NIU first implemented the Family First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) leave program on April 1, 2020, to provide emergency sick leave and extended Family Medical Leave (FMLA) to NIU employees for reasons related to COVID-19. The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) that was recently signed into law extends this program through September 30, 2021 and provides additional benefits to employees.
To continue to support to our employees who are directly impacted by the virus, and to help mitigate the public health emergency arising from the COVID-19 global pandemic, the university will voluntarily extend the provisions first created by the FFCRA through September 30, 2021, and effective April 1, 2021, expand the qualifying reasons to use emergency paid sick leave and extended Family Medical Leave continued by the ARPA.
Please see below for key benefit enhancements to the program effective April 1, 2021:
- Leave benefit program extended through September 30, 2021.
- Employees who previously utilized leave will be eligible again beginning on April 1, 2021.
- Paid sick leave: The previous 10 working days per employee limit will reset after March 31, 2021.
- Paid family leave: The previous 10 working weeks per employee limit for will reset after March 31, 2021.
- After March 31, 2021, the two-week waiting period for extended FMLA is removed.
- After March 31, 2021, an employee can qualify for emergency sick leave for the following reasons:
- Obtaining an immunization related to COVID-19 (the university already offers release time for this reason).
- Recovering from any injury, disability, illness or condition related to the COVID-19 immunization.
- Seeking or awaiting the results of a diagnostic test for, or a medical diagnosis of COVID-19, when the employee has been exposed to COVID-19 or the employer has requested a test or diagnosis.
Employees needing FFCRA leave benefits
If you need to apply for leave, you should complete the online leave request on the Human Resource Services (HRS) website. You will also be directed to this information by HRS if you have self-reported through the online COVID-19 Screening Checklist that you have tested positive for COVID-19, are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, or have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19. Please see the Family First Coronavirus Response Act Fact Sheet for more information.
Employees needing emergency sick leave after receiving the COVID-19 immunization
If you are unable to work following the COVID-19 immunization, you should notify your supervisor and follow your normal sick leave call in procedures. Please do not submit a COVID-19 Screening Checklist if you recently received the COVID-19 vaccine and you are experiencing side effects of the vaccine (fever, chills, fatigue, headache, and body aches). A checklist should only be submitted if side effects begin or last 4 days following vaccination with day 1 being the date of the vaccination. For example, if the date of vaccination is Thursday, only submit COVID-19 Screening Checklist if side effects begin or last beyond Sunday. If your side effects from the vaccine begin or last beyond 4 days from the date of vaccination, you will be required to quarantine for the 10-day period used for employees with symptoms of COVID-19.
If you would like to apply for emergency sick leave benefits for the days you missed work following your immunization, please complete the online leave request on the HR website after you return to work so you can indicate on the leave request the days that were missed. You will be required to upload a copy of your vaccination record in the online leave request as documentation before your leave request can be submitted. Any days used for this reason will be deducted from the 10-working day allocation.
Hourly Timesheets and Salaried Benefit Usage Forms
Hourly employees who are using paid emergency sick leave benefits should report regular hours on their timesheet and indicate ‘COVID-19 sick leave’ in the comments section. Salaried employees who are using emergency sick leave benefits should not report the time on their benefit usage form. All pay for salaried employees will be based on their leave request.
Please direct any questions regarding this communication to HRSCOVID@niu.edu.
Thank you for your service to the NIU community.
