Leaves

At Johns Hopkins Health System, we believe in our employees and the work that they do. That’s why we provide leave programs to support you to be your best at work and at home.

Paid and unpaid leave programs are available if you need time away from work for a variety of reasons, such as becoming a new parent, health conditions, caring for a sick or injured family member, or other personal reasons.

On this page, you’ll find information about types of leave, eligibility, how to apply, how you get paid while on leave, and more. For information about Short-and Long-Term Disability, visit the Disability page.

Types of Leave

Family and Medical Leave

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allows up to 12 work weeks of unpaid, job protected leave in a 12-month period.

You’re eligible for FMLA if you have worked for at least 12 months and 1,250 hours during a 12-month period. For example, if you were hired April 1, 2014, and regularly scheduled to work 40 hours per week, you’d be eligible for FMLA effective April 1, 2015.

Qualifying reasons for FMLA:

  • Birth and care of a newborn child
  • Adopting or fostering a child
  • Caring for a child, spouse or parent who has a serious health condition
  • A serious health condition that makes you unable to perform the functions of your job
  • Military exigency or to care for a covered service member

Leave of Absence

If the reason for your time away from work isn’t qualified under FMLA, or you have used up all available FMLA, you may request a Leave of Absence (LOA).

All employees are eligible to apply for a LOA. Your position is not guaranteed upon your return to work and is subject to current staffing needs and availability.

A LOA is for an absence that’s more than 14 calendar days. The maximum length of a LOA is six months, including any FMLA period, except for certain medical leaves that extend beyond six months. This leave cannot be used intermittently.

There are many types of LOA:

  • Health: an unpaid leave for when you have a serious medical condition that does not qualify for FMLA, or if you have used up all available FMLA hours. Health LOA is considered an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) job accommodation.
  • Dependent Care: an unpaid leave for when you need to care for an immediate dependent for a reason that does not qualify for FMLA, or if you have used up all available FMLA time. Dependent care LOA also includes up to four weeks of additional bonding time for new parents after the birth or adoption of a child. Proof of dependent relationship is required.
  • Personal: an unpaid leave to attend personal, educational, or non-health related needs or emergencies if all your paid time off has been used. This leave is subject to department approval, and supporting documentation may be required.

Notes while on Health or Dependent Care LOA:

  • Your medical, dental, vision, healthcare flexible spending account, life and AD&D insurance will continue while on LOA. You must pay your premiums directly.
  • If you’re enrolled in voluntary benefits, such as Aflac, Unum, etc., you need to pay the insurance carrier directly to continue these benefits while on LOA.

Paid Parental Leave (PPL)

Paid Parental Leave provides temporary income replacement for employees who are on FMLA or a LOA in order to welcome a new child into their family through birth or adoption. This includes paid time off for male and female parents and is inclusive of birth recovery and bonding time. To calculate your total available hours for PPL, multiply what percent FTE you are by 160. For example

You’re eligible for PPL if you:

  • had 12 months of continuous employment prior to the birth or adoption, and
  • are regularly scheduled to work at least 30 per week.

Limited and Casual/On Call employees are not eligible for PPL. PPL runs concurrent with your leave and is not an extension of your FMLA or LOA.

Education Leave

Education Leave provides unpaid time away from work to attend college full time in order to complete a degree program from an approved accredited institution.

Educational Leaves are subject to department approval. All paid time off must be exhausted before you can apply for an Educational Leave.

Military Leave

Military leaves allow eligible employees time away from active employment for the purpose of serving in the Armed Forces of the United States or with a Reserve or National Guard component, or the commissioned corps of the Public Health Services or other category designated by the President, in accordance with applicable law. Military leaves, unlike other leave types, may be provided for up to five years, maximum.

For more detailed information on military leaves, see the Military Leave policy .

How leaves work with other benefits

Depending on which type of leave you take, other benefits may be used at the same time and can’t be delayed until the end of your leave. View this chart to see which types of leave run concurrently with other benefits.

How to request a leave

 Follow these steps to request a leave:

  1. Notify your director or manager of the need to take a leave of absence.
  2. Submit your request:
    • For a Leave of absence or Paid Parental Leave, contact Sedgwick at 844-263-3121 or sedgwick.com .
    • For Short-Term Disability, contact MetLife at 833-622-0136.
  3. Provide supporting documentation (if required) by the deadline:
    • MetLife or Sedgwick will determine approvals for leave and disability requests.
    • Your director or manager will determine approvals for personal, educational, and dependent care leave requests.

How you are paid while on leave

Week 1

If you have available hours in your paid time off (PTO) bank, then PTO will be used during the first week, 7 calendar days/40 hours PTO (100%). Paid Parental Leave (PPL) can be used for birth or adoption if approved hours are received and loaded into the system by the end of the pay period.

Weeks 2–8

After seven calendar days, if approved by MetLife, Short-Term Disability (STD) payments will cover 60% of your paycheck.

  • If you have a serious health condition, illness, or injury, PTO and extended illness Bank (EIB) hours will be paid concurrently with STD at 40% of your paycheck, if applicable.
  • For birth or adoption, PTO and PPL will be paid concurrently with STD at 40% of your paycheck, if applicable.

Weeks 9–12

If approved by MetLife, STD payments will continue to pay 60% of your paycheck through the remainder of your leave of absence if you have a serious health condition, illness, or injury.

  • PTO and EIB hours will continue to be paid concurrently with STD at 40% of your paycheck through the remainder of your leave, if applicable.
  • For birth or adoption, once STD payments end, any available PTO, PPL, or Holiday hours will be used for the remainder of your leave. If you do not have any available hours, the remainder of your leave will be unpaid.

Beyond 12 weeks

If you have a serious health condition, illness, or injury that requires you to extend your leave and disability, please contact MetLife and Sedgwick. If approved by MetLife, your STD will continue to pay 60% of your paycheck and PTO and EIB hours will continue to be paid at 40%, if applicable. If you exhaust PTO and EIB hours, then STD will be the only form of payment.

Long-Term Disability (LTD) is also managed by MetLife. There is a 180-calendar day elimination period. You must have elected the LTD benefit during the benefit enrollment period to be eligible.

STD Payment Guidelines

  • Your own serious health condition or injury: Up to 26 weeks at 60% of your pay. PTO and EIB will run concurrent with STD payments to supplement the remaining 40% of your pay until hours are exhausted. If you have no PTO or EIB hours, then you will only receive approved STD payments.
  • Birth or adoption: Six weeks for a regular delivery or eight weeks for cesarean. After STD payments have ended, your remaining payments will come from PTO and PPL (if applicable). If you have no PTO or PPL, then the remainder of your leave will be unpaid. EIB may not be used in the same FMLA or Health LOA in which PPL has been applied.

Return to work process

Follow these steps through Occupational Health in order to return to work:

  1. You must get a note from your physician that lists your return-to-work date and any restrictions or accommodations you may need, and how long you may need them.
  2. Work with Sedgwick to schedule an appointment with Occupational Health at least two days prior to returning to work. Bring the return-to-work note from your physician to this appointment.
  3. Occupational Health will notify your manager or director if you have been cleared to return with or without restrictions or accommodations.
  • If you’re not cleared to return to work, contact Sedgwick to extend your leave.
  • If you are cleared, you must contact Sedgwick and MetLife to close out your leave and disability.

Please Note: Sedgwick does not return employees to work. You must be cleared through Occupational Health in order to return to work.