Leave of Absence Information

All leaves (except vacation and faculty and management professional development leaves) in excess of 10 consecutive working days are considered to be long-term leaves and require both department administrator and Human Resources review and approval. A Request for Leave of Absence Form is available in the Human Resources Forms Library for this purpose and should be routed by the department administrator as indicated on the form.

LCC Process and Required Forms

1. Notify your manager or division dean as soon as you become aware that you will need to be absent from work.
2. Complete the form(s) required and submit it/them to Human Resources as soon as possible. These forms are available in the HR Forms Library.
   • Request for Leave of Absence (required); and,
   • Health Care Provider Certification or other supporting medical documentation/statement from a health care professional (required for only medically related leaves of absence).
3. Notification from Human Resources will be sent upon acceptance and completion of the form(s), which will include information on your rights and responsibilities while on leave.
4. For paid leaves of absence, access your timesheet via ExpressLane each pay period and enter the hours applicable to the leave of absence. For unpaid leaves of absence, you will receive instructions on how (or if) to complete your timesheet while on leave.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Oregon Family Leave Act (OFLA) and Paid Leave Oregon (PFML)

(This is a brief summary of FMLA, OFLA, and PFML and is not a complete text of the law.)

Comparison of FMLA, OFLA, and PFML

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), OFLA Family Leave Act (OFLA), and Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML)

In accordance with FMLA, OFLA and PFML laws, a qualifying leave of absence will be applied concurrently (as allowed by law) to the eligible employee's twelve week leave entitlement under FMLA, OFLA and PFML.

In evaluating an employee's eligibility, the College employs a 52-week "rolling forward" leave year. For OFLA and PFML, with this method, the 12 work week entitlement will begin on the Sunday immediately before the date on which family leave commences and continue for 12 consecutive months. For FMLA, the 12 work week entitlement will begin the day on which family leave commences and continue for 12 consecutive months. Each time an employee takes a leave under FMLA, OFLA and PFML, the leave entitlement is any balance of the remaining twelve weeks which has not been used.

For eligibility details please contact the Leave of Absence Coordinator in Human Resources.

Qualifying Circumstances

Some circumstances may qualify under all three protected leave categories (FMLA, OFLA and PFML) while others may only qualify under one or two of the them. Each qualifying leave is carefully evaluated and concurrently applied toward all eligible and remaining protected leave categories available.

• Employee's own serious health condition, including pregnancy-related conditions
• Serious health condition of an employee's family member
• Newborn, newly adopted or newly placed foster child ("parental leave")
• Non-serious health condition of a child requiring home care ("sick child leave")
• Pregnancy disability (a form of serious health condition)
• Bereavement leave
• Military leave (includes active military service, military caregiver and qualifying exigency under military)
• Survivor of sexual assault, domestic violence, harassment or stalking ("safe leave")

In addition to the above, there are other qualifying leaves in the event of a public health emergency.

Length of Protected Leave

• OFLA - 12 weeks per leave year
  • Exception #1: A female who takes leave for a pregnancy-related disability (including routine prenatal care) may take up to an additional 12 weeks for any OFLA-qualifying purpose.
  • Exception #2: Male or female employees who use a full 12 weeks of parental leave may use up to 12 additional weeks in the same leave year for sick child leave.
  • Exception #3: An employee is entitled to 2 weeks of bereavement leave within 60 days of the death of a covered family member.
• FMLA - 12 weeks per leave year
  • Exception #1: Military caregivers leave can extend to 26 weeks in one leave year.

Serious Health Conditions

• In-patient care
• Critical illnesses or injuries diagnosed as terminal or which pose an imminent danger of death
• Conditions requiring "constant" or "continuing" care
• Permanent or long-term incapacity due to a condition for which treatment may not be effective, such as Alzheimer's disease, a severe stroke, or terminal stages of a disease
• Period of incapacity ("Absence Plus Treatment")
• Incapacity for more than three consecutive calendar days, which also involves: (a) two or more treatments by a health care provider or (b) one treatment followed by a regimen of continuing treatment.
• Absences for pregnancy-related disability
• Absences for prenatal care
• Absences for chronic conditions
• Multiple treatments for conditions that if not treated would likely result in incapacity of more than three days

Examples of illnesses which generally do not qualify as "Serious Health Conditions:"

• The common cold
• Flu
• Earaches
• Upset stomach
• Routine headaches
• Sore throat
• Routine medical or dental visits

Notice Requirements

• Anticipated Leave - Minimum 30 days advance written notice. Employees must follow the employer's policy and applicable union contract or working agreement.
• Leave Anticipated Less Than 30 Days in Advance - If 30 days notice is not possible, employees should give as much notice as practical.
• Unanticipated or Emergency Situations - Employees are required to give verbal or written notice within 24 hours of starting leave.

Recourse for employee's failure to notify - Employers may reduce the total leave entitlement by up to 3 weeks or may take disciplinary action consistent with the employer's policy and applicable union contract or working agreement.

Oregon Paid Family Leave (PFML)

Paid Leave Oregon is program for all Oregon employers and employees that is intended to provide easily accessible paid leave benefits for qualifying life circumstances such as taking time off work for your own serious health condition, caring for a family member with a serious health condition, birth/adoption of a child, or if you have been the victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking or harassment.

Lane Community College has contracted with The Standard for Oregon PFML claims. To file a claim, please call (866) 756-8115. 

Required Notice - Benefits Available Under Oregon Paid Family and Medical Leave

Oregon Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Policy & Endorsements
PFML Benefits Calculator
PFML Eligibility Quiz

Paper Claim Forms
Serious Health Condition of Employee
Serious Health Condition of Family Member
Parental Leave

Human Resources Contact Information

Heidi Morales
Leave of Absence Coordinator
541-463-5592
moralesh@lanecc.edu

Kali Phillips
Benefits Analyst
541-463-5589
phillipsk@lanecc.edu

Sharon Daniel
Talent Acquisition & Development Manager
541-463-5190
daniels@lanecc.edu

Additional information is available in the College Online Policy and Procedure System under "Leaves With and Without Pay".