ADA Office

The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides a valuable resource for support and information during difficult times. The EAP is a free, voluntary, and confidential program that provides problem identification, counseling, and referral services for employees and their covered dependents, regardless of the health plan chosen. Employees will be directed to counseling services for assistance with a variety of concerns. All calls and counseling sessions are confidential, except as required by law. No information will be disclosed unless written consent is given. Management consultations are available when an employee's personal problems are causing a decline in work performance. For further information regarding the EAP, refer to the Benefits Handbook.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE?

• Active employees and their eligible dependents participating in the State Employees Group Insurance Program may access this benefit.

• Active employees, full time and part-time (50% or greater), who have elected not to participate in the health, dental, and vision coverage of the State Employees Group Insurance Program may access this benefit.

WHAT NUMBER DO I CALL FOR SERVICES?

•  Active employees who are not represented by the collective bargaining agreement between the State and AFSCME must contact the EAP Behavioral Health Administrator. Getting help is easy, convenient, and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Call: 833-955-3400 or view benefits at https://www.compsych.com/

•  Bargaining unit employees represented by AFSCME Council 31 and covered under the master contract agreement between the State of Illinois and AFSCME must access EAP services through the Personal Support Program. See Plan Administrator and website information.

Call: 800-647-8776 or view benefits at www.afscme31.org

1. Contact your department immediately if you are going to be away from work for a serious illness or injury of yourself, spouse, child, parent, or domestic partner. Certain conditions may qualify for Family Medical Leave (FMLA) and/or Extended Sick Leave (ESL). Extended Sick Leave applies to civil service employees only and can be used to care for a spouse, child, parent, domestic partner or member of your household with a serious health condition in accordance with the ESL policy. The ESL policy is copied below:

• In addition to the regular sick leave referred to above, Extended Sick Leave (ESL) will be granted to all eligible civil service employees at the rate of 20 work days per fiscal year. ESL will be proportionate to the percentage of full-time equivalent (FTE) employment. Employees must have worked at least 6 months in a status position to be eligible for the benefit.
• Any absence that qualifies for Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) will be eligible for the Extended Sick Leave benefit with proper documentation. The leave must be approved by Human Resources for the employee to use the ESL benefit. ESL can be used intermittently and for an illness or injury of a member of the immediate family or household. For these purposes, the immediate family is defined as spouse, domestic partner, child and parent. Household includes anyone who maintains a family relationship with an employee and lives in the employee's home. ESL may not be carried over from one fiscal year into the next. If an absence covered by ESL extends from one fiscal year into another, the employee must return to work before becoming eligible for an additional 20 days in the second fiscal year, unless otherwise approved due to a catastrophic illness. Employees who are not in active pay status are not eligible for this benefit. Vacation and regular sick leave will continue to accrue during the use of the ESLB. Extended sick leave time, in cases of employees who are eligible, will be deducted from the 12-week family and medical leave entitlement. Prior to returning to work from extended sick leave due to an employee's own medical condition, the employee must obtain a medical release, in accordance with the policy for Medical Certification, Examination, and Inoculation.

2. Contact Human Resources at 453-6690 to receive a medical leave packet. This packet can be mailed to you, picked up in Woody Hall room 106, or accessed on the webpage at this link, https://hr.siu.edu/forms/sick.php. The packet will include the following:

•  Certification of Physician or Practitioner
  •  Must be completed by the physician and include-
    • Supporting Medical Information
    • Treatment
    • Recovery Period
  • It is recommended the employee take a copy of their current job description to help the physician in completing the certification. Job descriptions can be obtained at Employment and Classification in Woody Hall room 152.
  • Extended Sick Leave/Worker’s Compensation Reimbursement Agreement
  • Medical Release
  • Your Rights under the Family & Medical Leave Act

If the form is not completed with all required information, the approval of your leave will be delayed until the appropriate information is obtained.

3. Once Human Resources has reviewed the Certification, a notification will be sent to you indicating whether or not you are approved for Family and Medical Leave and/or Extended Sick Leave. Your department will also receive notifications regarding your leave. If the leave is for your own condition, the notification will also state an approximate return to work date. If you are unable to return on that date, additional information from your physician will be necessary.

4. Intermittent leave schedules should be coordinated thru Human Resources prior to the start of your leave. In some cases, intermittent leave schedules are subject to coordination with your department.

5. If the absence for your health condition promises to exceed 60 calendar days, notify Human Resources about applying for disability.

6. If you are on leave for your own illness, you must provide Human Resources with a return to work slip from your physician. If your doctor has listed any restrictions on your release, you must provide a copy PRIOR to your return. Human Resources will review the restrictions with your department to determine if you will be able to perform your duties according to your job description. You CANNOT return to work with restrictions until/unless the University agrees to accept the limitations.

7. If you have any questions concerning the medical leave process, please contact the applicable Human Resource representative listed below:

Faculty/AP employee leaves – 453-6685
Civil Service leaves – 453-6690