COVID-19 Vaccination Leave
VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY HUMAN RESOURCES POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
SUBJECT: COVID-19 VACCINATION LEAVE POLICY
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2023 (This date may be extended if needed.)
POLICY
COVID-19 Vaccination Leave
Effective July 1, 2021, all benefits-eligible staff members, whether working remotely or on-campus, are eligible to use COVID-19 Vaccination Leave to obtain a COVID vaccination, to recover from side effects following a COVID vaccination or to take their child to get a COVID-19 vaccination (max. of one day per vaccination).
Employees are encouraged to obtain the COVID-19 vaccination consistent with guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), public health authorities, and in consultation with their health care provider. When possible, employees should receive the vaccination during nonworking hours.
An employee who is eligible for COVID-19 vaccination leave may take leave to obtain a vaccination, to recover from side effects following a vaccination, and/or to take their child to get a COVID-19 vaccination (max. of one day per vaccination). Time away from work should be covered by the COVID-19 Leave Bank. An employee who has exhausted their COVID-19 Leave Bank will be eligible for (a) up to three hours of Paid Administrative Leave for each vaccine appointment and (b) up to one day of Paid Administrative Leave for each vaccine dose to recover from side effects of the vaccination that make the staff member unable to work. Payment for the COVID-19 Vaccination Leave will be through the Vanderbilt payroll on regular payroll dates. The amount of the benefit will be based upon current salary rate and determined by standard hours/full time equivalent of the position.
Staff are not required to exhaust their Legacy Sick leave before utilizing COVID-19 Vaccination Leave.
If an employee requests time off to receive a COVID-19 vaccination or to take their child to get a COVID-19 vaccination, when possible, that request must be made no later than three scheduled work days prior to the date of scheduled vaccination. A leader must review and approve/deny the request away from work promptly. If approved, employees will work with their leader to schedule an appropriate time to leave work for their vaccination. The leader may specify the hours during which the employee may be absent for vaccination, when needed. If an employee requests time off the day a vaccination is made available, every effort will be made to allow the employee the opportunity to receive the vaccination.
ELIGIBILITY
COVID-19 Vaccination Leave is available to all full-time benefits-eligible staff who are obtaining a COVID-19 vaccination, recovering from side effects following a COVID-19 vaccination or to take their child to get a COVID-19 vaccination.
An employee who is not eligible for the COVID-19 Leave Bank or who has exhausted their COVID-19 Leave Bank will be eligible for (a) up to three hours of Paid Administrative Leave for up to two vaccination appointments and (b) up to one day of Paid Administrative Leave for recovery from side effects per vaccination dose which make the staff member unable to work.
PROCESS
Staff member COVID-19 vaccination leave
- Employee Request: Employees should request from their supervisor the time off they need to receive the vaccination or to take their child to obtain the vaccination. The request, when possible, must be made no later than three scheduled work days prior to the scheduled vaccination. If an employee requests time off the day a vaccination is made available, every effort will be made to allow the employee the opportunity to receive the vaccination. Supporting documentation of vaccination should be submitted in the vaccine tracker form for the employee’s own vaccination.
- Supervisor: Supervisors and employees will determine a reasonable arrangement that supports the operation of the work unit.
- Recording time in Oracle: Employees who are eligible for the COVID-19 Vaccination Leave should record that time as such in Oracle: non-exempt staff will use the COVID-19 Leave absence type to record those hours on their time card, and exempt staff will use the COVID-19 Leave absence type to record their absence in their “time and absences.” Employees who are not eligible for the COVID-19 Leave Bank, or who have exhausted their COVID-19 Leave Bank, should record that time as Paid Administrative Leave.
RELATED RESOURCES
Family Medical Leave Act Note that all existing certification requirements under the FMLA remain in effect if a staff member takes leave for one of the existing qualifying reasons under the FMLA. For example, if a staff member takes leave beyond the two weeks of COVID-19 Paid Leave due to a medical condition for COVID-19-related reasons that rises to the level of a serious health condition, the staff member must continue to provide medical certifications under the FMLA.
Short-Term Disability Note that in the case of illness, short-term disability is available to staff after two weeks.