An appointment pertaining to health would include: routine doctor appointments, visit to an urgent or emergency care facility, physicals, dentist appointments, optometry exams, therapy, mental health appointments, or physician prescribed appointments.

Salary Continuation Guidelines for Staff Members Appointments Pertaining to Health

1. Staff members must meet their employment obligation of regular and reasonable attendance.
    
2. Salary continuation/sick time may not be used beyond what is considered reasonable for the specific situation.
    
3. Salary continuation/sick time is primarily intended to protect the income of staff members while disabled.
    
4. Staff members must make a reasonable effort to schedule appointments to not disrupt their departments operations.
   • Staff members should consider scheduling appointments before or after the work day, if available. If scheduled during the workday, the staff member shall discuss with their supervisor how to handle the remainder of their work day (i.e. job responsibilities, work schedule).
      
5. Staff members are encouraged to schedule routine appointments at an office location that will minimize travel time (near campus or home).
    
6. Staff members are encouraged to not schedule non-emergency appointments in close proximity to other absences.
    
7. Staff members are responsible to follow the established work rules or protocol in their department for any absences during work time (i.e. what number and who to call, notification of other office staff, etc.).
    
8. Staff members shall notify his or her supervisor of an absence in advance as soon as possible and shall state the expected duration thereof when possible.
    
9. If requested by the University, acceptable proof shall be furnished regarding the need for the absence. The University will then determine if the reason qualified for use of salary continuation/sick time.
    
10. Supervisors should not request a specific diagnosis but staff members must provide information regarding the need for their absence. For example: dentist appointment, doctor appointment, eye appointment, therapy, medical procedure, etc.
     
11. In order to comply with the Family and Medical Leave Act, time off from work of 10 consecutive work days or longer due to a staff members surgery or medical condition will require that doctors documentation be submitted to HR prior to time off from work. If unforeseeable, doctors documentation must be provided as soon as practicable under the facts and circumstances of the particular case.
    • Paperwork can be found at: https://www.gvsu.edu/hro under Forms-Benefits for the University Medical Leave Application, titled  Certification of Health Care Provider-Self.
    • Information about the Family & Medical Leave Policy can be found on the University Policies site. 
       
12. Staff members engaging in other employment or profit making activities while collecting salary continuation/sick time may lose rights to salary continuation/sick time as well as to continuation as a staff member of the University.
     
13. Examples of inappropriate salary continuation/sick time usage for appointments pertaining to health would include: car problems or repair, veterinarian appointments, home or property repair (electric, furnace, cable), hair appointments, fitness camps, and spa resorts.