General Information
The Leave of Absence policies apply to most full-time and part-time employees. However, some types of leave may have specific eligibility requirements, which are described in each policy. Different or additional provisions may apply to some types of leave for faculty and to employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement. Faculty members should refer to Faculty HR Policies for additional information on faculty leaves. Union members should refer to their collective bargaining agreement.
A Leave of Absence may be granted for a specified, limited period of time. Depending on the nature of the leave and an employee’s employment situation, a leave may be covered under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), other state or federal statutes governing employee leaves of absences, or Bentley’s Leaves of Absence policies. Examples of leaves include Medical, Parental, Military and Personal Leave. For more details, please see the relevant sections below; employees may also contact their Human Resources Business Partner at any time with questions. A Leave of Absence presupposes that an employee will return to work at the end of the leave. Some leave entitlements may run concurrently. An employee on a Leave of Absence from Bentley may not work at another job while on leave and generally should not be on campus during the leave.
Applying for a Leave
Employees requesting a Leave of Absence must notify both their supervisor and their Human Resources Business Partner as soon as the need for the leave arises. For medically-related leaves employees do not need to disclose their specific medical condition, just the need for the leave and the anticipated duration so the supervisor is aware and can prepare accordingly. Human Resources will provide the employee with documentation in order to formally initiate the request for a Leave of Absence with Lincoln Financial. Lincoln Financial will collect and review all necessary documentation before determining whether the employee is eligible for the type of leave requested. The employee is responsible for providing Lincoln Financial with all required documentation in support of the leave request. Based on the type of leave, Human Resources will inform the employee how the leave will impact pay and benefits.
If the need for the leave is not foreseeable, the employee is still required to notify his/her supervisor and Human Resources as soon as practical. If the need for a Leave of Absence is foreseeable, the request for a leave must be made with as much advance notice as practical.
Typically, when an employee is out for more than five consecutive work days, the employee and the supervisor should contact Human Resources to discuss any potential need for a leave.
Returning to Work
Lincoln Financial will notify Human Resources and your supervisor before the employee returns to work from a leave of absence. In some cases, the employee’s return may be slightly delayed if arrangements need to be made to transition an employee back to work. Employees must also notify Human Resources of any change in the employee’s intended date of return. Lincoln Financial will inform the employee of any necessary documentation that the employee must submit to before the employee will be permitted to return. If the employee’s Leave of Absence was due to their own health condition or an on-the-job injury, the employee may be required to provide a “Fitness for Duty” certificate from the employee’s health care provider, verifying the employee’s ability to return to work, with or without restrictions.
If an employee fails either to return to work at the conclusion of a leave, or to provide the University with a timely and satisfactory explanation for not returning as planned, the employee may be deemed to have resigned.
Lincoln Financial forms to apply for leave or accommodation :
Lincoln Financial Group- Reporting Your Disability Claim/Leave Instructions
Lincoln Financial Group- Accommodations Instructions
Date last revised: March 2020