These are some of the UAB policies regarding absences and leaves. For a complete listing of all employment policies, please visit the UAB Human Resource Management Web site.
UAB Spouse/Partner Relocation ProgramThe UAB ADVANCE is a partner of the UAB Spouse/Partner Relocation Progam, which helps spouses and partners of newly hired UAB employees moving to Birmingham find employment.
Family and Medical Leaves of Absence
A summary of the stipulations of the Family and Medical Leave of Absence Policy are described in section 7.5.2 in the online (latest version) Faculty Handbook.
Another employee/family friendly aspect of FMLA implementation at UAB, found in the policy itself and in the summaries in the You & UAB Handbook and the Faculty Handbook, is if the employee and the employee's spouse both work at UAB, the total amount of annual family-related family and medical leave of absence available is 12 work weeks FOR EACH EMPLOYEE. Originally UAB followed the interpretation of the law and allowed only 12 work weeks combined for both employees, but that was changed several years ago to allow 12 work weeks for each employee.
Personal Leaves of Absence
UAB makes available up to 3 months Personal Leave that can be used for an employee's or employee's family health problems after the 16 (or 12 for family-related reasons) work weeks have been used up during a given year. Approval of personal leave for any reason is at the discretion of the employee’s department. There are stipulations that make an employee eligible for personal leave which are covered in the policy.
Another very employee-friendly aspect of that policy is that the department agrees to reinstate the employee into a position comparable in salary and requirements to that previously held. See section 4.13.1 of the You & UAB Handbook for that wording.
Sick Leave and Emergency Absences
UAB recently changed its sick leave policy to make it more employee/family friendly. Sick leave originally was limited to the health conditions of the employee. Now it can be used for the care of anyone living in the same household as the employee. At the same time, UAB eliminated the three-day limit per year on emergency absences for employees to care for immediate family members when unexpected medical problems arise. There is now no limit on how many of an employee's accrued sick days may be used for caring for persons living in the same household as the employee. See section 3.3.3 of the You & UAB Handbook
Sick Leave Donation Policy
UAB has a sick leave donation policy which allows employees to donate some of their accrued sick leave to another employee who has a serious health condition but who has used up all of his or her sick time.