Over the past nine months, the Staff Advisory Council has heard a variety of ideas and suggestions from Stetson staff members. One of those was the desire for a medical leave assistance fund. Because of the positive impact this could have for staff, the Council decided to make this its first focus. The Council worked with Human Resources on the logistics of the development of the plan and is pleased to announce the implementation of the Stetson University Compassionate Transfer of Leave Policy.

This program is designed to enable qualified, full-time, benefits-eligible staff members who have experienced an emergency medical situation, and have exhausted their paid leave, to supplement lost wages using vacation leave donated to a Compassionate Transfer of Leave pool.

The program now is in place, and more information can be found on the HR website. If you have questions, please email Benefits Administrator Lori Kasbeer or call ext. 7743.

Staff members are kindly asked to consider donating some of their unused vacation leave to the program by filling out the Compassionate Transfer of Leave Donor Form on the HR website. Please note staff members must retain a minimum balance of 75 vacation hours after any transfer of leave.

A few staff members have asked if they can donate unused sick time to the pool. The guiding principle behind the Compassionate Transfer of Leave program is that people can donate time that would have a cash value when they leave Stetson’s employment. As a general statement, vacation time (up to the annual limit) has a cash value. Sick time does not.

However, employees who have a minimum of 20 years of service with the university are eligible for a payout of net accrued and unused sick time upon their termination from the university (up to a 30-day maximum). For those employees, this time is also available to be donated.

The Staff Advisory Council thanks Drew Macan, Associate Vice President for Human Resources, for her invaluable guidance in the development of this policy, and President Wendy B. Libby, Ph.D., and her Cabinet for their support of this innovative and valuable program.

To contact the Staff Advisory Council, please email [email protected].