Sick Leave

How does the Town handle sick leave?

Sick leave with salary is not a right that an employee may demand, but a privilege granted for the benefit of an employee when sick. Policy for taking sick leave: Notification of the desire to take leave should be submitted to the employee's supervisor prior to the leave, but, in any event, not later than one (1) hour after the beginning of the scheduled work day.

How much sick leave does a full-time, regular employee earn?

One day per month of service (3.7 hrs/pay period) or twelve days for each calendar year of service. Sick leave for employees whose workweek is less than full-time shall be calculated proportionately. For accrual information, an employee should check with his/her HR Assistant.

For what circumstances should an employee use sick leave?

When an employee is sick and not able to work. Sick leave may be granted to an employee temporarily absent from work for any of the following reasons: Sickness, bodily injury, required physical or dental examinations or treatment, or exposure to a contagious disease when continuing work might jeopardize the health of others.
When an employee must care for a member of his or her immediate family who is ill. Such leave is normally limited to twelve (12) weeks total in any twelve-month period.
Sick leave may also be used for death in the employee's immediate family or the death of a close relative. For the death of an immediate family member, an employee may take up to five (5) days of sick leave for any one (1) occurrence. For a close relative, sick leave may not exceed three (3) days for any one (1) occurrence. Additional leave time required for any such occurrence may be charged to vacation. For the purpose of this section, "immediate family" is defined as wife, husband, mother, father, guardian, brother, sister, daughter and son. For the purpose of this section, ``close relative'' is defined as mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, grandmother, grandfather, grandson, and granddaughter. Also included in both definitions are the various combinations of "step," "half" and adopted relationships.
Sick leave may also be used to supplement pay received under worker's compensation.
Up to eighty (80) hours of sick leave may be used singly or jointly by parents adopting a child.
An employee on sick leave who, upon advice of a competent physician, is determined by the town to be unable to return to work and who is vested in the retirement system may continue to use accrued sick leave, provided that he/she is actively applying for service or disability retirement. Where the employee is not vested, the employee may exhaust sick leave accrued while employed with the town.
Sick leave shall accumulate without remittal for as long as that person remains an employee of the town.

The employee benefits information posted on this website is intended to provide details and helpful information regarding benefits available to current employees of the Town of Cary. These benefits are also described in detail in contracts with the Town of Cary and/or in Town policy. The provisions of the contracts and Town policies are controlling and subject to change. None of the conditions or limitations thereof are waived or modified by reason of omission or misstatement on this website.