Employee Engagement

Purpose of Process (see below how HRnetSource™ can help):

To provide employees with time off for personal reasons in a manner that is:

• Consistent, fair and equitable, and
• Supportive of company needs.

Recommended Steps in the Process:

1. An employee requests a personal leave, preferably before the leave commences. If that is not possible due to personal emergency, then the employee should request a personal leave as soon as possible after beginning the leave.
   
   
2. Provide guidance to the manager, as needed, in making the approval (or denial) decision. Check if the circumstances of the employee's leave request qualifies for a Family Leave:
   • The birth, adoption or foster care placement of a child;
   • The employee's serious health condition;
   • For a serious health condition of a spouse, son, daughter or parent
     
     
   If the employee's leave may qualify as a family leave, refer the the Family Leave process. Otherwise, refer to the Personal Leave of Absence policy and past practice to help ensure consistency, fairness and equity. If the request is denied, the manager should explain the decision. If the request is approved the process continues.
   
   
3. Determine the Leave of Absence start date. If the employee uses vacation time, then the leave would begin after vacation time has been exhausted.
   
   
4. If the employee wants to continue health coverage while on leave, calculate the premium cost for the employee and covered dependents (if applicable). Request the employee to pay this amount in advance of the leave.
   
   
5. Provide the employee with the following additional information:
   • Request for Personal Leave of Absence form (see sample form)
   • Policy on Personal Leaves of Absence (see sample policy)
     
     
6. Notify other departments (e.g. Security, Payroll, Accounting, etc.) of the leave, if necessary.
   
   
7. Note the employee's leave date and expected return date in a Leave of Absence log book.
   
   
8. Check the log periodically. Call the employee to verify the expected return date. Communicate the status with the employee's manager.
   
   
9. Upon the employee's return, place the Personal Leave of Absence form in the employee's Personnel file (see Maintaining Personnel Files process).

How HRnetSource™ Can Help:

HRSource™ and SelfSource™ can support the personal leave process:

• HRSource™ tracks leave start and end dates.
  
• Employees can request leave, managers can approve leave, and HR can concur through SelfSource™.
• Managers and employees can view leave history in SelfSource™.
• HRSource™ can provide alerts when the expected return date is approaching.