Employee Leave Bank
Support During a Difficult Time
The employee leave bank is a supportive resource during unusually challenging times for employees who have used or will soon have used all individually accrued leave. To be eligible, the employee must provide documentation from a healthcare provider that provides evidence of:
A catastrophic illness or injury; or
An illness, acute physical condition, or injury that is incapacitating and that reasonably requires the employee to be absent from work.
Application Process:
An employee or employee’s line of management may initiate the request by contacting the HR department (courtshr@utcourts.gov or (801) 238-5409).
Upon the initiated request, HR will send the employee the Sick Leave Bank Medical Verification Form that MUST be completed by a medical provider.
HR will review the employee’s medical verification to determine if the employee is eligible.
After determining eligibility, HR will seek approval from management.
Once management has approved the use of the Sick Leave Bank, HR will notify the employee and provide instructions on how to add the hours to their leave balance.
To help you with your request, please consider the following:
As you will continue to accrue leave while on donated sick leave, any accrued leave will need to be used first and/or in conjunction with approved sick leave from the leave bank.
The number of hours granted shall not exceed 80 hours per pay period (40 hours per week), nor shall it exceed a cumulative total of more than 240 hours in a calendar year.
An employee participating in the Short-Term Disability Insurance (STDI) program shall only be eligible for enough leave bank hours to cover payroll deductions.
Leave should be coordinated with your supervisor and must be coded as “S” (sick). For more information, please review HR Policy HR07-20.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How do I enter my time during a holiday week using leave bank hours?
The holiday hours will be automatically calculated based on the leave accrual table, there is no need to enter time on a holiday unless you actually work on a holiday.
Will I continue to accrue my own leave?
Yes. An employee’s leave accrual will be automatically calculated based on the leave accrual table. HR Policy HR07-20 requires that an employee must use their own leave first, before using donated leave bank hours.
Who is responsible for notifying HR/Payroll of how many hours are needed for time entry?
Generally, employees are responsible for entering their own time in ESS. If an employee is unable to do so, they or a family member may coordinate with the employee’s supervisor to ensure accurate time entry.
Where do the hours show in my leave balances?
When hours are transferred to an employee from the General Leave Bank, they are added to an employee’s sick leave balance.
How long does it take to transfer the hours to my sick leave balance?
Ideally, an employee should notify HR using the courtshr@utcourts.gov email address before the end of the pay period, so the adjustment hours can be added for entry the Monday after payday. If there is a delay, time can still be entered by your district or department’s payroll contact or by emailing payrollrequests@utcourts.gov.
What if I have leave bank hours that I do not need anymore?
If an employee has hours that have been added to their sick leave balances they will no longer need, they should immediately notify courthr@utcourts.gov of how many hours must be removed from their balance.
Can an employee ask for donations on their own?
All requests for leave should be coordinated through HR and an employee’s management for approval.
Can my spouse, family member, or friend who works for another agency give me hours?
It is possible for a non-judicial branch employee to transfer annual, excess, or converted sick leave hours to an employee. However, both the donating employee’s agency and the Courts must approve the transfer of leave. In most cases, preference has been given to providing leave bank hours from the Court’s General Leave Bank instead.
What can I use the leave bank hours for?
An employee can use leave hours for absences related to a catastrophic illness or injury; an illness, acute physical condition, or injury that is incapacitating and reasonably requires the employee to be absent from work.
Should I be using OA payroll code?
No, leave bank hours are transferred to an employee’s sick leave balances and should be entered as Sick or “S”. If an employee is approved to use FMLA hours, the code would be “SF.”
Is a medical certification necessary?
Yes, the policy requires that an employee complete the Medical Verification Form to provide sufficient information as part of the approval process. No medical information will be shared with an employee’s management, but they will be notified HR has received sufficient documentation to support the request.
Can a new employee participate in this program?
Yes, it is available to all employees.