A. Hospitalization leave shall be provided for full-time employees under plan “A,” in addition to sick leave authorized hereunder, as insurance against loss of income when employees are unable to perform assigned duties because of scheduled surgical procedures, urgent medical treatment, or hospital inpatient admission.
B. Employees shall be entitled to 30 days of hospitalization leave each calendar year. Hospitalization leave shall not accumulate from year to year. Employees may not convert hospitalization leave to vacation or any other leave, nor may they convert hospitalization leave to any additional benefit at time of retirement.
C. Employees who are unable to perform their duties during a shift due to preparations (such as fasting, rest, or ingestion of medicine) for a scheduled surgical procedure, may report the absence from the affected shift as hospitalization leave, with the prior approval of their division head or supervisor.
D. An employee who must receive urgent medical treatment at a hospital, emergency room, or acute care facility, and who is regularly scheduled for work or unable to perform their duties during a shift (or work day) due to urgent medical treatment, may report the absence from the affected shift as hospitalization leave. Similarly, an employee who is absent from work while on approved leave is also allowed to claim hospitalization leave
1. An employee who wishes to claim hospitalization leave is responsible to report the receipt of urgent medical treatment to the employee’s division head or supervisor as soon as practical.
2. For purposes of use of hospitalization leave, urgent medical treatment includes at- home care directed by a physician immediately after urgent medical treatment and within the affected shift.
E. Employees who, because they are are admitted as an inpatient to a hospital for medical treatment, are unable to perform their duties, may report the absence from duty while in the hospital as hospitalization leave.
F. Medical treatment consisting exclusively or primarily of post-injury rehabilitation or therapy treatment, whether conducted in a hospital or other medical facility, shall not be counted as hospitalization leave.
G. An employee requesting hospitalization leave under this section may be required to provide verification of treatment or care from a competent medical practitioner.