Employees may contribute accrued vacation leave and/or accumulated compensatory time to a Sick Leave Bank that will be available to benefit another employee of the Nebraska Supreme Court who is suffering from a catastrophic illness. Employees may also contribute accrued vacation leave to benefit another State employee in a different agency suffering from catastrophic illness with the agreement of both the receiving agency and the donating agency. Time shall be donated in no less than eight hour increments. The contributing employee must identify the specific amount and type of time on forms provided by the Administrative Office of the Courts for this purpose. Time donated by an employee pursuant to this provision shall be irrevocably added to the Sick Leave Bank. The provisions of this program are nongrievable. (Note: The time an employee receives becomes wages for employment tax purposes.)
Employees who have exhausted their own paid leave because of a bona fide serious illness or injury and who have been absent at least thirty workdays during the past six months may apply for the use of leave that is available in the Sick Leave Bank. Employees who donate vacation leave or accumulated compensatory time to the Sick Leave Bank must sign an authorization indicating such donation.
1. The employee must be suffering a serious illness or injury resulting in a prolonged absence lasting at least thirty work days during the past six months. Note: As a general rule, illnesses which qualify as a “serious health condition” under the Family and Medical Leave Act could be considered eligible for catastrophic illness donation. (This would also include an immediate member of the employee’s family who would have a serious health condition that would require the employee’s presence.)
2. The employee must produce satisfactory medical verification.
3. The employee must have completed the original provisional period with the Nebraska Supreme Court.
4. The employee must have exhausted all earned paid leave time including compensatory time, sick leave, and vacation leave.
5. The employee must not have offered anything of value in exchange for the donation.
6. No more than 9 months of donated leave may be received by an employee during a 12-month period.
1. Only vacation and compensatory time in increments of 8 hours may be donated.
2. The employee must not have solicited nor accepted anything of value in exchange for the donation.
3. The donating employee must have remaining to his/her credit at least 40 hours of accrued vacation leave, if donating vacation leave.
Amended 11-13-03