COVID-19 Pandemic: Temporary Voluntary Sick Day Bank Policy and Procedure

To assist full- and part-time regular staff employees during the COVID-19 pandemic, the University of Pittsburgh is offering the opportunity for employees to make a one-time donation to or request additional sick time from a Temporary Voluntary Sick Day Bank.

OHR has implemented this temporary policy as part of the University’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is subject to change or termination at any time without prior notice. Employees must be qualified to donate or request sick time. HR Shared Services will confirm eligibility requirements and process their request or donation.

Important procedural details include:

  • Request and donations are made in full-day increments by hours. This is to recognize that some employees work a 7.5-hour day, some work 8-hour days, etc., and that the requests or donations are for those specific hours.
  • Days are based on a staff member’s standard daily hours. Part-time staff member time is prorated based on their percentage of effort.
  • Staff members who have less than 45 days of accrued sick time may not donate to the bank, and donations cannot reduce accrued days below the 45-day threshold.
  • Once a staff member donates time, that amount will be deducted from their balance and added to the general sick day bank.
  • Donated sick days are not refundable. However, if they meet the eligibility requirements, individuals who donate will be eligible to draw from the bank should the need arise.
  • Department administrators may request sick time on behalf of the employee in need; the administrator should confirm the employee's FMLA/Leave of Absence request prior to asking for sick time for the employee.

The option to donate to, and request from, this bank is effective starting Monday, April 13, 2020.

Please review the Temporary Voluntary Sick Day Bank announcement for guidelines and protocol regarding the Temporary Voluntary Sick Day Bank. Explore the COVID-19 Resources for Managers SharePoint site for the full Temporary Voluntary Sick Day Bank policy and procedure.

If you have any questions, please contact HR Shared Services by submitting a request via the online OHR web form.