The Sick Leave Bank (SLB) was created to provide income security to SLB members who:
- Are out of work on an approved leave for one of the following reasons:
- Disabled from performing their job due to a short-term, non-work-related illness or injury.
- To care for a qualified family member who requires care due to a serious health condition.
- For the birth/adoption of a child, or placement of a child in their care.
- Do not have enough accrued sick, personal, compensatory and vacation time to secure income during the leave.
- Have a reasonable expectation of returning, and intent to return, to consistently perform the job from which they became disabled.
- Are not receiving, or eligible for income replacement from another source.
If you have any questions that aren’t answered below, please contact the Health & Safety Coordinator Casey Krone or AskHR.
Your steward can also help you with any questions about the contract.
Sick Leave Bank FAQ
Who can access the SLB?
Every USA member is automatically enrolled in the Sick Leave Bank upon employment. SLB members donate at least one (1) sick day per year. A portion of sick leave is automatically deducted per pay period. Some extremely long-term USA members might not be enrolled in the SLB because their employment predates the negotiation of automatic enrollment for new hires. If a USA member is not enrolled in the bank, they may elect to join during the open enrollment period held in the month of October.
Can I use the SLB to care for a family member?
SLB members may apply for coverage to care for the spouse, domestic partner, child, sibling, or grandparent, of either an employee or their spouse, parent whether biological, adopted, foster, through legal guardianship or in loco parentis, or a relative living in the immediate household. The member must be on an approved leave to care for a family member due to a serious health condition.
Can I use the SLB for parental leave?
Yes, the SLB can be used for approved parental leave.
How do I apply for time from the SLB?
Select the correct application (see below), download the PDF, and follow the instructions to complete and submit the application.
Can I donate to the SLB?
During the annual open enrollment period in the month of October:
- Sick Leave Bank members with at least fourteen (14) days of sick leave may voluntarily donate additional time to the Bank in one (1) day increments so long as the member maintains at least ten (10) days of sick leave.
- Individuals who are not Sick Leave Bank members and who have at least three (3) days of sick leave may become a member by assigning one (1) or more days of sick leave to the Bank.
- Retiring members may donate up to 30 days of sick leave at the time of their retirement.
Keep an eye out for an email from the Office of Human Resources with the open enrollment and donation form at the beginning of October!
Where can I read more about the SLB?
For more information, please see Article 10 in the USA contract and the UMass Amherst Sick Leave Banks webpage.
