting. If the employee needs to miss work unexpectedly and returns during the designated time clock week, the employee should enter his/her time upon return to work. In the event the employee is unable to enter his/her time within the designated week, the supervisor or the Human Resources/Benefits team will enter the information on their behalf. In this case, Human Resources/Benefits team will allocate the employee's paid time-off based on their available leave balances.
*In-patient treatment must be received by a medical professional/healthcare provider (HCP), in their facility (doctor's office, etc.) and (1) be followed by at least one more in-person treatment within thirty days (a follow-up) or (2) have a a regimen of continuing treatment, under the supervision of the HCP.
Request a Leave of Absence
1. Review the Collin College Leaves and Absences Board Policy and the FMLA Fact Sheet:
View Leaves and Absences Board Policy Read the FMLA Fact Sheet #28
2. In the following menu, select the appropriate reason for your leave to review the required documentation specific to your leave circumstance.
Leave of Absence Reasons
1. Fill out the Leave of Absence Request Form as soon as need for leave is known.
2. Complete the Certification of Health Care Provider for Employee's Serious Health Condition Form within 15 days of request for leave.3. A Fitness for Duty/Return to Work Form must be received prior to returning to work.
1. Fill out the Leave of Absence Request Form as soon as need for leave is known.
2. Complete a Certification of Health Care Provider for Family Member's Serious Health Condition form within 15 days of request for leave.
2. Complete a Certification of Health Care Provider for Family Member's Serious Health Condition form within 15 days of request for leave.
Submit documentation specific to your circumstance below:
• Employee giving birth to own biological child:
1. Fill out the Leave of Absence Request Form as soon as need for leave is known.
2. Complete a Certification of Health Care Provider for Employee's Serious Health Condition Form within 15 days of request for leave.
3. A Fitness for Duty/Return to Work Form must be received prior to returning to work.
• Employee caring for spouse following birth of child:
1. Fill out the Leave of Absence Request Form as soon as need for leave is known.
2. Complete a Certification of Health Care Provider for Family Member's Serious Health Condition
Form within 15 days of request for leave.
3. Submit the birth certificate or application for the birth certificate.
1. Fill out the Leave of Absence Request Form as soon as need for leave is known.
2. Submit a copy of adoption or foster placement documentation.
1. Fill out the Leave of Absence Request Form as soon as need for leave is known.
2. Complete a Certification of Qualifying Exigency Form within 15 days of request for leave.
1. Fill out the Leave of Absence Request Form as soon as need for leave is known.
And the appropriate form below:
2a. Complete a Certification of Serious Injury or Illness of a Current Service Member form within 15 days of request for leave.
2b. Complete a Certification of Serious Injury or Illness of a Veteran form within 15 days of request for leave.
If your leave of absence will extend beyond your eligibility to receive earned paid leave and is for your own serious health condition, please contact the Benefits Department at benefits@collin.edu.
Please note, employees in grant-funded positions are not eligible for Sick Leave Pool.
Any other absences or granted leaves of absence will result in an appropriate deduction from pay or deduction from eligible time off balances, consistent with the College District’s procedures and guidelines for faculty and staff.
Up to five (5) days of leave without pay may be granted to an employee for extraordinary circumstances that cannot be addressed within the paid leave benefits provided by the college, in accordance with the college’s procedures and guidelines for faculty and staff. In the event of extraordinary circumstances, requests for Leave Without Pay (LWOP) may be submitted to the employee’s supervisor then to HR for review and final approval.
If you need more information or have questions, contact Benefits at 972.599.3152 or
email benefits@collin.edu. View the Leave Policy Page for more information.
Frequently Asked Questions
If employee is approved for FMLA leave, FMLA leave runs concurrently with any available
paid leave. Therefore, FMLA leave begins on the day of the employee's first FMLA-related
absence, NOT after paid leave is exhausted. Any eligible earned paid leave must be used before leave without pay is permitted. Leave without pay
is only permitted while on an approved leave of absence. The Benefits Department is
responsible for determining paid and unpaid leave eligibility for employees on FMLA
or other leaves of absence.
Credit (unearned) vacation for that fiscal year may not be used during an approved
FMLA leave of absence.
Vacation is earned on the last calendar day of each month.
Vacation is earned on the last calendar day of each month.
Employees must be either at work, or in paid leave status on the last workday of the
calendar month to earn their sick or vacation accruals that month.
Employees must be either at work, or in paid leave status BOTH the day prior to and
the day after the holiday in order to receive holiday pay.
Regular full-time employees who have not yet worked the required 12 months and 1250
hours to qualify for FMLA may use any earned paid leave they have accrued, plus a
maximum of 20 days (160 hours) of leave without pay for their own serious health condition
only. Non-FMLA leaves of absence require appropriate documentation and must still
be approved by the Benefits Department.
Employees may be placed in a restricted leave status for excessive absenteeism or
a pattern of absences or abuse of leave that is not covered under FMLA. The restricted
leave status would result in restricted use of leave balances, requirements for additional
documentation, and would be grounds for leave without pay and/or other disciplinary
action up to and including termination of employment. Supervisors who have concerns
about an employee's absenteeism should contact Human Resources to discuss appropriate
procedures and to ensure the employee does not qualify for leave under FMLA.
While most part-time employees will not qualify for FMLA, certain part-time employees
who have worked for the college for at least 12 months and 1250 hours within the past
12 months may qualify. Therefore, supervisors should always notify the Benefits Department
of any leave of absence requests in order to verify FMLA eligibility.
For information on short or long term disability benefits or claim procedures, visit
the ERS website and look for the Texas Income Protection Plan. Once an employee has met their waiting
period and has exhausted all their available sick leave (whichever is greater), the
claim may be eligible for payment.
If you need more information or have questions, contact Benefits at 972.599.3152 or
email benefits@collin.edu. View the Leave Policy Page for more information.