Time and Absence

Annual Leave is leave with pay granted an employee for the purpose of rehabilitation, restoration, and maintenance of work efficiency, Family and Medical Leave (FMLA), or the transaction of any personal affairs.

Effective June 11, 2020, the Louisiana State Legislature passed SB437 which was signed by the Governor and became Act No. 241. The legislation expands the use of accrued sick leave by Unclassified (Professional, Academic, Other Academic, and Professional Hourly) employees as follows:

Sick leave may be used to care for an immediate family member who is ill or injured or to accompany an immediate family member to a medical, dental, or optical consultation or treatment. An immediate family member is defined as a spouse, parent, or child of an employee.

The Louisiana Department of State Civil Service adopted changes to Chapters 1 and 11 of the Civil Service Handbook effective May 7, 2020, allowing the expanded use of sick leave by classified employees to care for an immediate family member who is ill or injured or who requires medical, dental or optical treatment when it is not possible to arrange such appointments for non-duty hours.

LSU leave policies PS-12 and PM-20 have been revised to reflect the expanded use of sick leave. In accordance with the Protocol for Development, Approval, Revision & Rescindment of Permanent Memoranda, the portions of the policies that conflict with new Act 241 and Chapters 1 and 11 of the Civil Service Rules are invalid, and provisions contained within the new rules will supersede. The remainder of the policies that are unaffected will remain valid and in effect.

Civil Leave is leave with pay without loss of annual leave or sick leave granted an employee to perform jury duty, to appear as a subpoenaed witness before a court, public body, or commission, to perform civil duties in connection with national defense or other civil emergencies, or to vote.

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides up to twelve weeks of job-protected leave or twenty-six weeks for military caregiver leave, for qualifying events. FMLA provides for continuation of health care premiums when the employee has, and wishes to continue, health care coverage during the period of approved leave. While you are on leave for FMLA, all accrued and available paid time off must run concurrently. This includes sick, annual, holidays, and compensatory time (overtime).

For more information, please visit the FMLA webpage.

Leave of absence without pay may be granted to employees for good cause. Such leaves must be applied for in writing and will be approved based upon the ability of the granting department to continue to provide on-going and necessary services. The term of the leave may not extend beyond the period for which support is committed to the position or contract. Employees approved for leave of absence without pay are expected to return to the University on the next work day after the approved leave period. Failure to return to work could result in job termination. Good cause for granting leave of absence without pay may be interpreted to include but not be limited by the following: extended illness; need to provide care for family members; education which will directly increase job effectiveness; adoption of children; or in special situations, temporary employment.

See LSU PS-12 for details regarding approval levels and other requirements for temporary employment.

Employees who are members of a reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States or of the National Guard called to active duty as a result of a non-local or non-state emergency, shall be granted a leave of absence. The leave includes active duty, active duty for training, initial active duty for training, full-time National Guard duty, annual training, and inactive duty for training (weekend drills).

Any employee requesting military leave should contact HRM at hr@lsu.edu. 

Special Leave is leave with pay without loss of annual leave or sick leave granted under stipulated conditions, such as leave to conduct official business for the University.

For more information related to the Holiday schedule, please visit the PM-5: Holiday Schedules.

Holiday Time and Tracking Job Aid