Confused about sick leave?

Even if you're perfectly healthy today, there might come a time when illness—your own or that of a loved one—will require an absence from work. It happens. And if it does, it's good to know that at Johns Hopkins University your options may include paid leave that you accrue as you work, unpaid time off that you can take for your own illness or to care for a loved one, and even short- or long-term disability leave. Depending on your circumstances, you may find yourself combining different types of leave to cover a longer absence.

Whether you or a family member is currently facing an illness, or you just need a refresher on the types of leave offered by the university, you'll find details and links to more information in the summaries below:

Sick leave

Sick leave is earned and available to eligible JHU staff and bargaining unit members to be used when they need to be absent for a nonwork-related illness or injury; pregnancy; or mental health, dental, or health appointments for themselves or an immediate family member.

Staff earn sick leave with each month worked (one day for every month worked by full-time staff, prorated for part-time staff) and can accrue up to 90 days. Bargaining unit members' sick leave accruals are governed by the collective bargaining agreement. Limited-time and casual employees do not earn sick leave. You can find full details in the JHU Policy and Document Library.

Sick and safe leave

Sick and safe leave offers up to 64 hours of time off to nonrepresented JHU employees, including students, limited time employees, and casual employees, and can be used for some reasons not covered by regular sick leave (for example, to care for a member of your extended family, such as a sick grandparent, or for an absence needed to gain safety from domestic violence). This leave is offered in accordance with the Maryland Healthy Working Families Act of 2018.

For full- and part-time staff who earn regular sick leave, used sick and safe leave hours are deducted from the sick leave total. But sick and safe leave can be accrued and used even by those who do not accrue regular sick leave, as long as they normally work an average of at least 12 hours a week; the leave starts accruing on their first day of work and can be taken after 106 days of employment.

Leave for eligible full- and part-time salaried staff is tracked in the E210 system. For reporting purposes, it is marked as Sick & Safe FY Balance at the top of the form. These hours are included in your earned sick leave total.

As of May 1, 2020, the sick and safe leave of hourly paid employees, including students and employees classified as casual or limited, are calculated and tracked in SAP; balances can be viewed in Employee Self Service.

You can learn more about sick and safe leave in the JHU Policy and Document Library and by reading Sick and Safe Leave FAQ. If you're managing hourly staff and students, you'll find guidance in the Supervisor's Guide to Managing Sick and Safe Leave for Hourly Paid Staff and Students.

Family and medical leave

In addition to paid leave, you may be eligible for unpaid job-protected leave. The federal Family and Medical Leave Act provides up to 12 weeks of job-protected unpaid leave (16 for employees who work in Washington, D.C.) if you or a covered family member is experiencing a serious health condition. This leave may run concurrently with other types of leave, if available (sick leave, vacation leave, birth recovery, short-term disability, or worker's compensation, for example). To be eligible, you must have been employed by the university for at least 12 months in the prior seven years and worked at least 1,250 hours in the prior 12 months. You can learn more about FMLA in the JHU Policy and Document Library.

Maryland Flexible Leave Act

The Maryland Flexible Leave Act permits JHU employees to choose the type of earned paid leave—this includes sick leave, vacation leave, and floating holidays—that they want to use to care for a covered dependent. This means you can use all types of leave to care for a covered family member.

Short- and long-term disability

Short-term disability coverage and long-term disability coverage may be available to you. These policies provide a portion of your income when disability prevents you from working for a longer period of time.

Related information: If you're a Johns Hopkins employee coping with your own illness or that of a family member, mySupport can help. The university program offers emotional support and counseling as well as assistance with daily life challenges such as finding elder care, prenatal care, or needed services.