The expressed intent of the Board of Regents is that employees have a right to family/medical leave. Issues surrounding a family/medical leave such as timing or other considerations will be addressed by the immediate supervisor or unit administrator, dean or director, Director of Human Resources, or appropriate vice chancellor.

This policy will be administered without regard to race, religion, color, gender, age, national or ethnic origin, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, or other factors that lawfully cannot be the basis for employment decisions.

Process:

1. Any eligible employee (as described in the Family/Medical Leave Policy) completes the Request for Family/Medical Leave*, supplying all requested information.
2. 
   
   
3. The employee gives the request to the immediate supervisor or unit administrator. It is the supervisor's responsibility to follow normal procedures and communication channels in the department before responding to the employee's request. If there are questions or issues that need clarification in connection with the leave request, it is the supervisor's responsibility to talk with the Department of Human Resources.
4. 
   
   
5. The supervisor either:
   1. approves and signs the leave request and forwards the form to the dean or director
   2. 
      OR
      
   3. denies the request and returns the form to the employee; (if the request is denied, the employee may forward the leave request form directly to the dean or director for a decision)
6. 
   
7. The dean or director either:
   1. approves and signs the request and sends the original to Human Resources and a copy to the department; the department notifies the employee
   2. 
      OR
      
   3. denies the request and returns the form to the department; the department notifies the employee
8. 
   
9. If the request is denied by the dean or director, the employee may appeal the decision. An employee who wishes to appeal the decision bears the responsibility for taking the request to the appropriate administrator.
   1. Persons with administrative, managerial/professional, and office/service appointments appeal through the Department of Human Resources.
   2. Persons holding academic appointments including chairs, deans, and directors with partial academic appointments appeal through the appropriate vice chancellor in consultation with the Director of Human Resources.

In considering requests for a family/medical leave, it is the responsibility of the appropriate vice chancellor to consult with the Director of Human Resources prior to making a final decision. Vice chancellors also have responsibility for routing their decisions to the Department of Human Resources for record-keeping. This is to insure consistency across the campus and to adhere to UNL's strong commitment to equitable treatment of faculty and staff who request family/medical leave.

All decisions regarding a family/medical leave for faculty or staff are grievable under existing staff and faculty grievance systems. Questions regarding this policy should be addressed to the Department of Human Resources.

Revised July 1996