Colgate University provides a comprehensive benefit package with time away from work when necessary — including disability benefits, leaves of absence, funeral leave, and more.
Disability Benefits
The disability benefits available to employees help to supplement income if they become disabled and cannot work.
Short-term and long-term benefits are provided by Colgate at no cost to employees.
Short-term disability insurance provides income protection and covers medically necessary, non-occupational disabilities.
Administrators, Staff Coaches, Language Interns, and Faculty
Eligibility: All faculty and administrators who are in regular benefited positions will be covered under this Policy on the date that is coincident with or following 30 days from their date of hire.
Coverage:
- Employees with less than 1 year of continuous service with the University, following the elimination period*, will be paid 60% of their weekly earnings to a maximum of 26 weeks.
- Employees with 1 year or more of continuous service with the University, following the elimination period*, will be paid 100% of their weekly earnings to a maximum of 26 weeks.
*Elimination period means, unless precluded by law, the seven calendar-day period of time that an employee must be disabled before benefits under the Policy will be paid.
Short Term Disability Salary Continuation Policy for Faculty and Administrators
Technicians, Support Staff, Campus Safety Officers, and Facilities Employees
Eligibility: Employees, excluding faculty and administrators, working at least 20 hours per week, are eligible on the day following four weeks of continuous active employment. Active employment means you are working at your work site for earnings that the employer pays you regularly and performing the material and substantial duties of your regular occupation. Active employment includes normal non-work days such as vacation, weekends, and holidays
Coverage replaces 60% of weekly earnings to a maximum of $500 per week. Benefits begin after the elimination period of 7 days and are payable to a maximum of 26 weekly payments.
Short Term Disability Policy- Class 1
Short Term Disability Policy- Class 2- Administrators who transferred to Staff
To be eligible for Colgate University's long-term disability plan (LTD), employees must meet the following criteria:
One year of continuous active employment, with eligibility effective the first of the month following that period. Active employment is defined as performing your regular duties at your worksite, and does not include periods of disability leave.
Employees may be eligible for immediate enrollment in Colgate's LTD plan if they have been enrolled in a group long-term disability plan with their previous employer within 3 months prior to employment with Colgate, and the plan must have offered benefits payable for 5 years or more.
Coverage: After six months of continuous disability, if you meet the definition of disability, employees are eligible to receive a monthly income benefit that equals 60% of their monthly wages to a maximum of $12,500 per month for a maximum duration period as outlined in the policy.
Long-Term Disability Certificate: Employees Under 52
Long-Term Disability Certificate: Employees Over 52
Long-Term Disability Certificate: Facilities Bargaining Unit Employees
Family Leave
Paid Family Leave Benefits
Paid Family Leave (PFL) is a mandatory benefit in New York State, providing eligible employees with job protection and paid time off for certain qualifying events.
Qualifying events include:
- Providing physical or psychological care due to a serious health condition of an employee's family member
- Bonding with the employee’s child:
- during the first 12 months after the child’s birth;
- during the first 12 months after child's adoption or foster care placement;
- absences required from work before an adoption or foster care placement
- needs that arise from deployment, active military service or impending deployment order for employee's spouse, domestic partner, child or parent
Maternity Leave/Parental Leave
Leaves associated with pregnancy or childbirth are subject to the short-term disability policy.
Less than one year of service
Employees who qualify for benefits but have less than a year of service can request an unpaid maternity/parental leave for up to four months in addition to the period of disability. All parental leaves run concurrently with Paid Family Leave.
To be eligible for this benefit, employees must complete three months of employment – or complete the introductory period for hourly staff.
More than one year of service
Employees with more than a year of employment can request up to six months off to care for their newborn or newly adopted child.
University-paid benefits continue during approved parental leaves. Employees may use accrued vacation during this time. Sick time cannot be used unless there is a serious illness.
Breast Milk Expression Policy
Colgate University understands that employees returning to work following the birth of a child may need to express breast milk. The University will provide reasonable break times and a suitable, private location (not a restroom) where an employee may express breast milk.
Generally, these paid breaks are up to 30 minutes as-needed. Employees are entitled to breast milk expression time for up to three years after giving birth.
To ensure proper accommodations are available, employees should reach out to their supervisor or Human Resources.
Leave of Absence
Regular full-time and part-time employees who have completed one year of service with the University may be eligible for a personal leave of absence for up to one year without pay.
Requests should be submitted to the Human Resources Department with written approval from the employee’s supervisor.
During this time, seniority that has accumulated will remain. University-paid benefits are suspended unless they continue at the employee’s expense, and arrangements must be made in advance for employee payments of life and medical insurance during the leave.
If the employee works elsewhere during a leave of absence without prior permission from the Associate Vice President for Human Resources or fails to return at the end of their scheduled leave, the employee’s employment will voluntarily end.
Employees on a leave of absence are not guaranteed reinstatement to their regular position but will be considered for any available positions for which they qualify.
Any full-time and part-time employee may request military leave under the University’s Leave of Absence policy. These leaves are not limited to one year.
Employees who serve in the reserves are eligible for leaves to participate in active duty necessary to maintain military rank. This leave can be granted for up to two weeks and is in addition to vacation. The University will pay the difference between the employee’s regular base salary and military pay during the two-week period. If leave is required for more than for a longer period of time, employees will be granted the time under the University’s Leave of Absence policy.
Additional Time Away From Work
The University provides an insurance benefit with partial income replacement and coverage of medical costs for illness or injury that occurs as a result of employment with Colgate.
Regular full-time and part-time employees are eligible for leave with pay when serving jury duty. Employees must reimburse the University for any jury duty pay (minus mileage payments) received from the State during the time the employee is also receiving pay from Colgate.
Part-time, casual and temporary employees will be paid their regular pay (up to $40 per day) for the first three days of jury duty, if serving when scheduled to work at Colgate.
Employees selected for jury duty and later excused early by the court are expected to report to work.
Employees are eligible for up to three days off with pay when an immediate family member dies.
Immediate family includes mother, father, husband, wife, domestic partner, son, daughter, sister, brother, mother-in-law, father-in-law, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, grandparents, grandparents-in-law, grandchildren, aunt, uncle, and persons in comparable relationships. Foster parents and stepparents also fall under this definition of immediate family.
Supervisor approval for time off is required.
Colgate encourages employees to fulfill their civic responsibilities by voting. Registered voters may take up to two hours with pay to vote. This perk is a benefit of New York election law, which states that registered voters should have at least four consecutive hours to vote from when polls open to the beginning of their shift or between the end of their workday and when polls close.
Employees should notify supervisors of their intent to take time off for voting between two and 10 days before any election.
Questions
An overview of these benefits is detailed in the Employee Handbook.
If you have additional questions, contact Human Resources at benefits@colgate.edu or 315-228-7565.