Leave Sharing

The Commonwealth's Leave Sharing policy permits a classified or faculty administrator employee to donate annual leave to another classified employee in the accrual sick leave system who has exhausted his/her leave balances for health-related reasons or to a classified employee in either the accrual sick leave system or the Virginia Sickness and Disability Program who has exhausted his/her leave authorized for care of an ill or injured family member (parent, spouse, or child) and who is covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act. The recipient will use these donations as sick leave. It is a direct share program where leave donations are given from the donor to a specific recipient. It is not a leave bank. All full-time and part-time classified employees in the accrual sick leave system are eligible to become recipients. Leave sharing hours will be prorated for part-time classified employees.

In order to receive donations through this program, an employee:

1. for personal illness, must have depleted all leave balances;
2. must be absent due to an illness or injury which requires medical attention as certified by a physician;
3. for family illness or injury, must have depleted all authorized leave for that purpose and be covered by the
   Family and Medical Leave Act;
4. must initiate the leave share request by contacting the Department of Human Resources. If the employee is unable to make this contact, the supervisor may file the request.
5. must provide the required medical certification from a physician;
6. must not solicit leave donations from fellow employees. The Department of Human Resources is responsible for obtaining donations.

The following medical conditions are not covered under the leave sharing program:

• any job-related illness/injury for which workers' compensation benefits have been awarded;
  
• any intentionally self-inflicted injuries;
  
• any injuries occurring in the course of committing a felony or assault.

In order to donate leave through this program, an employee:

1. can only donate annual leave;
2. must donate leave in 8-hour increments (no limit applies);
3. must complete a Leave Sharing Program Donor Form and submit it to Human Resources;
4. cannot reclaim leave if the Donor Form has been processed;
5. may donate leave to family members who work in other Executive Branch agencies.

For all purposes other than the receipt of salary, employees receiving leave donations are considered to be on leave without pay status. This means that employees will not accrue leave and their service credit for annual leave accrual rate and sick leave payout will be adjusted for the period of leave without pay.

For further information on Leave Sharing