Personal Leave of Absence (LOA) Policy

This policy outlines the guidelines and procedures for requesting and granting a Personal Leave of Absence (LOA) for eligible employees at Pomona College. This leave is intended to provide employees with the opportunity to address personal needs, pursue career development, engage in public service, or manage special family or medical situations.

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Eligible Employees:

• Employees must be in regular status.
• Employees must have completed at least one (1) year of continuous service.
• For leaves extending thirty (30) days, employees are generally required to have completed two (2) years of continuous service.

• CFRA: California Family Rights Act
• Extraordinary Circumstances: Unforeseen, unplanned, and unavoidable events that could not be reasonably anticipated in normal daily life.
• FMLA: Family Medical Leave Act
• PDL: Pregnancy Disability Leave
• PFL: Paid Family Leave
• VDI: Voluntary Disability Insurance

A. Leave Approval and Discretion:

• The granting of a Personal LOA is at the sole discretion of Pomona College.
• All requests must be approved by the employee's supervisor and the Assistant Vice President, Human Resources.
• Consideration will be given to:
  • The employee's reason for requesting the leave.
  • The impact of the employee's absence on the department's and/or College's operations.
  • The employee's performance record, including attendance.
• It is crucial that the employee and supervisor have a thorough discussion regarding the leave request.
• This discussion must clearly define whether the employee's position will be held open upon their return.
• Unless previously approved for a protected leave of absence such as Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL), Family Medical Leave of Absence (FMLA ) or California Family Rights Act (CFRA), There is no guarantee that an employee's position will be held open during their leave, or that the employee will be returned to their former position.

B. Leave Duration:

• The maximum duration for a Personal LOA is one (1) year.
• Leaves exceeding 30 days are normally granted to employees with 2 or more years of service.

C. Conditions of Leave:

• Unpaid Leave: Personal LOAs are unpaid. Employees may elect to use accrued vacation or personal time off to receive compensation during the leave period. Employee’s may be eligible to use sick hours if the leave is for a serious medical condition.
  • Employees will not accrue sick, vacation or personal hours while on a leave of absence.
  • Employees may be eligible for Voluntary Disability Insurance (VDI) or Paid Family Leave (PFL), please speak with HR for details.
• No Outside Employment:
  • Employees on a Personal LOA are prohibited from accepting employment elsewhere or engaging in self-employment during the leave period.
  • Any employee found to be engaging in outside employment or self-employment will have their leave terminated immediately, and their employment with Pomona College will be terminated.
  • If an employee accepts other employment when a Leave of Absence for Personal Reasons is not due to a medical condition, the employee will be considered to have voluntarily resigned.
• Benefits during a Personal Leave of Absence:
  • Pomona College will continue the employee’s health benefits coverage while the employee is on an approved leave of absence under the same terms and conditions as was provided while the employee was working.
  • The employee is responsible for the same premiums for their health benefits coverage as if they were at work.
  • If the employee is on unpaid leave or is receiving insufficient pay while on leave, they will need to make arrangements with the TCCS Benefits Administration Office to pay for their portion of the premium within the first five days of each month.
    • Failure to make timely payments may result in termination of coverage.
• Return to Work:
  • Failure to return to work at the end of the approved leave period will be considered a voluntary resignation of employment.
  • The employee is responsible for notifying their supervisor and Human Resources of their intention to return to work, by the agreed upon return date.

D. Requesting a Leave of Absence:

1. Initial Discussion: The employee must initiate a discussion with their supervisor to discuss the need for a Personal LOA.
2. Formal Request: The employee must submit a written request for a Personal LOA to their supervisor. The request should include:
   • The Personal LOA Request Form; please see the HR department to obtain the form
   • The reason for the leave.
   • The requested start and end dates of the leave.
   • A plan for how responsibilities will be covered during the leave, if applicable.
   • A statement of whether or not the employee wishes to use accrued sick, vacation or Personal time.
3. Supervisor Review: The supervisor will review the request and discuss it with the employee.
4. Human Resources Review: The supervisor will forward the request, along with their recommendation, to the Assistant Vice President, Human Resources, for final approval.
5. Written Notification: The employee will receive written notification from Human Resources regarding the approval or denial of their leave request. If approved, the notification will include the terms and conditions of the leave.