The Library will be closed on Fri, Apr 19 for staff training. We'll reopen at 9am on Sat, Apr 20.
P-11 Serious Illness or Death in Family.
Approved by the Library Board of Trustees, November 21, 2023.
Up to five paid workdays per calendar year will be granted for absence due to serious illness of any family member, defined as a mother, father, son, daughter, husband, wife, brother, sister, grandparent, grandchild, in-law, aunt, uncle, or a person who lives with the employee. All requests for absence due to serious illness of any family member must be submitted in writing to the Library Director for approval and must provide additional information supporting the need for a leave.
In addition, up to five paid workdays[1] per death of a family member as defined above will be granted.
If the employee is not a family member as defined above but is the Executor of the estate of the Deceased, the employee will be granted up to five paid workdays.
Workday hours paid will be based on the employee’s regularly scheduled hours.
If the employee needs more time, the employee may apply for leave of absence in accordance with policy P-13, Unpaid Leave of Absence (Personal Leave of Absence).
If the employee is working when notified of the illness or death, the employee is paid for that day when notified plus five following days.
Illinois Child Bereavement Leave Act
The Library abides by the Illinois Child Bereavement Leave Act (CBLA). Employees who are eligible under CBLA are those who have been employed by the Library for at least 12 months and who have worked for at least 1,250 hours during the 12-month period preceding the leave.
Eligible employees are entitled to a maximum of 10 workdays of unpaid bereavement leave following the death of a child[2]. Employees may be entitled to up to 6 weeks of bereavement leave in the event of the death of more than one child during a twelve-month period. The time may be used to grieve, make arrangements necessitated by the death of the child, or attend a funeral or memorial service for the child.
Leave must be completed within 60 days after the date the employee receives notice of the death of a child. Employers are entitled to 48 hours’ notice before the leave unless it is not practicable. Employers may require documentation to verify the necessity of the leave. Child bereavement leave may not be taken in addition to unpaid leave permitted under the Federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and may not exceed unpaid leave time allowed under the law.
Illinois Child Extended Bereavement Leave Act
The Library abides by the Child Extended Bereavement Leave Act (CEBLA). The act allows full-time employees (who have worked for the Library for at least two weeks) to take up to six weeks of unpaid leave from work to grieve the loss of a child[3] who dies by suicide or homicide.
Employees may take leave in one continuous period or intermittently in increments of no less than four hours. Leave must be taken within one year after the employee notifies the Library of the loss. If an employee takes unpaid leave under this Act, they cannot also seek additional unpaid leave under Illinois’ Family Bereavement Leave Act relating to the same death.
The Library may require employees to provide reasonable advance notice of the intention to take leave and require reasonable documentation substantiating the reason for leave. Reasonable documentation would include a death certificate, published obituary, or written verification of death, burial, or memorial services from a mortuary, funeral home, burial society, crematorium, religious institution, or government agency.
When returning from bereavement leave, employees are entitled to the position they held when the leave began. If that position has been filled or is no longer available, returning employees are entitled to an equivalent position with equivalent pay, benefits, and responsibilities.
[1] The Library will comply with the Illinois Victims’ Economic Security and Safety Act (VESSA). Depending on the circumstances, additional unpaid time off may apply.
[2] For purposes of the CBLA, “Child” means an employee’s biological, adopted, or foster child, a stepchild, a legal ward, or a child of a person standing in loco parentis.
[3] For purposes of the CEBLA, “Child” means an employee’s biological, adopted, or foster child, a stepchild, a legal ward, or a child of a person standing in loco parentis.