HR Reference Guide

CATASTROPHIC (LEAVE)

Up to 1,040 hours of donated paid leave in a calendar year due to a catastrophe.

A catastrophe is defined as an employee being unable to perform the duties of his or her position because:

  • Of the employee's own serious illness, accident or motor vehicle crash which is life threatening or will require a lengthy convalescence (expected to exceed ten consecutive weeks);
  • The employee is needed to care for an immediate family member because of a serious illness, accident or motor vehicle crash which is life threatening or will require a lengthy convalescence (expected to exceed ten consecutive weeks); or
  • The employee's immediate family member has died.

Click on below headings for more information on this topic

DONATIONS

Donations may be received from:

  • Fellow employees in any branch of State government; and/or
  • If available, the agency's catastrophic leave bank.

Donations may be made from:

The maximum number of hours that may be donated by an employee in one calendar year is 120 and the minimum number is eight. An employee may not donate sick leave if after the donation the employee's sick leave balance will be less than 240 hours.

Employees may donate to an employee approved for catastrophic leave or their agency's bank by filling out the Notice of Intent to Donate Leave (NPD-25) form and submitting it to the appropriate agency group (e.g., human resources).



WHEN AN EMPLOYEE HAS A CATASTROPHE

  1. Provide the employee or the employee's representative (e.g., family member) with the Request to Receive Catastrophic Leave Donations (PAY-23) form and the appropriate medical certification form (i.e., PAY-23CE or PAY-23CF) or if the employee is unable to fill out the form and has no representative, contact your agency's human resources.
  2. When the employee or the employee's representative (e.g., family member) completes Section I and returns the PAY-23 form, fill out Section II and immediately forward to the appropriate group in your agency (e.g., human resources).


AGENCY APPROVAL

Catastrophic leave is approved by your agency's appointing authority or designee (e.g., human resources, agency catastrophic leave committee).



APPROVING/REJECTING LEAVE AFTER AGENCY APPROVAL

Technical (step-by-step) guide: See the NEATS Timekeeping Module procedure (01.30.10) and NEATS tutorials.

When determining whether to APPROVE or REJECT a leave request or a leave entry on a timesheet, consider the following factors:

  • Does the employee have sufficient leave of the type being requested?
  • Do the notes (yellow sticky note image link on the timesheet) agree with the hours requested and information entered in the Additional Description: field?
  • Will you be violating any regulations or policies by approving or rejecting the leave?

 See your agency's policies, procedures or regulations for any agency specific processes (e.g., required hard copy form).  See the NEATS Handbook for applicable payroll code(s).



APPEAL

An employee may appeal the catastrophic leave decision of his or her agency by filing a completed Formal Appeal to Committee on Catastrophic Leave (PAY-23B) form with the State's Committee on Catastrophic Leave within ten days of receiving the decision.



FORMS

Request to Receive Catastrophic Leave Donations

Notification of Agency's Payroll Center (Regarding a Request to Use Catastrophic Leave)

(Catastrophic) Notice of Intent to Donate/Request to Transfer Leave/Return of Excess Donated Leave

Physician's Certification for Catastrophic Leave Request - EMPLOYEE

Physician's Certification for Catastrophic Leave Request - IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBER

Formal Appeal to Committee on Catastrophic Leave



ADDITIONAL RESOURCES



ASSOCIATED TOPICS

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Sick (Leave)