FACULTY DISABILITY LEAVE POLICY

            A full time faculty member (teaching two courses per semester or more) who is unable to work for a period of time because of a short-term disability resulting from a non-work related illness or serious medical condition is entitled to a continuation of his or her base salary from the first day of illness or disability for a period of up to six (6) months.

            If the short-term disability exceeds ten (10) days during which classes are in session, or if a disability resulting from childbirth exceeds six (6) weeks from the date of birth, the College reserves the right to request a certification from a health care provider that the faculty member is unable to work during the time period and/or that the faculty member is unable to return to work following the disability.  The College reserves the right at its expense to secure a second medical opinion from a health care provider of its choice to review the nature of the disability and/or the requested period of absence.  In the case of a disagreement as to the nature and extent of the disability, a third medical opinion may be sought at the College’s expense from a health care  provider mutually agreed upon by the College and the faculty member in which event the third medical opinion shall be conclusive.  The faculty member must notify the Dean of the Faculty as soon as possible after the injury occurs or the medical condition is confirmed, with written notice to follow as soon as possible.  In the case of anticipated childbirth, the faculty member must notify the Dean of the Faculty as soon as possible after the pregnancy is confirmed in order to arrange for medical leave.

            The Dean of the Faculty, in consultation with the faculty member’s department, will insure that adequate coverage is provided for classes during the period of leave.  If such leave is foreseeable and the faculty member is anticipating missing more than ten (l0) days during which classes are in session, the College will normally relieve the faculty member from his or her classroom duties for the semester and any succeeding semesters in which the faculty member is anticipated to be absent ten (10) or more days during which classes are in session.  If that occurs, the semester during which the short-term disability leave takes place shall normally be considered a three-course semester and the faculty member will be expected to resume non-classroom duties, including advising, committee work, directing independent study, course preparation, pedagogical research, scholarship and other duties which faculty members typically carry out beyond the classroom (when medically capable) and return to classroom duties the next semester.  Based on consultation between the Dean of the Faculty and the faculty member, non-classroom duties may also include special research and planning projects of a professional nature.

            In cases where the disability is anticipated by reason of childbirth and the due date of birth falls within six (6) weeks of the beginning of the fall semester or during the fall semester up until Thanksgiving, the Dean of the Faculty will excuse the faculty member from classroom duties for the fall semester.  When the due date falls after Thanksgiving or during the spring semester, the faculty member normally will be expected to teach her usual fall course load for fall course assignments and be excused from classroom duties during the spring semester.  If the due date is in the fall semester, but after Thanksgiving, the faculty member may schedule some classes early in the fall term in anticipation of possibly missing classes late in the term.  The Dean of the Faculty will work with the department and the faculty member to insure that classes are covered and examinations are given in accordance with the schedule of the College.

            At the request of the faculty member taking any disability leave as provided by this policy, a one-year delay in evaluation for tenure and promotion will be granted.  A female faculty member may take more than the twelve (12) weeks of leave mandated by the Family and Medical Leave Act and the College’s Family and Medical Leave Policy, following the birth of a child, if the faculty member’s medical condition warrants the additional leave.  A faculty mem-ber may also be entitled to additional unpaid leave to the extent permitted by the College’s Family and Medical Leave of Absence Policy applicable to all eligible employees.  For disabili-ties extending beyond six (6) months, the College’s Long Term Disability Leave Policy will apply.

            Nothing in this Short-Term Disability Policy diminishes the rights of an eligible employee to benefits provided by the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993.  Information on these benefits may be obtained from the Director of Human Resources.

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