Leave without pay shall be granted in writing by the Vice President for Human Resources upon recommendation by the unit head and Provost/or vice president/dean. An employee granted such leave shall be an employee of the university while on such leave and shall be returned to the original position or a comparable position within the same pay grade, salary, plus any general increases awarded during that period. When the employee is returned to active status, this leave shall not constitute a break in continuous or creditable service in considering eligibility for sick leave, vacation leave, general pay adjustments, and other university benefits and privileges. The university's contribution toward an employee's health and retirement benefits cease during a period of leave without pay. An employee may continue his or her health care benefits on a self-pay basis.
 
A leave of absence without pay may be granted for personal convenience (such as extended vacation, travel, study, childcare, etc.) upon recommendation of the unit head and with the approval of the Vice President for Human Resources for a period of time not exceeding six months. All applicable accrued leave shall be expended prior to the beginning of leave without pay.
 
In exceptional cases, a leave of absence without pay may be extended to twelve (12) months by the Vice President for Human Resources upon recommendation by the unit head and the Provost/vice president/dean. All applicable accrued vacation leave shall be expended prior to the beginning of any other leave without pay. Upon expiration of the extended leave, every effort will be made to place the employee in a comparable position with the university. However, the university cannot guarantee employment at the expiration of an extended leave.
 
An employee shall not earn vacation or sick leave accruals for any period not in pay status. Leave without pay for personal convenience shall not be granted if it would cause undue hardship on the operation of the department or on the working conditions of other employees in the department. 

PER-4.13 Temporary Medical Leave

http://louisville.edu/hr/policies/definitions

1. The employee must discuss the personal leave with their immediate supervisor.

2. The employee must complete the appropriate sections of the Personal Leave Without Pay Request Form and attach any necessary supporting documentation. The request must be submitted to the VP/Dean/Designee thirty (30) days before the expected leave date for approval/denial.

3. The completed request and proposal are forwarded to the employee’s immediate supervisor for approval. The immediate supervisor will collaborate with the employee on adjusting the plan as needed.

If the request is approved, the supervisor will fill out the appropriate sections and sign the request. A written plan describing how the applicant's duties and responsibilities will be met during the period of the leave. If such coverage cannot be satisfactorily arranged, the leave request will not be granted.

If the request is denied, the supervisor must include a written reason for denial (a copy shall also be provided to the applicant).

4. The request, with immediate supervisor approval, is then forwarded to the appropriate VP/Dean/Designee. The VP/Dean/Designee must approve or deny the Personal Leave Request within thirty (30) days.

If the request is approved, the VP/Dean/Designee must sign the Personal Leave Request Form request and forward to the Office of Human Resources to determine if the leave meets the eligibility requirements for the requested Personal Leave.

If the request is denied, the VP/Dean/Designee must include a written reason for denial on the Personal Leave Request Form.

5. If the request is approved, the Office of Human Resources will communicate the approval for the request to the applicant, the staff member’s immediate supervisor, and VP/Dean/Designee. The approval will state the dates of leave and the expected return date.

If the request is denied, the Office of Human Resources will provide a written reason for the denial to be communicated with the applicant, staff member’s immediate supervisor and VP/Dean/Designee.

**The Employee may withdraw their request for personal leave without pay at any point during these procedures.