Leave for Yourself

Steps for All Employees

1. You must notify your supervisor of your absence and submit a medical note after one work week of absence. 
 
2. Your Supervisor or HR Departmental contact will provide you with additional information on state/federal leaves, including:  

• For COVID-19: A 14-calendar day period of paid sick leave is available, and is in addition to other available sick leave for all employees that have tested positive for COVID-19, or presumed positive as indicated by a note from their physician. Documentation is required.
  • You may use documentation from your healthcare provider, a positive test result, or an order of quarantine from your local health department.
• New York State Disability Leave: Contact: 1-800-644-5567 or https://www.mynylgbs.com/auth (no username/password)
  • 1199 Clerical and Cafeteria employees, Maritime Workers, Officers of Instruction and employees out of state should contact the CUHR Leave Management Office.
     
• Paid Family Leave (for use following Pregnancy-Related Leave only)

3. Family and Medical Leave Act (if eligible):

• Your Departmental HR contact will complete the FMLA WH-381 Notice of Eligibility and Rights & Responsibilities.
   
• You will need to complete the FMLA WH-380E Certification Health Care Provider and submit to the CUHR Leave Management Office.
   
• Once you have submitted documentation, your Departmental HR contact will complete the FMLA WH-382 Designation Notice and provide it to you.

New York Life (formerly known as Cigna)
New York Life Group Benefit Solutions
PO Box 29050
Phoenix, AZ 85038-9050
Phone: 888.842.4462
Fax: 866.472.3221
https://www.myNYLGBS.com

For All Employees

• If you are eligible for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), FMLA will run concurrently with Medical Leave.
   

Officer of Administration

• Full-Time Officers of Administration, including those in an 11-month program: eligible for a paid medical leave with salary continuation for up to six months, during a rolling 12-month period. It will run concurrently with New York State Disability (NYSDBL). 
   
• New York State Disability provides a weekly cash benefit, up to $170/week, for up to 26 weeks, for a short-term disability leave. There is a seven-day waiting period in which you will not receive this benefit. If you are utilizing salary continuation, the NYSDBL payments will be remitted to Columbia.
   

Officers of Instruction, Research and Libraries

• See the Faculty Handbook
   

All Other Officers of Administration, including Nine-Month, Ten-Month Part-Time Officers of Administration, and Non-Union Support Staff

• You may be eligible for partial payment by NYSDBL, as determined by New York State law, based on your time of employment. Reach out to your Departmental HR contact for more information about your eligibility.
   

Union Support Staff

• Per the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), paid leave may be available. Employee’s eligible for paid leave by the University will remit any NYSDBL payments to the University. The CBA should be consulted for more information.

Prior to Returning to Work:

1. Submit medical certification from your physician (ex: a doctor’s note) to the CUHR Leave Management Office and appropriate carrier (PMA for Worker’s Compensation or New York Life* for NYSDBL).  
    
2. Reach out to your Departmental HR contact to provide an update on your return to work. 
    
3. If you require a workplace accommodation, please contact the CUHR Leave Management Office to coordinate prior to your return to work.
    
4. For additional information, please review the Medical Leave of Absence Policy (for Officers) or the Medical Leave of Absence for Support Staff (Non-Union Support Staff).

*1199 Clerical and Cafeteria employees should submit the document to CUHR Leave Management Office only. Maritime Workers, Officers of Instruction and employees working out of state should contact the CUHR Leave Management Office.

A personal leave is an unpaid leave of absence for personal reasons that are not covered by other types of leaves offered by the University/State, or for additional time beyond the allowed time of a University permitted leave. Typical reasons include illness in the family, education, and other compelling personal needs.

Steps to Request a Personal Leave (if eligible):

1. For other types of leave which are neither PFL nor FMLA, eligible employees may consider requesting a personal leave of absence.
    
2. An employee requesting Personal Leave must submit a written request to their supervisor and/or Departmental HR contact as far in advance as possible and indicate an anticipated return to work date. 
    

Useful Information 

Officers of Administration

You are eligible to apply for an unpaid personal leave of absence. University policy allows you to take an unpaid leave for up to six-months. This type of leave is only granted in cases not covered by any other University policy, and requires the approval of both your department head and the Office of the Vice President for Human Resources. Occasionally, substitution of paid time off is permitted by using your vacation, personal, or NYC Earned Safe/Sick Time, if applicable. Twelve months of employment is required before you can apply for a personal leave.

Non-Union Support Staff 

You are eligible to apply for an unpaid personal leave of absence. University policy allows you to take an unpaid leave for up to six-months. This type of leave is only granted in cases not covered by any other University policy, and requires the approval of both your department head and the Office of the Vice President for Human Resources. Occasionally, substitution of paid time off is permitted by using your vacation, personal, or NYC Earned Safe/Sick Time, if applicable. Twelve months of employment is required before you can apply for a personal leave.

Union Support Staff

Each Union’s Collective Bargaining agreement outlines the benefits available for personal leaves. A full description can be found in your union’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

A long-term disability (LTD) leave of absence is available following a medical leave of six months or longer and requires an application process through the University’s LTD insurance provider.

Long-term disability plan certificate

Eligibility

All full-time Officers are automatically covered under the Basic LTD Insurance plan at no cost. Officers may elect to buy additional coverage under the Optional LTD insurance plan.

Benefit Description

Long Term Disability (LTD) benefits replace a portion of your income if you become ill or injured and cannot work. You may apply for LTD benefits when experiencing work-related or non-work related injuries or illnesses that are expected to extend beyond six months. The Cigna LTD Summary Plan brochure describes the benefit in greater detail. 

Requesting a Leave of Absence

The steps below are applicable to Officers of Administration, Officers of Research and Officers of the Libraries. Officers of Instruction should contact Cigna at 800-842-4462 to initiate a claim.

• Approximately 30 calendar days prior to the completion of 26 weeks of disability, a Cigna LTD claims manager will reach out to you directly to review any eligible LTD benefits.
   
• The Cigna claims manager will work directly with you and your physician to transition to LTD. LTD benefit questions can be directed to Cigna at 888-842-4462. 

If you need to take a Military related leave, please consult with your HR Departmental contact or the CUHR Leave Management office to understand the available leave options.

FMLA Policy

Paid Family Leave Policy

Prior to returning to work, please reach out to the CUHR Leave Management Office as well as your Departmental HR contact to provide an update on your return to work. If you require further assistance, please contact the CUHR Leave Management Office to coordinate prior to your return to work.

In addition to FMLA, other University policies and laws, if eligible, will run concurrently, including NY Safe and Sick Leave and all applicable State/City/County Laws.

FMLA does not supersede any University policy or collective bargaining agreement that provides greater family or medical leave rights than the rights established under FMLA. Conversely, FMLA provides that the rights established for employees under FMLA cannot be diminished by any policy or agreement.

The leave granted under FMLA generally is a lesser benefit than that available under various University policies and collective bargaining agreements. Because the University meets or exceeds FMLA requirements in many respects, this policy designates many existing types of leave as FMLA leave, so that the University leaves and the FMLA leave run concurrently.

Because the University meets or exceeds FMLA requirements in many respects, this policy designates many existing types of leave as FMLA leave, so that the University leaves and the FMLA leave run concurrently.