Leaves of Absence

ASU recognizes that circumstances due to a personal or family illness or other life events may arise and require you to be away from work for an extended period. 

The university provides leave of absence options when you need to take time away from work. If you require an extended absence of more than three consecutive workdays, start the leave of absence process. 

Leaves of absence do not apply if you are on a short work break or taking a planned vacation. Review the Vacation Leave policy for more information. 

Academic professionals, faculty and staff can request a leave of absence through Workday. Refer to the “Request and Return from Leave of Absence” guide for detailed instructions. Note that employees cannot request a leave of absence more than two months in advance. 

The Office of Human Resources, department HR representatives, supervisors and other necessary approvers will receive notification when an employee submits a leave request. Upon receiving the task, they will send the employee a Leave Packet with all required documentation. 

A leave of absence provides approved time away from work. You may request a leave of absence for any of the following reasons: 

• Birth or bonding with a new child. 
• Care for a covered family member. 
• Military service and training. 
• Personal health condition. 
• Personal reasons. 

You can take a leave of absence in one of the following ways: 

• Continuously: Full schedule over an uninterrupted period. 
• Intermittently: Leave is taken in separate blocks for treatment or a flare-up. Intermittent leave is not applicable for all leave types.  
• Reduced schedule: A decrease in an employee’s usual number of scheduled working hours per week. 

ASU offers a variety of leave of absence, paid time off plans, and disability benefits that allow employees to have approved time away from work. Please refer to the relevant policies for detailed information about each leave type. 

Family and Medical Leave Act 

FMLA is a federal law that allows eligible staff members, faculty members and academic professionals to take job-protected leave for specific qualifying medical and family reasons. The law ensures that health insurance coverage will continue during the leave under the same terms and conditions as if the leave had not been taken. 

Visit FMLA rights and responsibilities and Employee’s Guide to FMLA for details. 

ASU Leave 

This leave allows eligible staff, faculty, and academic professionals to take leave that the FMLA does not cover. Requests for ASU Leave will be considered and granted at the department’s discretion. 

Military Leave 

Military leave allows staff members, faculty members, and academic professionals who voluntarily or involuntarily enter active service in the armed forces of the United States to be placed on extended military leave without pay for the active service duration. The paid military leave benefits are granted for no more than 30 working days in any two consecutive federal fiscal years — Oct. 1 to Sept. 30. Visit USERRA for details about your rights and responsibilities related to military leave.

Employee medical 

• When you are sick or injured and will not be at work.
• Illness or injury without workers’ compensation.
• Illness or injury under workers’ compensation. 

Family member health 

Time off to care for a spouse, child, parent or member of your established household during an illness or injury. 

Military 

Time off while on active duty or military training in the Arizona National Guard, reserves or other armed forces branch. 

Military family business leave 

Time off to address the business or household needs of a military family member called to or on active duty. 

Military family health leave 

Time off to care for a military family member recovering from an injury or illness suffered while on active duty. 

Parental for birth, placement for adoption, foster care or bonding 

Time off for one of the following situations: 

• Care for and be with a new child in the family.
• Care for or be with a new child in the family through placement for adoption or foster care.
• You, your spouse or domestic partner is going to have a baby. 

Personal 

Requested leave for personal reasons.