Interim: Sick Leave for Care of Minor Children

The emergence of the Delta variant of COVID-19, and the timeframe for the approval of the various vaccines for use in children under twelve, has resulted in ongoing uncertainty for parents with children in childcare and K-12 schools throughout the State of Wisconsin. The risk of school or daycare closure and/or quarantine requirements for children will continue into the near future. As a result, University of Wisconsin System employees may be required to be absent from the workplace to provide care for their children when schools or daycares are closed, or when their child has been ordered into quarantine as a result of exposure to an infected individual.

This interim policy temporarily amends UW System Administrative Policy 1212, Sick Leave , to specifically authorize the use of sick leave to care for a minor child whose school or daycare has been closed due to COVID-19 or where a minor child has been required to quarantine as a result of COVID-19 exposure.

2. Related Policies

This policy temporarily amends portions of SYS 1212 Sick Leave .

3. Scope

This policy applies to all sick-leave eligible employees at UW institutions except UW-Madison .

4. Definitions

5. Interim Policy Statement

  1. For the duration of this interim policy, UW System Administrative Policy 1212, Sick Leave, Section 4 (C) Use of Sick Leave, is amended to add the following language:

“ (7) Sick Leave to Provide Care for Child During Quarantine or School/Daycare Closure

    1. Sick leave may be used for temporary care of a an employee’s minor child, or a child to whom the employee stands in loco parentis as defined under29 CFR s. 825.122(d)(3),for a limited period of time for a reason that is specifically related to public health measures implemented to control the spread of COVID-19. Such reasons may include when the child requiring care has been exposed to a contagious disease which requires the child’s confinement, or when the employee lacks needed child care because schools or other places of care are closed or unavailable as a result of public health measures implemented to control the spread of COVID-19. Use of sick leave for these purposes is limited to the period of time required for confinement, closure, or unavailability. An appointing authority may require documentation to justify the granting of sick leave under this subsection.
    2. The medical certification requirement in policy section 4(C)(3), above, shall be waived for the first ten days of sick leave taken under this section, if the employee provides the institution with an attestation affirming the quarantine requirement or school/daycare closure giving rise to the need for temporary care of the child.”

    6. Supplemental Documents

    SYS 1200 Series: University Personnel System Operational Policies