UNPAID LEAVE OF ABSENCE

Submitted by lcmisoi@mainsl.com on Fri, 10/16/2020 - 23:10
Policy: 

At Mains’l we understand circumstances may arise in employee’s lives that are not covered by a state or federal guaranteed leave of absence. It is the policy of Mains’l to grant employees unpaid leave of absence from Mains’l   under certain circumstances and in situations when it can be accommodated.  

Unpaid leave of absences are not required to be given to an employee as other state and other federally mandated leaves. A position with Mains’l may not be guaranteed following an unpaid leave of absence. 

An unpaid leave of absence is reviewed on a case by case basis according to the employee’s needs and the impact of the employee’s absence on their work location and team. A request for an unpaid leave of absence is approved at the discretion of Mains’l in partnership with management and human resources.  
 

Procedure: 

Eligibility

Full time and part time employees may request an unpaid leave of absence if they have complete at least six (6) months of employment.  If the leave is not covered under any other leave policy or regulations, a position with Mains’l is not guaranteed following an unpaid leave of absence.

Use  
The use of unpaid leave is requested by the employee and will be approved at the discretion of Mains’l.

Limits
Eligible employees may request up to three (3) calendar months of unpaid leave within a one year period.

How to Request       
Requests for unpaid leave or any extension of an unpaid leave should be submitted in writing to the
employee’s immediate supervisor 30 days prior, or as soon as possible to the beginning of the leave period or extension of the leave period. The request needs to include the start and end date of the leave.

The supervisor will partner with the designated HR representative to discuss if accommodation can be made without negatively impacting the organization.   

The employee is notified in writing of the decision. The signatures of the supervisor and the designated human resources representative indicates the final decision.   

If a request is not received or not approved and the employee takes the leave, the employee will be considered to have abandoned their employment with Mains’l. 
        
Insurance Benefits     
Employees may continue the coverage in effect before their leave of absence according to the provisions of the insurance contract as well as the Minnesota Insurance Omnibus Bill and the Federal COBRA legislation. Information concerning provisions, restrictions, and cost of insurance under COBRA is sent to the employee. 

If the employee returns to full time work following the leave of absence, they must re-enroll in the insurance plan and are subject to the waiting period.

Other Benefits   
Holiday pay (salaried employees) will not be paid during an unpaid leave of absence.
    
Return to work        
It is expected that an employee will contact the supervisor prior to the end of their approved leave of absence. If the position is not available, the employee will be referred to human resources to apply for other positions with in Mains’l.  If an employee does not contact the supervisor at the end of their approved leave of absence, the employee is separated from their employment. Upon returning to work it is important for an employee to complete any missed trainings that would have occurred for their position during their absence. 

Interpretation 
The human resource department is responsible for interpreting the Unpaid Leave of Absence policy and procedure.
    

Rev. 2/18/2020, HR Policy Team