Frequently Asked Questions
COVID-19 Leave
1. What is COVID-19 Leave?
Effective January 1, 2024, through December 31, 2024, employees who test positive for COVID-19 will be eligible to use up to five (5) days or 40 hours of paid COVID-19 Leave in place of the employee's own leave or leave without pay to recover from COVID-19. Leave is available for an employee who has tested positive for COVID-19 through a PCR or rapid test. This leave is available to State regular, contractual, and temporary employees of the State Personnel Management System (SPMS) and the Transportation Service Human Resource System (TSHRS).
COVID-19 Leave is prorated for part-time employees.
2. When will COVID-19 Leave be available?
Immediately and retroactively to January 1, 2024, through December 31, 2024, with proper documentation and a completed COVID-19 Leave Request form.
3. How is COVID-19 Leave requested?
The employee will need to provide a positive PCR or rapid test result for COVID-19 dated no sooner than three days prior to the first day of leave requested, and no later than the last day of leave requested. Additionally, the employee making the request to use COVID-19 Leave will need to provide a completed COVID-19 Leave Request form. The positive test result and completed form must be submitted to HR no later than the end of the pay period following the pay period in which the leave is used.
4. How does an employee code the timesheet if COVID-19 is granted?
After all documentation has been verified and accepted, timekeepers will grant the COVID-19 time off hours, and the timekeeper will make the corrections to the timesheet as necessary. Timekeepers will not be permitted to adjust timesheets for employees who do not turn in documents by the end of the pay period following the pay period for which the leave is requested.
5. What if an employee does not need to use all 5 days of COVID-19 Leave?
COVID-19 Leave must be used for consecutive days, but an employee is not required to use all 5 days for the employee's illness if the time is not needed. The timekeeper will only grant the hours needed for the employee's current absence.
6. May an employee use COVID-19 Leave if a member of the employee's household tests positive for COVID-19?
No, COVID-19 Leave is only available to the employee who has tested positive using the PCR or rapid COVID-19 test and is recovering from the illness. COVID-19 Leave is not available to be used for the care of a member of the household or for childcare purposes.
7. What if an employee needs more than 5 days to recover from COVID-19?
A maximum of 5 days (or 40 hours) of COVID-19 Leave is available to a full-time employee during the period January 1, 2024, through December 31, 2024. Once the 5-day allotment has been used during this period of time, an employee will be required to use his or her own accrued leave or leave without pay.
8. How are employees on a compressed workweek schedule treated with regard to COVID-19 leave?
Employees are limited to 5 days (or no more than 40 hours) of COVID-19 leave. If, for example, an employee's normal workday on the compressed schedule is 10 hours, the employee may use up to 4 days of COVID-19 Leave consecutively.
