1. Sick, Parental, and Family Care (SPF) Absence Policy

2. Questions To Be Answered
What is SPF Absence?
Are all employees eligible to use SPF?
How much SPF is available?
Must I use paid leave?
When is the new provision effective?
What are my responsibilities?
What else do I need to know?
Where do I go for assistance?

3. Explanation of SPF Absence Policy

4. SPF Absence
An SPF Absence is a paid or unpaid absence from work with benefits for any of the following reasons:
For the employee’s own injury or disability or treatment for an injury or disability that is due to a serious health condition as defined by the Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993;
For a qualifying family member’s serious health condition when the employee is attending to the medical needs of the family member; or
For the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
SPF Absence provisions do not apply to paid sick leave unless used for one of the reasons above.
NOTE: SPF Absences, in general, are covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act and are also designated as FMLA Leave under the provisions of the FMLA.

5. SPF Absence Applicability
An SPF Absence is available and applicable to the following groups of employees:
Employees represented by the following unions:
- AFSCME - PUC Attorneys
- PSSU (& UC Referees) - OPEIU
- SEIU 1199P - UGSOA
- UFCW - FOSCEP
- ISSU - LLEO
- FOP-Capitol Police - PSCOA
- PSRA - CIVEA
- PSEA
Management and non-represented employees
NOTE: Employees not covered above continue to follow existing policies for sick, parental and family care leave without pay.

6. SPF Absence Eligibility
To be eligible for an SPF Absence, an employee must have:
One year of service (26 pay periods of leave service credit)
Worked 1250 hours in the 12 months preceding the first absence
Hours include: regular and overtime hours worked, and all hours of military absence
Hours do not include: paid absences, unpaid absences, and holidays

7. SPF Absence Eligibility Determination
An employee’s eligibility is evaluated and determined for each new SPF event (which is a new or different medical condition or reason for using SPF absence).
Employees remain eligible for each SPF event for one year, at which time eligibility is re-evaluated.

8. SPF Absence Entitlement
Once eligibility is determined, an employee is entitled to up to six months* of SPF Absence within a rolling year for all SPF Absence events.
Six months is:
982.5 hr for employees who work 7.5 hours per day
1,048 hr for employee who work 8.0 hours per day
Prorated amount for part-time employees
A rolling year is the 12 month period preceding the date of the absence.
* When more than six months of paid leave is available, the entitlement is not limited to six months.

9. SPF Absence Entitlement (continued)
Intermittent or reduced-time use of SPF Absence is available only during the first 12 weeks of the six month entitlement in a rolling year.
Twelve weeks is:
450 hr for employees who work 7.5 hours per day
480 hr for employees who work 8.0 hours per day
Prorated amount for part-time employees

10. Paid SPF Absence (Most Employees)
All forms of paid leave used as SPF Absence reduce the six month SPF Absence entitlement.
All applicable accrued paid sick leave is required to be used. (mandatory)
Accrued annual, personal, and holiday leave may be used. (optional)
Anticipated annual, personal and sick leave may be used in accordance with anticipation policies. (optional)
All forms of paid leave, if required or if chosen to be used, must be taken before using unpaid SPF Absence.

11. Paid SPF Absence (Combined Leave)
All forms of paid leave used as SPF Absence reduce the six month SPF Absence entitlement.
Accrued combined leave, to the extent required by Article 10, Section 1, is required to be used. (mandatory)
Accrued sick leave, when applicable, is required to be used. (mandatory)
Remaining accrued combined leave may be used. (optional)
Anticipated combined and sick leave, when applicable, may be used in accordance with anticipation policies. (optional)
All forms of paid leave, if required or if chosen to be used, must be taken before using unpaid SPF Absence.

12. Effective Date
The new provisions became effective January 1, 2008 for most employees. For PSCOA, PSRA, CIVEA and PSEA, the provisions become effective January 1, 2009.
Employees using full-time sick or parental leave without pay on December 31, 2007* continued to use the remainder of that absence entitlement under the old provisions until the employee returned to work.
Employees using leave for family care on or after January 1 and leave for sick or parental absences beginning on or after January 1, 2008** are covered under SPF Absence provisions.
*December 31, 2008 for PSCOA, PSRA, CIVEA and PSEA.
**January 1, 2009 for PSCOA, PSRA, CIVEA and PSEA.
For more information, refer to the Transition to New SPF Absence section of the Frequently Asked Questions for more information, available at this link,

13. Employee Responsibilities

14. Employee’s Responsibilities
If you or a family member have a serious health condition, you have the following responsibilities:
Notify your supervisor of the need to use SPF Absence at least two weeks in advance, if possible.
Upon request, provide completed forms in a timely manner.
Follow your organization’s call-off notification policy.
Manage your absences to avoid needing to use any unpaid absence.

15. What Else Do I Need To Know?
The website, provides additional information and forms for SPF Absences:
Frequently Asked Questions
Notice to Employees
Request for SPF Absence form
Serious Health Condition Certification form

16. Who Can I Contact with Questions?
Each agency has designated an SPF Coordinator within the central Human Resource Office. This person is available to assist with any questions you may have about the SPF Absence policy.