Wisconsin Administrative Code
Department of Administration-Division of Personnel Management
Chapter ER 18 - Absences
Section ER 18.15 - Catastrophic leave

Universal Citation: WI Admin Code ยง ER 18.15

Current through August 26, 2024

(1) DEFINITIONS. In this section:

(a) "Catastrophic need" has the meaning given in s. 230.35(2r) (a), Stats.

(b) "Donor" means any person meeting the eligibility requirements under sub. (3).

(c) "Employee" means any person who receives remuneration for services rendered to the state under an employer-employee relationship, except unclassified employees of the State of Wisconsin Investment Board, elected officials and limited term employees.

(d) "Leave credits" means earned but unused termination leave, sabbatical leave, personal and legal holiday time, and anticipated and earned but unused annual leave, subject to s. 230.35(1) (b), Stats. "Leave credits" does not include sick leave credits or compensatory time off credits.

(e) "Recipient" means any person meeting the eligibility requirements under sub. (2).

(2) DETERMINING RECIPIENT ELIGIBILITY. To be an eligible recipient, an employee shall satisfy the conditions under par. (a) or (b):

(a) Be an eligible recipient under a catastrophic leave program under a collective bargaining agreement under subch. V of ch. 111, Stats., or;

(b) Satisfy all of the following conditions:
1. Complete the first 6 months of service as a permanent classified, project or unclassified employee.

2. Be absent from pay status due to a catastrophic need of the employee or an immediate family member. Absence from pay status may occur in noncontinuous increments.

3. Anticipate an absence from pay status of at least 160 hours duration. The 160 hours shall be prorated for seasonal, sessional, school year, and part-time employees.

4. Provide medical certification of the catastrophic need if required by the appointing authority.

5. Use all available sick leave credits.

6. Have a leave balance of no more than 16 hours of combined accrued annual leave, including sabbatical or termination leave, and holiday credits.

7. May not be receiving other salary replacement income.

8. Be approved as an eligible recipient by the appointing authority or a designee.

(3) DETERMINING DONOR ELIGIBILITY. To be an eligible donor, an employee shall satisfy the conditions under par. (a) or (b):

(a) Be an eligible donor under a catastrophic leave program under a collective bargaining agreement under subch. V of ch. 111, Stats., or;

(b) Satisfy all of the following conditions:
1. Complete the first 6 months of service as a permanent classified, project or unclassified employee.

2. Have at least one year of continuous service.

(4) LEAVE CREDIT DONATIONS AND USAGE.

(a)
1. Subject to subds. 2. to 5., a donor may donate leave credits to one or more recipients in any calendar year.

2. The total amount of leave credits donated by a donor to all recipients in any calendar year may not exceed 24 hours. The 24 hour limit shall be prorated for seasonal, sessional, school year, and part-time employees.

3. A donor may donate leave credits only to recipients within the same agency, except that donations may be made to recipients in different agencies with the approval of the donor's appointing authority and the recipient's appointing authority.

4. Leave credit donations shall be in whole hour increments and on an hour-for-hour basis irrespective of the base hourly rates of the donor and recipient.

5. Leave credits donated in excess of the maximum number of leave credits required for a recipient shall be returned to the donor.

(b) A recipient may not receive more than 640 hours of donated leave credits during any calendar year. The 640 hour limit shall be prorated for seasonal, sessional, school year, and part-time employees. The donated leave credits shall be used in order of receipt.

(c) In a biweekly pay period, a recipient may not use more than 80 hours of leave or the number of hours consistent with the recipient's regularly scheduled hours per pay period at the time the unpaid leave commenced, whichever is less.

(d) Leave credits earned by a recipient shall be used prior to using donated leave credits, subject to sub. (2) (b) 5. and 6. The appointing authority shall determine the increments in which leave credits are deducted.

(e) If a recipient or donor no longer meets the definition of employee under sub. (1) (c), moves to another agency, or separates from employment, all unused donated leave credits shall be returned to the donor.

(f) Leave credits donated to a recipient are not subject to limitations on end of year carryover of leave credits under ss. ER 18.02(6) (b) and 18.04(4) (c).

(g) Donors shall have the remainder of the calendar year and the first 6 months of the ensuing calendar year in which to use previously donated leave credits returned to the donor during the last 6 months of the calendar year.

(4g) Credit transfers between covered employees in different agencies may occur with the affected agencies' approval.

(4m) If an employee is covered by a catastrophic leave program under a collective bargaining agreement under subch. V of ch. 111, Stats., the provisions of the applicable collective bargaining agreement shall determine eligibility, limitations on the receipt, donation and usage of leave and other conditions of catastrophic leave as they apply to that employee.

(5) APPEAL PROVISIONS. No employee may grieve under an agency's grievance procedure any appointing authority's decision relating to a catastrophic leave program or appeal any such decision to the commission under s. 230.44 or 230.45(1) (c), Stats.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Wisconsin may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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