September 16, 2009 To: Full and Part-Time Staff Who Accrue Sick Leave From: Beth Muha, Executive Director of Human Resources Subject: Flu Leave Bank As we prepare for seasonal and H1N1 flu this academic year, the university is committed to supporting our employees through what may be a challenging time. In accordance with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), we encourage staff who have flu-like symptoms to stay home and self-isolate. Contact your supervisor regarding absence and sick leave. Contact your regular health care provider for information and treatment. You may return to normal activities 24 hours after your fever has gone. The university has liberalized its leave policy and created a flu leave bank to assist employees who don’t have enough sick leave to stay home. Eligible employees may draw from this “community sick leave pool” to cover absences due to flu – whether it’s for themselves or to care for their family members. Employees may donate as many of their sick-leave days as they’d like to the bank. This liberalized policy will be in effect through the 2009-2010 academic year only. Note: this program differs from the existing Leave Share Policy, added in May 2002, which allows an employee to donate a specified number of annual leave hours to another employee who is experiencing a medical emergency. The Leave Share Policy will remain in effect for all non-flu illnesses. Any staff member who has an available sick leave balance may make a donation to the bank. Staff members who become sick with the flu or need to stay at home to care for a family member with the flu and who do not have enough sick leave of their own will receive a donation from the flu bank. Managers are asked to monitor the leave for their staff and indicate that a donation is needed by writing “flu leave donation needed” in the comments section of the timesheet. Payroll will pay the staff member with leave donated to the bank. We ask that leave donations be used in the spirit in which they were given. Answers to frequently asked questions regarding the flu leave bank and flu leave donation form may be obtained at the H1N1 resource page. Be sure to visit the resource pageregularly to keep up to date on all flu-related information. Also, visit the health center Web site for information about free seasonal flu inoculation and appointment scheduling. For more information about flu leave donations, contact Human Resources at