Leave Benefits
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.
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
Regardless of whether an employee has sufficient paid leave time to cover his/her 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 (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 following FMLA/Collin College Leave Policies & Procedures:
2. In the accordion menu below, select the appropriate reason for your leave in order to review the required documentation specific to your leave circumstance.
Leave of Absence Reasons
- 1. Submit the Request for Leave of Absence Form as soon as need for leave is known.
3. A Fitness for Duty/Return to Work Form must be received prior to returning to work.
1. Submit a Request for Leave of Absence 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.
Submit documentation specific to your circumstance below:
• Employee giving birth to own biological child:
1. Complete a Request for Leave of Absence 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. Complete a Request for Leave of Absence 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. Complete a Request for Leave of Absence Form as soon as need for leave is known.
2. Submit a copy of Adoption or Foster Placement Documentation.
1. Complete a Request for Leave of Absence 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. Submit a Request for Leave of Absence form as soon as need for leave is known.
2. Complete a Certification of Serious Injury or Illness of a Current Service Member
form within 15 days of request for leave.
3. 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 complete the forms listed below near the time your paid leave will expire.
1. Application for Sick Leave Pool (SLP) Form
2. Sick Leave Pool Medical Certification Form
Please note, employees who 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.
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. Human Resources 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 at a rate based on the employee's length of service with the college.
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 human resources.
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 HR 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.
Benefits Resources
Contact the Benefits Team
If you need help or have any questions, the Benefits Team is ready to assist you. View the Team Profiles