Medical Leave: Human Resources - Northwestern University

Medical Leave

Questions

If you are having a difficult time navigating the leave process, would like a better understanding of your leave benefits, or are trying to decide if a leave of absence is right for you, please contact The Benefits Division at (847) 491-4700 or askHR@northwestern.edu.

Faculty Medical Leave Policy

Northwestern provides paid medical leave to eligible faculty who are unable to work as a result of a medically certified disability (e.g., injury, accident, surgery, or serious illness). Consult the Office of the Provost website for information and FAQs about types and length of leave, eligibility and the application process.

Purpose

Medical leave is absence to care for a personal serious health condition, as confirmed by the employee's Healthcare provider. Faculty should review the Faculty Leave webpage for more information.

Eligibility

Staff who have at least a year of service at Northwestern University AND who have worked at least 1,250 hours within the past continuous 12 months, are eligible for The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to coincide with their medical leave. FMLA provides certain employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year. It also requires that their group health benefits be maintained during the leave.

Employees who are not eligible for FMLA should contact the Benefits Division to discuss their options. In some instances, they may be referred to our Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance to request medical leave as an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Provisions

Holding the job

For FMLA eligible employees, the job is held for up to 12 weeks in any 12 month period. In the case of intermittent leave or a reduced work schedule, the job is held for the time equivalent of 12 weeks of the employee's work schedule. If department operations permit, the employing department may hold the job beyond 12 weeks. Employees must use their accruals of Incidental Sick, PFH and vacation time to remain in pay while on this type of leave. Once you have exhausted all paid time, then unpaid Excused Absence is used

Staff members who need additional leave but have lost job protection by exhausting their FMLA and/or EST, should contact our Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance to request additional leave as an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Pay

Benefits eligible staff who have at least six months of continuous service with Northwestern University are eligible for Extended Sick Time (EST) benefits. EST pays out at 100% of the employee's salary, after satisfying a seven consecutive day wait period. Incidental Sick Time (IST), vacation, and personal floating holiday time can be used to cover the seven day wait period. EST benefits do not apply to intermittent medical leaves.

If a staff member is not eligible for EST, they must use their own Incidental Sick Time, vacation, and personal floating holiday time to receive pay during their leave. Once this time is exhausted, the remainder of the leave would be unpaid.

Benefits

An individual on a paid medical leave will continue to have benefits coverage. The University continues to pay the employer contribution during a medical leave. If enrolled in the dependent care flexible spending account (DCFSA) this benefit is frozen until the individual returns from leave. The dependent care FSA can only be used when the employee is actively at work. Commuter benefits are temporarily terminated when on a leave of absence. These can also only be used when the employee is actively at work. The deadline to make changes to commuter benefits is the 5th of the month prior. Please make any necessary changes prior to that deadline. For additional question on the commuter benefits, visit the commuter benefits page.

Unpaid leave

An individual on an unpaid leave will be billed for benefits coverage. The employee does have the option to waive some or all benefits while on an unpaid leave. This is done in myHR after the leave of absence is entered into the system and processed. The dependent care flexible spending account (DCFSA) is temporarily frozen during a leave of absence. Commuter benefits are temporarily terminated when on a leave of absence. This benefit can only be used when the employee is actively at work. The deadline to make changes to commuter benefits is the 5th of the month prior. Please make any necessary changes prior to that deadline. For additional questions on the commuter benefits, visit the commuter benefits page.

How to apply for medical leave

Application

The staff member must contact The Hartford 30 days prior to the leave to apply for FMLA and/or EST benefits or as soon as possible. Instructional faculty must contact The Hartford 60 days prior to the start of the leave as well as their Dean's office for academic planning. You can reach The Hartford at 1-888-541-7283. View the step-by-step process of applying for a leave. Once your claim has been assigned to a claim administrator at The Hartford, you can request to speak to this person directly by scheduling an appointment online.

End of the leave

Return to work

At the expiration of an FMLA leave, staff members and instructional faculty members are expected to return to their job or an equivalent job for which they are qualified if able to return to work.

Extension

If a leave of absence is needed beyond The Hartford approved period, staff members and instructional faculty members must request an extension from The Hartford prior to the expiration of the leave. If the staff member or instructional faculty member does not return from the leave of absence and does not request an extension, his/her employment may be subject to termination.