771 Staff Community Engagement Leave

RATIONALE:  Oakland University (“University”) strives to be a Steward of Place. In alignment with Oakland University’s strategic goals, employees are encouraged to engage in Volunteer Activities within the University’s broader community. To support this effort, the University will provide eligible employees with paid time off, on the terms described in this policy, to participate in Volunteer Activities with Approved Service Organizations.

POLICY:  Eligible employees may take up to one day (8 hours) of paid Community Engagement (“CE”) Leave per University fiscal year, subject to the terms and conditions of this Policy, to participate in Volunteer Activities with Approved Service Organizations (“ASO”).

Key Provisions: 

• Amount of CE Leave: Eight (8) hours per University fiscal year (no-carryover; no cash value; not paid out upon separation).
• Use: CE Leave must be used during an eligible employee’s regularly scheduled work hours.
• Approval Required: CE Leave must be requested, and approved in advance and in writing by the eligible employee’s supervisor via the CE Leave request procedure described below.
• Documentation: All eligible employees who use approved CE Leave must log their Volunteer Activities in the University’s designated community engagement tracking system.
• Limitations:
  • CE Leave is optional and not considered “time worked” for overtime purposes.
  • Volunteer Activities must be performed for an ASO (listed in the University’s designated community engagement tracking system).

SCOPE AND APPLICABILITY:  All benefit-eligible staff, including those subject to applicable collective bargaining agreements, are eligible for paid CE Leave pursuant to this Policy.

DEFINITIONS:  

Approved Service Organization (“ASO”): A non-partisan, non-political and non-religious organization that is charitable or educational in scope and whose mission and activities are consistent with the University’s Mission and Vision. All ASOs must be approved for CE Leave by the University’s Office of Community Engagement and listed in the University’s designated community engagement tracking system.

Volunteer Activities: Services performed by an individual, freely and without expectation and/or receipt of compensation, for an ASO.

PROCEDURES:    

Requesting CE Leave

• Eligible employees must submit a CE Leave request using the University’s established method for requesting paid leave.
• Each CE Leave request must include the date and time of the Volunteer Activities as well as the name of the ASO.
• All CE Leave requests must be submitted in writing to the eligible employee’s supervisor at least 72 hours prior to the date that the requested CE Leave will begin.
• All CE Leave requests must be submitted in half-day (4 hour) or full-day (8 hour) increments.
• After completing the CE Leave, eligible employees must enter the date, time and nature of the Volunteer Activities as well as the name of the ASO in the University’s designated community engagement tracking system for documentation.
• The University may deny, defer or cancel the CE Leave, in its sole and exclusive discretion, based on University or departmental business needs.

Supervisor Responsibilities

• Respond to CE Leave requests promptly.
• Ensure CE Leave is properly tracked in the University’s timekeeping system or monthly leave report and recorded as CE Leave.
• Optionally, request verification from the ASO via the University’s designated community engagement tracking system.

Compliance

• Eligible employees must certify in their request for CE Leave that their Volunteer Activities are being performed for an ASO.
• Except as otherwise provided in this Policy, supervisors may not deny CE Leave based on the mission or nature of the ASO. However, the University and/or supervisors may deny CE Leave in their sole and exclusive discretion if the Volunteer Activities are not performed for an ASO, if the employee failed to comply with this Policy, or for University business needs.
• The University is not liable for injuries incurred during CE Leave and/or while performing Volunteer Activities. All eligible employees engage in Volunteer Activities as their own risk. Workers’ compensation does not apply while an eligible employee is on CE Leave.

Program Administration

• CE Leave accrues similar to vacation time but resets annually on July.
• CE Leave balances do not carry over year to year.
• In order to be eligible for CE Leave, all necessary information regarding an eligible employee’s use of CE Leave in the prior University fiscal year must be entered in the University’s designated community engagement tracking system.
• The Office of Community Engagement maintains the list of ASO and oversees program administration.
• Employees or supervisors with eligibility or other questions should contact the Office of Community Engagement.

RELATED POLICIES AND FORMS: 

APPENDIX: