Family Medical Leave (FML)

Family Medical Leave may be taken by eligible employees for the following medical reasons:

  1. The addition of a child through birth, adoption, or foster care.
  2. The serious health condition of the employee or an immediate family member.
  3. To care for a service member (current member of the Armed Forces) who becomes seriously injured or ill during active duty.
  4. When a qualifying exigency arises due to a spouse, child, or parent of the employee being on active duty in the Reserves or National Guard in support of a contingency operation.
 

FAMLI

Colorado voters approved the Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance in November 2020. This provides workers a portion of their weekly salary for up to 12 weeks of leave to care for themselves or their families. The measure is funded by employers and employees in a 50/50 split.

Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

I am a UCCS employee, how many hours of FML am I allowed to take?

A classified staff employee is eligible to take up to 12 weeks (480 hours) of FML leave in a rolling 12-month period. This amount is prorated for part-time employees.

9 or 12 Month Faculty and Research Faculty may take up to 12 weeks (480 hours) of FML during a rolling 12 month period.

University Staff may take up to 12 weeks (480 hours) of FML during a rolling 12 month period.

What is the required length of service before I am eligible for FML?

An employee is eligible if that employee has one year of service and has worked at least 1,250 hours during the most recent 12 month period. This includes your total time of service at any state of Colorado entity or other state service. For example, if you worked in the Department of Human Services or Pikes Peak State College, that time counts toward your FML eligibility.

When should I request FML?

Employees must provide 30 days advance notice of the need to take FMLA leave when the need is foreseeable. When 30 days notice is not possible, the employee must provide notice as soon as possible and generally must comply with established call-in procedures.

How do I request FML?
What documents will I need to prove birth, adoption or foster placement?

Documents needed for:

Birth - FMLA Medical Certification completed by your physician. Copy of the birth certificate for non-birthing parent.

Adoption - Signed copy of Order of Possession

Foster Care - Verification letter or papers from the court in which the case was processed.

 

Documents should be submitted to Cindy Rhoads via email at crhoads@uccs.edu. Please call Cindy at 719-255-3628 if you have any questions.

If I have short-term disability, will I still be eligible? If I am eligible, how do I use parental leave without short-term disability?

Yes, an employee is eligible for paid parental leave if they are enrolled in short-term disability. Employees enrolled in short-term disability must wait 29 days from the date of disability or exhaustion of sick leave (whichever is later) until they can file for the benefit.  Paid parental leave may be utilized before or after short-term disability benefit usage, but not simultaneously.

Ho often will I be able to use this benefit?

This benefit can be used once in a rolling 12-month period.

Is there anything I can do if I ran out of sick leave and have an unexpected medical emergency?

UCCS is proud to offer eligible employees an opportunity to apply for leave sharing through our leave bank. Leave bank is an established means for the transfer of annual leave to a qualifying employee experiencing either a catastrophic medical hardship, or an unforeseeable life-altering event beyond the employee’s control. Leave sharing is available in order to provide some income protection when the employee would be absent from work for a prolonged period of time and has exhausted all paid leave, including compensatory time. The Chancellor has the discretion to use the leave bank for either reason based on a review of the facts. 

What is the leave bank?

UCCS has established a Leave Bank Program for the purpose of enabling employees to transfer annual leave to the Leave Bank for a qualifying employee who is experiencing a catastrophic medical hardship, either personally or by an immediate family member, or other life-altering event. This benefit provides some income protection for the affected employee when that employee would be absent from work for a prolonged period of time and has exhausted all of their annual and sick leave.

For more information, go to Leaving Bank Program.

I am a classified staff member. Is there anything different regarding FMLA for classified staff members?

Yes, state classified employees who meet FMLA eligibility requirements are also eligible for Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML). Full-time employees are eligible to receive up to 160 hours of paid leave per rolling 12-month period which will run concurrently with the 12 weeks of FMLA-protected leave and one week of State Medical Leave (prorated for the employee’s percent of time). This form of leave can be used for any FMLA qualifying event.  

PFML may also be used when an employee is a victim of domestic abuse, stalking, sexual assault, or any other crime related to domestic violence and needs to seek medical attention, mental health care or other counseling, or victim services including legal services or relocation. 

Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) runs concurrently with Parental Leave, and is not intended to stack on top of Parental Leave for Classified employees.