A regular employee of the university will have graduate and/or undergraduate course credit hour charges waived up to six credits per semester for a maximum of 12 credits per academic year, beginning with the fall semester and ending with the summer term.

A regular employee who will be employed by the university for the following academic year but who is off contract during the summer will have graduate and/or undergraduate course credit hour charges waived up to 12 credits per summer session within the 12 credit per year limitation.

An employee may take up to three credit hours during working hours, with prior approval by the supervisor, without having to make up the time if, in the opinion of the supervisor, the coursework will be of direct benefit to the university. Coursework that does not directly benefit the university may be allowed during working hours, provided that it is approved in advance by the supervisor and does not impede the work to be performed. The employee will be responsible for making up lost work time through a flexible work schedule requested through and approved by the supervisor.

Spouses and dependent children under the age of 24 of employees in benefit-eligible positions will have course credit hour charges waived.

An individual who qualifies for permanent disability during his/her regular employment under the applicable state retirement system will have course credit hour charges waived.

An employee who has included university coursework as part of an approved leave of absence is entitled to the same education benefits as a regular employee.

Tuition waiver benefits cease upon termination of employment except for those credit hours in which the employee is currently enrolled and classes are in session at the time of termination.

Tuition waivers provided by this section apply to the total number of credit hours in which the employee, spouse, and/or dependent enrolls.

An employee is responsible for any tax liability generated from employee education benefits.

Self-support course charges are not eligible to be waived under this benefit.

For a student enrolled in the WWAMI Medical Program, a tuition waiver may be used only for University of Alaska-provided coursework.

Selection of Specific Plan

As provided by Section 403(b) of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), university employees may elect to participate in tax deferred investments offered by university specified tax deferred annuity providers (providers). The university does not endorse these providers or the investments they offer.

Each provider has different participation policies and participants are solely responsible for selecting a provider and funding vehicle. Participation in a tax deferred annuity (TDA) by an employee is a contract between the employee and the provider. The university merely provides a framework within which an employee can enter into such agreements and reduce his/her salary by the specified amount.

Salary Reduction Agreements

Conditions governing salary reduction agreements are as follows:

1.	Salary reduction agreements must be executed on the university's official salary reduction agreement form.
2.	Individuals authorized to sign salary reduction agreements are specifically delegated such authority in writing by the Statewide Office of Human Resources.
3.	An employee may change the amount of his/her salary reduction agreement or provider at any time. A change in amount or provider will require a new salary reduction agreement, signed by the employee and delivered to the regional personnel office. All changes will become effective within 30 calendar days after receipt by the regional personnel office.
4.	Salary reduction agreements or changes will be effective at the beginning of a pay period.
5.	Determination of the maximum contribution limits under IRC Section 402(g), Section 403(b), or Section 415 is the employee's responsibility.

Conditions for Acceptance by the University of a Provider

1.	A provider offering Section 403(b) funding vehicles to university employees must have a fully executed tax deferred annuity agreement on file with the Statewide Office of Human Resources.
2.	The executive director of Statewide Office of Human Resources, or designee, is authorized to sign the tax deferred annuity agreement on behalf of the university.
3.	The provider must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the executive director of Statewide Office of Human Resources, or designee, that they have reasonable prospects of enrolling a minimum of 20 university employees in its program before the university will execute a tax deferred annuity program agreement. If a provider does not enroll a minimum of 20 university employees within the first 12 months after executing a tax deferred annuity agreement, it will be removed from the list of providers.
4.	A provider must maintain a minimum of 20 active university employees enrolled in its programs to continue to be a provider. If the provider drops below 20 participants, it must achieve a minimum of 20 within one year or it will be dropped from the list of providers.

Responsibility

1.	The Statewide Office of Human Resources is responsible for maintaining the tax deferred annuity agreement between a provider and the university, for ensuring compliance with the agreement prerequisites, for establishing and maintaining a master list of providers and contact numbers, and for furnishing the regional personnel offices with the list of providers.
2.	The Statewide Office of Human Resources is responsible for maintaining the university's tax deferred annuity program plan document.
3.	The regional personnel offices are responsible for providing to employees the official university salary reduction agreement form and the provider list upon request.

Holidays

The following paid holidays are observed by the University of Alaska:

1.	New Year's Day
2.	An additional day before or after January 1, as specified by the president.
3.	Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in Celebration of Alaska Civil Rights (third Monday in January)
4.	Day of Spring Recess
5.	Memorial Day
6.	Independence Day
7.	An additional day before or after July 4, as specified each year by the president.
8.	Labor Day
9.	Thanksgiving Day and the day immediately following.
10.	Christmas Day
11.	An additional day before or after December 25, as specified each year by the president.

Holiday Closure

Annually, the president will specify days to be observed as holiday closure before and/or after the scheduled Christmas and New Year holidays. Employees may take leave without pay or appropriate paid leave during holiday closure.

Personal Holiday for Regular Nonexempt Staff

The personal holiday for regular nonexempt staff may be taken only after satisfactory completion of the 6-month probationary period and is granted in proportion to full-time equivalency of the employee.

Personal holidays do not accrue from year to year and, therefore, must be taken during the fiscal year in which earned and must be approved in advance by the appropriate supervisor. Personal holidays may not be taken during the pay period which includes July 1.

Annual leave is accrued at a rate specified below for all eligible exempt and nonexempt employees. Regular faculty with less than a 12-month contract are not eligible.

1.	Exempt and nonexempt full-time and part-time employees will accrue annual leave on an hours paid basis.
2.	Overtime and premium paid hours do not qualify for annual leave accrual.
3.	Rates of accrual are based on length of employment in a position which is eligible for annual leave.
4.	Annual leave may not be used in advance of accrual.
5.	Rates of accrual for full-time exempt and nonexempt employees are: 5.54 hours per 80 paid hour pay period during the first 5 years 6.46 hours per 80 paid hour pay period during the next 6-10 years 7.38 hours per 80 paid hour pay period over 10 years
6.	Extended temporary employees will accrue annual leave based on hours paid.

Use of annual leave must be mutually agreed to and approved by the immediate supervisor. If a request for annual leave is denied by the supervisor, the reasons for denial will be provided to the employee in writing.

Annual leave accrued but not used in excess of 240 hours will be forfeited at the end of the payroll processing for the pay period in which January 31 falls.

The salary equivalent of unused annual leave up to a maximum of 240 hours may be paid upon retirement or termination of an employee from the university. All accrued annual leave will be paid to the employee's estate when a university employee dies.

Anyone transferring from a position that provides annual leave to one which does not will have his/her accumulated balance, up to a maximum of 240 hours, paid off at the effective date of the termination of former status. The annual leave accrual rate is determined by the date of new hire into a position which provides annual leave. The years of university employment when an employee is in a status which does not permit the accrual of annual leave are not considered when calculating rates of accrual.

Annual leave does not accrue during: sabbatical leave, unpaid hours, special assignments, temporary overload, summer assignments or additional assignment contracts, periods for which workers' compensation benefits are paid, periods of suspension or other disciplinary action as approved by the regional personnel office or terminal leave which must be approved by the immediate supervisor and is defined as leave taken during pay periods immediately prior to an identified termination date.

Annual leave payments will not be continued after the date of termination or retirement.

Temporary employees and student employees do not accrue annual leave.

Faculty on academic-year appointments do not accrue annual leave. However, they receive time off, as provided in policy.

Definitions

1.

"Qualifying event" refers to the use of sick leave for an illness, injury, disability, professional appointment and/or treatment of the employee, to care for an immediate family member, avoidance of the passing on of a contagious disease, attendance at a funeral, prenatal leave, adoption of a child or placement of a foster child with the employee, the first three days off work due to a work related injury or illness, or illness which continues for more than three days when the employee is on annual leave.

2.

"Immediate family member" refers to an employee's spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparents, parents of a spouse, grandparents of a spouse, financially interdependent partner and their eligible dependents. a. "Parent" refers to the biological parent of an employee, or an individual who stood in place of the parent of the employee when the employee was either under age 18, or age 18 or older and incapable of self-care because of a mental or physical disability. b. "Child" refers to a biological, adopted, or foster child, a stepchild, a legal ward, or a child of a person standing in the place of a parent where the child is under 18 years of age, or a dependent child who is either under age 18 or age 18 or older and incapable of self-care because of a mental or physical disability.

Eligible exempt and nonexempt employees accrue 4.62 hours sick leave per 80 paid hour pay period.

1.	Exempt and nonexempt full-time and part-time employees accrue sick leave based on hours paid.
2.	Overtime and premium paid hours do not qualify for sick leave accrual.
3.	Extended temporary employees accrue sick leave based on hours paid.

At termination, all sick leave accumulations are lost. Employees who are rehired into a leave eligible position within three years after layoff will have their previous accrued sick leave reinstated.

Temporary employees and student employees earn no sick leave; however, appropriate sick leave credit, not to exceed 60 hours, is granted retroactively to temporary employees employed on at least a half-time basis who change to regular status without a break in service.

Sick leave does not accrue during sabbatical leave, unpaid hours, terminal leave (leave taken during pay period(s) immediately prior to an identified termination date), special assignments, overload, summer appointments, additional assignments, contract extensions, or periods for which workers' compensation benefits are paid.

Sick leave will accrue on an hours paid basis when a continuing employee returns to a new fiscal year contract.

Full payment for accumulated unused sick leave is made to the employee's estate in the event of the death of an employee while employed by the university.

Conditions for the use of sick leave are as follows:

1.	The use of sick leave requires the approval of the employee's immediate supervisor. The supervisor may request evidence of the illness or medical appointment.
2.	Sick leave may not be used in advance of accrual.
3.	The qualifying event period in excess of an employee's accrued sick leave will be charged against the employee's annual leave accumulation.
4.	Sick leave will not be used during a holiday or a regular day off. An employee may use sick leave during the calendar year end holiday closure upon submission of written evidence of illness or a professional appointment or treatment.
5.	Sick leave may be used to arrange or attend a funeral. The eligibility rules for such use are as follows: a. The sick leave must be approved by the employee's department head and/or supervisor. b. Sick leave of up to five consecutive work days may be used to arrange or attend the funeral of a member of the employee's immediate family. A written request for periods exceeding five consecutive work days must be provided and approved by the department head and/or supervisor. c. Up to one work day of sick leave may be taken to attend the funeral of a friend or relative not in the immediate family. d. For the funeral of a deceased employee, the department head determines the number of employees who may attend. Sick leave is permitted, and the attendance must be reported as sick leave.
6.	Sick leave may be taken as terminal leave only in the event the employee meets requirements for taking such leave. Terminal leave must be approved by the immediate supervisor.
7.	Sick leave is paid at the employee's regular rate of pay effective for the time period for which leave is taken.
8.	Paid sick leave is discontinued immediately: a. Upon employee's return to work status; or b. Upon determination by the employee's supervisor or department head with professional medical advice that the employee is able to return to work; or c. Upon refusal or failure by the employee to submit clear evidence of a qualifying event on request; or d. When the employee is eligible and qualified for disability retirement under the applicable state retirement system, Social Security; or e. Upon exhaustion of sick leave; or f. Upon termination for any reason or no reason.
9.	Sick leave requests which are not covered in regulation or requests for special consideration are to be submitted through administrative channels to the regional personnel office. The regional personnel office, after evaluation, will forward its recommendations to the appropriate chancellor (or designee) or chief human resources officer for final determination. Copies of requests, recommendations, and final determinations will be provided to the Statewide Office of Human Resources.
10.	To qualify for sick leave benefits, the employee is required to make proper notification as follows: a. The employee who is absent because of illness must notify or if unable, have another notify his/her supervisor or department head within the first hour of the normally scheduled work day. If requested, employees are to provide to supervisors or department heads statements or certificates from the employee's or immediate family member's health care provider as proof of need for sick leave. Failure to notify will result in denial of sick leave unless the immediate supervisor or department head decides the circumstances justify a waiver of these requirements. b. Unless the employee's absence is expected, the employee must continue to notify the supervisor or department head each normal work day of an absence for the qualifying event. c. During periods of sick leave in excess of two biweekly pay periods (4 weeks) the employee will provide his/her supervisor or department head with statements at predetermined regular intervals from the employee's or immediate family member's health care provider stating the condition of the employee's availability for return to work. d. During a qualifying event of any duration, the employee should provide the supervisor or department head with as much advance notice as possible of the anticipated beginning and ending dates of the absence.
11.	Leave Share Program a. Purpose: The leave share program is established to allow employees to voluntarily transfer hours from their unused sick leave balance to the sick leave balance of an employee with a catastrophic medical event. b. Definitions: For the purpose of this regulation, the following terms will have the meaning as indicated below. Employee: An "employee" is all persons in the employment of the university in positions that are eligible to accumulate sick leave. This excludes all extended temporary employees eligible to accrue sick leave. Sick leave Donor: An employee who voluntarily requests transfer of accrued sick leave hours to the sick leave account of a sick leave recipient. Sick leave Recipient: An employee who has filed a request to receive sick leave from the accrued sick leave account of donor(s). Qualifying Event: For purposes of the leave share program, the catastrophic medical event of an employee or immediate family member that requires an absence from work by the employee for a period of time that extends 10 working days in excess of all accrued leave balances. Upon meeting the definition of a qualifying event, 5 working days of donated leave will be credited retroactively to the recipient. Program participation: A full-time employee may participate in the leave share program for a maximum of 65 scheduled working days (520 hours) for each calendar year. Part-time employees will participate according to their prorated proportion of full-time. Leave Transfers: The transfer of leave hours from the donor(s) to the recipient will be done on an as needed basis by pay period. Exclusions: Leave cannot be donated to employees receiving compensation under Workers' Compensation, Long Term Disability, or any other compensation plan, or to any employees not eligible to use accrued sick leave. c. Procedures Procedures for request and use of the leave share program are available through the employee's regional personnel office. The personnel director or designee at each MAU and statewide administration is responsible for the coordination and implementation of the procedures described herein. (1) Request for Leave Share Hours Transfer A regular employee or a personal representative may request leave share hours by completing the leave share request form and by completing the Family and Medical Leave (FML) application. (2) Review of Request The personnel director or designee will consider the request and determine whether the leave share hours transfer request and FML application complies with regulation. The review will include determining that the qualifying event will require a sick leave without pay (SLWOP) period in excess of 10 working days (80 working hours) for full-time employees; verifying that all available leave hours of the applicant are or will be exhausted; and compliance with all provisions of this and other policy and regulation pertaining to sick leave and FML. (3) Administration of an approved application If sufficient time is not donated, the regional personnel director will issue a systemwide request for sick leave donations on behalf of the leave recipient (anonymity may be requested). This notice will remain posted until donated leave is no longer necessary or a total of 65 working days has been offered for donation. An employee who wishes to donate sick leave to a leave recipient will complete a sick leave donation form. Donation forms are to be submitted to the regional personnel office of the University unit which made the request. Donations will be accepted on a first come, first used basis. Sick leave hours will be transferred on an as needed basis each pay period. The sick leave donation form will not be valid for more than the number of hours needed by the recipient in a given pay period. Separate forms may be submitted each pay period for additional donations. Donations may not be used beyond the donor's termination date or for 5 working days of the qualifying 10 working day SLWOP period. Donors will receive notification from the payroll office when the hours they donated have been transferred from the donor's sick leave balance to the recipient's sick leave balance. If a donor's sick leave donation is not needed by the recipient, the leave share transfer form will be returned to the donor. (4) Impact on donor According to Revenue Ruling 90-29, an employee donating sick leave hours to another employee does not realize any income or incur any deductible expense or loss either upon the surrender or deposit of that leave or its use by the recipient. Sick leave donated and used by the recipient is the property of the recipient and will not be returned to the donor. (5) Impact on the recipient According to Revenue Ruling 90-29, amounts paid by an employer to a leave recipient pursuant to a leave sharing plan are included in the gross income of the recipient as compensation. The recipient may not receive more than the actual number of hours needed. (6) Disapproval of leave recipient application If an applicant is informed by the regional personnel office that the request has been denied, the applicant may request within 10 working days reconsideration by the chancellor (or designee) or, if the applicant is a statewide administration employee, the president. Any reconsideration constitutes the final administrative determination of the matter by the University and is not grievable. Any further review of such decisions must be pursued within 30 days of the final decision in accordance with Alaska Rule of Appellate Procedure 602(a)(2). (7) Prohibition of coercion An employee may not directly or indirectly intimidate, threaten, or coerce any other employee or otherwise interfere with such an employee's right to choose whether or not to donate, receive, or use sick leave under the leave share program. (8) Records The leave share and FML application, decision, and other relevant documentation will be maintained separately from employee's permanent personnel file. A record of the number of hours used from the leave share program will be kept in the permanent payroll file.

A sick leave without pay absence may only be granted when an employee has exhausted all accrued sick leave with pay and accrued annual leave.

The granting of sick leave without pay is subject to the same conditions as sick leave with pay, and is granted independently of "leave without pay."

if an employee's or his/her spouse's health is affected by pregnancy;

childbirth;

the care for an employee's new child in the first 12 months after birth;

a child's placement with the employee in the first 12 months after adoption or foster care;

to care for a spouse or an immediate family member with a serious health condition;

absences covered under the leave share program;

FML eligible absences covered by workers' compensation; or

when the employee is unable to work because of a serious health condition.

Definitions:

1.	"Eligible employee" refers to an individual who has been employed with the University of Alaska for at least a total of 6 consecutive months and has worked for at least 910 hours over the prior 12 months, or has been employed for at least 1,250 hours during the 12-month period immediately preceding the commencement of the leave.
2.	"Intermittent leave" refers to leave taken in separate blocks of time: a. in non-sequential days; b. in less than a complete work day increment; c. in less than a complete pay period.
3.	"Serious health condition" refers to an illness, injury, impairment, physical or mental condition that involves: a. Inpatient care in a hospital, hospice, or residential medical care facility, or any subsequent treatment in connection with such inpatient care; or b. Continuing treatment by a health care provider and includes any period of incapacity of more than 3 consecutive calendar days, and any subsequent treatment or period of incapacity relating to the same condition that also involves treatment by a health care provider, or under the supervision of a health care provider. c. Any period of incapacity due to pregnancy, or for prenatal care. d. Conditions that do not meet the definition of a serious health condition and do not qualify for FML, unless complications arise, include the common cold, the flu, ear aches, upset stomach, minor ulcers, headaches other than migraine, routine dental or orthodontia problems, periodontal disease, and taking over-the-counter medications. Absence because of the employee's substance abuse, rather than for treatment, does not qualify for FML.
4.	"Health Care Provider" refers to a medical practitioner recognized under the University of Alaska's Health Care Plan who is authorized to practice under the laws of the state where the practitioner is delivering services and performing within the scope of their license.
5.	"Medical certification" refers to a statement from a health care provider stating the relationship of that individual to the employee, date of onset, probable duration, and whether the illness will require intermittent treatment and/or leave.

Requesting Leave

The supervisor must immediately notify the regional personnel office of the employee's request or eligibility for FML. If an employee's need to take FML is foreseeable, an employee should notify his/her immediate supervisor within 30 days prior to his/her intention to begin leave. If the need for FML is unforeseeable or a result of an emergency condition, the employee's supervisor must be notified as soon as possible.

1.

Notification Requirements - Employee An employee requesting FML must notify their supervisor and complete the University of Alaska's FML forms and provide relevant medical certification to verify the reasons for the leave request. The university reserves the right to request a second and/or third FML medical opinion at the university's expense. If the employee has not provided sufficient information to document their need for FML, additional information from the employee will be requested. Failure of the employee to provide the regional personnel office with sufficient documentation within 15 days, will result in the disqualification of his/her request for FML.

2.

Notification Requirements - University The regional personnel office will notify the employee of the status of their FML request within 2 working days of receiving the request. Notification will include the employee's rights and benefits under FML and reasons for approval or denial. The University may, based on other evidence of a qualifying FML event, notify the employee of their rights and place them on FML.

Job Transfer

The University may unilaterally transfer an employee to a suitable position for which the employee is qualified, if it is determined by the regional personnel office, with the assistance of professional medical advice, that the employee needs to be transferred or placed on intermittent FML leave.

If an employee is requesting intermittent FML he/she may request a job transfer. The regional personnel office will review the employee's request and will inform the employee of the status of their transfer request based on availability of suitable positions for which the employee is qualified.

Length of Leave

1.	Upon approval of the employee's request or need for FML, the employee will be granted FML for up to 720 hours in a 12-month period. FML taken on an intermittent or reduced schedule does not continue for a period of longer than 12 months. In either situation, FML will not continue beyond the expiration of an employee's job assignment. A part-time employee will participate according to his/her prorated proportion of full-time.
2.	Employees will be given intermittent FML when the requested leave is for a serious health condition. The request must include a health care provider's medical certification at the time of request.
3.	For the birth, adoption, or placement of a foster child, intermittent leave can be taken if agreed to by the employee's supervisor and if proper application is made as set out in this regulation.

Substituting Annual and Sick Leave for Family and Medical Leave

1.	Employees must take paid leave concurrent with FML. Employees who take FML must exhaust all accrued sick and all annual leave prior to using sick leave without pay.
2.	An employee taking FML concurrently with a workers' compensation claim may use sick leave for the first 3 days. Workers' compensation benefits do not allow an employee to use sick or annual leave after the first 3 days, even though the employee is eligible for FML.

Benefits During FML

1.	The university will continue the employee's basic health care coverage, basic life insurance and long-term disability insurance during the period that an employee is on FML.
2.	An employee requesting FML must make arrangements with the regional personnel office to pay supplemental and dependent premiums. Failure to pay appropriate premiums will result in cancellation of supplemental and dependent coverages.
3.	Eligible employees, while receiving workers' compensation benefits, will continue to receive basic health care coverage, basic life insurance, and long-term disability insurance. Contributions are not made to the University of Alaska's Pension Plan, Optional Retirement Plan (ORP I & II), Public Employees' Retirement System, and/or Teachers' Retirement System while an employee is receiving workers' compensation.
4.	An employee taking FML must return to work and work for at least 30 days before the employee's obligation to reimburse the university for his/her health care coverage, life insurance, and long-term disability insurance is eliminated. The employee will not be liable for payment if his/her failure to return to work results from: a. the continuous, recurrence, or onset of a serious health condition of the employee and/or family member; or b. circumstances beyond the control of the employee.

Return to Work

1.	An employee returning from FML within the 720 hour period will be returned to the same position, status, and at least the same rate of pay, held when the leave began. If, as a result of operational considerations, the university cannot return the employee to the same position, the university will attempt to find an equivalent position based on availability of suitable positions for which the employee is qualified.
2.	An employee must return to work on the first working day after the expiration of his/her FML, unless another date is agreed to in writing by the supervisor.
3.	If it is determined by the supervisor and the regional personnel office that the employee is unable or unwilling to return to work, the regional personnel office will notify the employee of his/her termination for failure to return to work from FML.

Records

All records of requests for FML, approvals, denials, and supporting medical documentation will be maintained in a file separate from the employee's personnel file in the regional personnel office.

"Jury duty" or duty as a court witness refers to that service and time spent away from a university job as a result of a subpoena issued by a court. Service as a volunteer expert witness or other volunteer court duty is not included in the provisions of this leave.

The notification and compensation rules for such leave are as follows:

1.	Department heads are authorized to grant such leave with pay upon the presentation of a subpoena by the employee. A record of absences for these purposes will be maintained and reported as "jury duty" leave with pay.
2.	It is the responsibility of the employee to keep his/her supervisor or department head informed of the anticipated time to be spent away from the job for this purpose.
3.	The employee's regular university pay will continue to be paid during such leave.
4.	Any pay received by employees from a court system for service on jury duty or as court witness duty will promptly be returned by the employee to the university to offset part of the cost of such absences.
5.	Temporary employees are not paid during jury duty. Temporary employees may retain pay received from the court system for jury service.
6.	Extended temporary employees will not continue to be paid during such leaves, but may use accrued annual leave or leave without pay.