When sufficient personal or medical reasons require, an employee, at the Company’s sole discretion, may be granted an extended leave of absence without pay. A leave of absence may be granted for an initial period of up to 3 months, and employees may request extensions of up to 3 months which may be granted at the Company’s discretion.
Leaves will be without pay except that employees may be required to use any accrued PTO during a leave. However, while on leave of absence, employees will not accrue any paid time off.
The Company will continue to make its regular payment to continue to cover the employee under its group health insurance plan through the end of the month following the month in which the leave begins. Thereafter, an employee on leave may continue his or her benefits under the Company’s group health insurance plan provided the employee pays the entire monthly premiums due during the leave under COBRA continuation of coverage. Employees who wish to continue their insurance coverage should so advise the Company’s HR Department before beginning their leave.
Advantus Corp grants leave with the desire of returning employees to their positions, and will attempt, but not guarantee, reinstatement to the same position or a position with equivalent status, pay, benefits or other employment terms upon the employee’s return from an approved leave. If no such position is available, you may be eligible for rehire if you apply for an available position for which you are qualified and if your prior work history warrants your rehire.
Depending on the reason for leave and the employee’s position with the Company, a fitness-for-duty certification completed by the appropriate health care provider may be required to be submitted before the employee returns to work.
Procedure for Requesting Leave and/or Extension of Such Leave
If you need a leave of absence, you must file a written request for your leave with the HR Department. Unless otherwise stated, this written request, together with any required supporting documentation, must be submitted at least 30 days before the date on which your requested leave is to begin, unless the need for a leave is not sufficiently foreseeable to give such notice. In that case, you must submit the written request and supporting documentation as soon as practicable. If the leave is foreseeable, the employee shall make a reasonable effort to schedule any planned leave so as not to unduly disrupt the Company’s operations.
A leave of absence, or any extension of a leave, must be approved by your department manager and the HR Department.
If the Company grants you a leave of absence, your leave will begin on the first work day which you miss as a result of the emergency or other situation requiring the leave. Should you request an extension of your leave of absence, you must furnish the HR Department with a written request for an extension before the expiration of the original leave of absence or most recent extension. The Company may request documentation, including certification by a medical doctor (or other appropriate health care provider) of any circumstances requiring a leave or extension.
Termination of Leave of Absence
An employee will be considered as having resigned his or her position if he or she:
- Fails to return to work on the first day after his or her leave of absence or authorized extension expires;
- Accepts outside employment without prior written notification to his or her supervisor (Please note that the taking or continuation of another job while on leave may lead to disciplinary action, up to and including discharge, as any employee taking personal leave under this policy is not permitted to have outside employment);
- Gives a false reason for any requested leave of absence; or
- Does not return to work from leave or extensions thereof within a 1 day period unless the leave is: (a) pursuant to USERRA (Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act); or (b) definite in duration and constitutes a reasonable accommodation for a disability covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act.