Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 18, September 16, 2024
(1) The state agencies that are covered under
section
36.350,
RSMo, may establish ShareLeave programs within their agencies for employees to
donate leave to other employees. These programs may be established under the
conditions set out within the following regulations:
(A) As used in this rule, unless the context
clearly indicates otherwise, the following terms mean:
1. ShareLeave means a pool of leave hours
donated by eligible employees that may be conveyed from the pool to other
eligible employees;
2. A
catastrophic illness or injury is one which is life threatening, terminal, or
likely to result in a substantial permanent disability; and
3. ShareLeave pool means a repository of
eligible leave hours that is maintained by a department or agency of state
government for the purposes set forth under the ShareLeave program.
(B) Employees eligible to donate
leave to the ShareLeave pool are those employees that are employed in positions
of a permanent or continuing nature and who have completed six (6) months of
service. Employees eligible to receive ShareLeave pool benefits are those
employees who are employed in positions of a permanent or continuing nature and
who have completed six (6) months of service;
(C) Annual leave as defined by
1 CSR
20-5.020(1) may be donated by
employees to the pool. Overtime or compensatory time as defined by
1 CSR
20-5.010(1)(C), (D), and (E) and
1 CSR
20-5.010(2)(E) may be donated by
employees to the pool. Since sick leave benefits are a grant from the employer
and in no sense the property of individuals, the donation of sick leave is not
allowed;
(D) To be eligible for
donated leave, recipient employees must have experienced a catastrophic illness
or injury. Departments may also provide that employees may be eligible for
donated leave if they can demonstrate that their spouse or children have
experienced catastrophic illness or injury requiring the employee's personal
care and attention. The final decision concerning the granting of leave under
this section rests with the department;
(E) Recipient employees must have exhausted
all of their own accrued annual leave, sick leave, and compensatory leave and
all worker's compensation indemnity payments (if applicable) before being
eligible for donated leave;
(F)
Employees eligible to receive disability benefits from the state of Missouri
are not eligible for donated leave;
(G) Donations cannot be made to individuals,
but instead to a departmental or agency "pool" established for this
purpose;
(H) Appointing authority
will establish a method for determining the eligibility of persons who apply
for leave benefits from the "pool";
(I) All eligible applicants will receive an
equitable share of leave from that available in the donation "pool";
(J) The maximum benefit which can be
authorized for any one (1) employee for any one (1) instance of eligibility is
limited to the equivalent of four (4) months of regular salary;
(K) An employee receiving donated leave is
credited with additional leave earnings during this period; and
(L) All donations of eligible leave are
voluntary. No employee may intimidate, threaten, or coerce any other employee
with respect to donating or receiving leave under this program. Individual
leave records that apply to ShareLeave are confidential and no individual
employees are to receive remuneration of any kind for leave donated.
(2) Each appointing
authority that adopts a program under section (1) of this rule will submit a
formal written policy and updates to the director for review.
(3) ShareLeave for Foster and Adoptive
Placement and Care. The state agencies that are covered under section
105.271,
RSMo, will establish a leave-sharing program within their agencies for
employees to donate annual leave, overtime, or compensatory time to an employee
who is arranging for a foster or adopted child's placement or caring for the
child after placement. Nothing in this section prohibits a leave-sharing
program for other purposes. This program will be established under the
conditions set out within the following guidelines:
(A) As used in this rule, unless the context
clearly indicates otherwise, the following terms mean:
1. "ShareLeave for Foster and Adoptive
Placement and Care" means a pool of leave hours donated by eligible employees
that may be conveyed from the pool to other eligible employees for the purpose
of arranging for a foster or adopted child's placement or caring for the child
after placement;
2. "State
ShareLeave Pool" means a statewide repository of eligible leave hours that is
maintained by the Commissioner of Administration or designee for the purposes
set forth under the ShareLeave for Foster and Adoptive Placement and Care
program for the purpose of arranging for a foster or adopted child's placement
or caring for the child after placement;
3. "Department ShareLeave Pool" means a
repository of eligible leave hours that is maintained by a department or agency
of state government for the purposes set forth under the ShareLeave for Foster
and Adoptive Placement and Care program for the purpose of arranging for a
foster or adopted child's placement or caring for the child after placement;
and
4. "Foster or adoptive parent"
means both those pursuing to foster or adopt a child and those who have a
foster or adopted child placed in the home;
(B) Employees eligible to donate leave are
those employees who are employed full time in benefit-eligible positions of a
permanent or continuing nature. Employees eligible to receive ShareLeave pool
benefits are those employees who are employed full time in benefit-eligible
positions of a permanent or continuing nature;
(C) Annual leave as defined by
1 CSR
20-5.010(1) may be donated by
employees to a pool. Overtime or compensatory time as defined by
1 CSR
20-5.010(1)(C), (D), and (E) and
1 CSR
20-5.010(2)(E) may be donated by
employees to a pool. Since sick leave benefits are a grant from the employer
and in no sense the property of individuals, the donation of sick leave is not
allowed;
1. Departments or agencies which opt
in to the State ShareLeave Pool will send a letter and copy of agreement which
indicates cross agency acceptance to the Commissioner of Administration. The
State ShareLeave Pool is the only program allowed for multi-agency ShareLeave
for Foster and Adoptive Placement and Care purposes.
2. Any department or agency which chooses to
participate in the State ShareLeave Pool will designate one (1) employee to
serve on a Statewide ShareLeave for Foster and Adoptive Placement and Care
Committee, chaired by the Commissioner of Administration or
designee;
(D) Any donated
leave is only to be used by the recipient employee for purposes of arranging
for the foster or adopted child's placement or caring for the child after
placement, which includes, but is not limited to:
1. Appointments with state officials, child
placing agencies, social workers, health professionals, or attorneys;
2. Court proceedings;
3. Necessary travel;
4. Training and licensure as a foster
parent;
5. Any periods of time
during which foster or adoptive parents are ordered by the state, a child
placing agency, or by a court to take time off from work to care for the foster
or adopted child; or
6. Any other
activities necessary to allow the foster care or adoption to proceed;
(E) The final decision concerning
the granting of leave under this section rests with the chief administrative
officer in the case of leave benefits from a Department ShareLeave Pool, and
with the Statewide ShareLeave for Foster and Adoptive Placement and Care
Committee in the case of leave benefits from the State ShareLeave Pool, and is
based upon the degree to which the employee is responsible for providing care
and attention in connection with the adoption or fostering of the
child(ren);
(F) Recipient employees
are to exhaust all of their own applicable paid leave and compensatory time
prior to using donated leave;
(G)
Donation of leave cannot be made for the benefit of specific individuals, but
to the Department ShareLeave Pool. Donations may be transferable between
different departments or agencies, with the agreement of the chief
administrative officer of such departments or agencies. Such leave is deposited
into the State ShareLeave Pool;
(H)
The chief administrative officer will establish a method for determining the
eligibility of persons who apply for leave benefits from the Department
ShareLeave Pool;
(I) The Statewide
ShareLeave for Foster and Adoptive Placement and Care Committee will meet as
necessary to determine the eligibility of persons who apply for leave benefits
from the State ShareLeave Pool;
(J)
All eligible recipients will receive an equitable share of leave from that
available in the applicable donation pool;
(K) The maximum benefit for any one (1)
employee for any one (1) instance of eligibility cannot exceed the equivalent
of four (4) months of regular salary;
(L) An employee receiving donated leave will
be credited with additional leave earnings during this period; and
(M) All donations of eligible leave are
voluntary. No employee may intimidate, threaten, or coerce any other employee
with respect to donating or requesting leave under this program. Individual
leave records are confidential, and no individual employees are to receive
remuneration of any kind for leave donated.
(4) Each appointing authority that adopts a
program under section (3) of this rule will submit a formal written policy and
updates to the director for review.
*Original authority: 36.060, RSMo 1945, amended 1971, 1979,
1993, 1995 and 36.070, RSMo 1945, amended 1979,
1995.