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Professional Obligation Guidelines - UUP and MC

Policy

It is very important to maintain a good attendance record. SUNY Canton attaches considerable importance to reliable attendance and it is a significant factor in appointment and promotion decisions and important to the College’s daily operations. When employees present themselves for appointment, they do so with the implied or specific understanding that they are ready, willing and able to perform their duties and responsibilities on a regular basis. Falsification of an employee’s attendance record constitutes a very serious violation and is a basis for disciplinary action under the applicable bargaining agreement.

Procedure

Reporting Obligation for SUNY Professional Staff

• In general, SUNY Canton core office hours are 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Employees may be assigned to work various hours to assure office coverage and cover shifts.
• Professional staff are those employees appointed under the authority of the Policies of the Board of Trustees of the State University of New York at SUNY Canton (Unclassified, M/C employees, Academic employees, and Professional employees) and they are required to certify the fulfillment of their professional obligation and record their accruals and charges against them on forms or in systems provided by the College.
• Such forms shall be submitted to the Payroll Office, for review on a monthly basis by the 10th day of the month following the month of obligation being reported. Such forms must be certified as accurate by the employee and their immediate supervisor or department chair (academic employees). Failure to submit timesheets in a timely manner may create a hold on an employee’s paycheck pending submission of their attendance report.
• Academic year obligation Faculty and College Year Obligation Professional Employees are required to submit accurate attendance reports during their academic year or defined college year obligation (generally September through May for academic year obligation and as specified in the appointments for college year obligation employees).
• Employees appointed in the coach or assistant coach role are required to submit accurate time records for the month of their respective athletic obligation.Human Resources Office Policy
• Employees represented by UUP see: UUP Contract article 23 for more information

Accruals for State Faculty & Professional Staff

• “Professional Staff” employees are eligible to earn leave credits for any month in which they are in full pay obligation status the majority of the month. Generally new employees must be on the payroll by the 15th of the month in order to earn leave credits for that month.
• Accruals are not advanced, and may not be used before they are earned. Accruals earned in the current month are available to use on the 1st of the following month.
• Except for Unclassified M/C employees who immediately earn accruals at the rate of 1.75 days per month (pro rata if part-time), professional staff accruals are based on years of service for full-time employees and on the basis of projected salary for part-time professionals, and number of courses for part-time faculty. (The accrual tables can be found at: UUP Contract article 23)
• Professional Staff (Unclassified Service M/Cs, Academic Employees, and Professional Employees) appointed to calendar year obligations or college year obligations are eligible to earn both vacation and sick leave credits during their periods of obligation and are entitled to a maximum of 13 paid holidays per year. College-Year Obligation Employees are entitled to holidays that fall within their period of obligation if they are required to work on the holiday. Here is the complete list of legal Holidays.
• Academic-Year-Obligation Faculty employees accrue sick leave credits only.
• Employees may use/charge accruals in minimum ¼ day (which equates to 2 hours) increments.

Annual (Vacation) Days

FOR PROFESSIONAL STAFF who have Calendar Year or College Year Obligations only

• Annual leave can be used in lieu of sick leave, but sick leave cannot be used in lieu of annual leave.
• Vacation accruals may exceed 40 days during the calendar-year, however no more than 40 days will be forwarded to the NEW calendar year.
• The maximum payment for vacation accruals upon separation from State service is 30 days. Employees wishing to use vacation/holiday credits must have advance approval from the respective supervisor or designee. While employee needs and wishes should be considered, supervisors have the obligation and the authority to schedule vacation for the convenience and efficient operation of the school/department.

Sick Days

• Sick leave accruals can be used for medical and dental appointments, sick related absences and periods of disability supported by medical documentation. Employees may not use sick accruals when they are no longer sick/disabled.
• Absences due to illness must be reported to the supervisor as soon as possible.
• Sick related absences of 3 days or more may require medical documentation to be submitted upon return to work. As an employer we are required to designate FMLA for qualifying leave absences.
• Employees may use up to a maximum of 30 days per calendar year of their accumulated sick leave, for absences necessitated by a death or illness in the employee’s *immediate family. Maximum days are subject to change per the negotiations between New York State and UUP represented employees.
  * “immediate family” is defined as any relative or relative- in-law regardless of place of residence, or any person with whom the employee resides.
• Sick leave accruals cannot exceed 225 days.

Cancer Screening

All NYS employees are eligible for leave, without charge to leave credits, for cancer screening (including physical exams, mammograms, and blood work, etc.) not to exceed four hours annually for each, including travel time. Satisfactory medical documentation is required by Human Resources.

Jury Duty

Whenever the presence of an employee is required for jury duty, or as a subpoenaed or otherwise ordered witness in court, or before a quasi-judicial body, such employee is entitled to leave with pay without charge to leave credits if they are not a party to the action (i.e., defendant or plaintiff). SUNY Canton requires proof that the employee’s presence is required for such a purpose. The court system will issue you a piece of paper confirming your presence in the court on a specific date or dates. This official form needs to be submitted to Human Resources.