Extended Illness Bank

• Eligibility

  All employees who are appointed to work at least 20 hours per week (0.5–1.0 FTE) in a benefits-eligible position are eligible for EIB.

• Accruals

  On March 28, 2022, all sick leave hours previously accrued by employees under the state-sponsored sick leave plan will be deposited into their EIB Leave bank within the Kronos timekeeping system.

  Employees will then accrue 40 hours (prorated for FTE status) of EIB each fiscal year. Hours are credited in a lump sum on Sept. 1 and are available for immediate use. New employees are credited EIB hours in a prorated lump sum on their date of hire.

  Please note that employees will receive a prorated lump sum of EIB hours on April 1, 2022, to reflect the number of months remaining in FY22.

  Unused EIB hours may carryforward from one fiscal year to the next with no limits.

  EIB balances are maintained in the Kronos timekeeping system and are viewable by employees, supervisors and timekeepers.

• Using EIB Accruals

  When an employee is unable to work due to their own illness/injury or an immediate family member’s illness/injury, the employee is expected to follow departmental call-in procedures. Unscheduled time off is managed in accordance with UTMB policy and procedures.

  Employees must use PTO, other available accruals or leave without pay for the first 16 hours (prorated for FTE status) of an illness/injury, unless the leave meets the criteria for direct EIB access.

  Time Off Process for Illness/Injury

  • Employee notifies supervisor of need to be away from work for their own illness/injury or an immediate family members’ illness/injury.
  • Employee keeps supervisor informed of their status and date of return, if known.
  • Immediately upon returning to work, employee submits a time-off request through the Kronos timekeeping system using the appropriate myPTO pay code, unless already completed by the employee’s supervisor or department timekeeper.

  Employees or their supervisor should contact HR Leave Management to request Family and Medical Leave (FML) if an illness/injury lasts for five or more consecutive workdays or results in an overnight hospital stay.

  Employees who are out for their own illness/injury for three or more consecutive workdays must present a release from a licensed practitioner clearing them to return to work.

  Employees who exhaust all their available accruals and need more time away from work for an illness/injury or parental leave may be eligible for expanded income protection through UTMB’s reduced paid leave benefit. See the Reduced Paid Leave (RPL) Fact Sheet for more details.

• Direct Access to EIB

  Under the myPTO program, employees will be able to directly access a combined total of 40 hours (prorated for FTE status) of EIB each fiscal year for:

  • Personal wellness activities – personal wellness activities include routine and preventative medical, dental and vision care and other health-related events
  • Care for the illness/injury of employee and immediate family members
  • School-sponsored educational activities for dependent children who are in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade – school-sponsored activities include parent-teacher conferences, tutoring, volunteer programs, field trips, classroom programs, school committee meetings, academic competitions, and athletic, music, or theater programs

  Hours may be used as preferred, and documentation will not be required for the above situations unless an employee is out for their own illness/injury for three or more consecutive workdays.

  Employees will also be able to directly access their EIB accruals for:

  • Hospital admissions that require an overnight stay for employee and immediate family members
  • Continuous or intermittent leave approved by HR Leave Management
  • Leave requests pending approval by HR Leave Management; if a request is denied, the employee must use PTO, other available accruals or leave without pay for the first 16 hours of the leave

  Due to their role and responsibilities, UTMB graduate assistants will be able to directly access their EIB accruals for their own illness/injury or an immediate family member’s illness/injury.

  It is important to note that these direct access provisions do not provide employees with additional paid leave hours. Employees must have accruals available to be able to directly access their EIB.

  Hours may be used in 15-minute increments.

• Conversion of Previously Submitted Time-Off Requests

  Time-off requests submitted through the Kronos timekeeping system for scheduled sick leave (SL) and unscheduled sick leave (SLU) between March 28, 2022, and May 31, 2022, will automatically be changed to EIB, and no further action will be required by employees, managers or timekeepers.

  Any time-off requests submitted for scheduled sick leave (SL) and unscheduled sick leave (SLU) occurring after May 31, 2022, will need to be updated by employees with the appropriate myPTO pay code. (Note: The new pay codes will be released closer to the transition date.)

• Donation of EIB Hours

  Benefits-eligible employees may donate accrued EIB hours to a temporary Major Disaster Recovery Bank (MDRB) or directly to another benefits-eligible employee.

  Donation to Major Disaster Recovery Bank
  Under the myPTO program, employees will be able to donate a portion of their accrued PTO and/or EIB hours to a Major Disaster Recovery Bank (MDRB). The MDRB will be activated as needed on a temporary basis to support other employees who have been adversely affected by a major disaster, as declared by the U.S. President.

  See the Major Disaster Recovery Bank (MDRB) Fact Sheet for more details on donating to and requesting withdrawals from the MDRB.

  Donation of EIB Hours Directly to Another Employee
  Employees may donate accrued EIB hours directly to another employee if the recipient of the donation meets the eligibility requirements for EIB and has exhausted their own EIB balance.

  The dollar value of the donated EIB hours will be included in the donor employee’s taxable income for the pay period during which the donation is made, and UTMB will withhold taxes from the donor employee’s paycheck. The donor employee’s earnings must be sufficient to cover the taxes in order for the donation to be executed.

  See the Direct Sick Leave Donation Overview for more details.

• Status Change

  EIB accrual rate is based on an employee’s FTE status at the beginning of the fiscal year.

  • Employees who move from a part-time to a full-time benefits-eligible position will be credited the difference in EIB hours on the date of the status change.
  • Employees who move from a full-time to a part-time benefits-eligible position will retain all previously accrued EIB hours and will receive the prorated number of hours on Sept. 1.
  • Employees who move from a non-benefits eligible position to a benefits-eligible position will be credited EIB hours in a prorated lump sum based on their FTE status and date of the status change.
  • Employees who move from a benefits-eligible position to a non-benefits eligible position will no longer be able to accrue or use EIB. Accrued but unused EIB hours are frozen until the employee returns to a benefits-eligible status or terminates employment. 
• Separation of Employment

  Employees who separate from UTMB for any reason will not receive payment for accrued EIB hours.

  Restoration of EIB Balance
  Employees who separate from UTMB as a result of a formal reduction in force may have their EIB balance restored if they are reemployed by the state within 12 months.

  Employees who separate from UTMB for any other reason may have their EIB balance restored if they are reemployed by the state within 31 calendar days to 12 months of the date of separation.

  State Agency Transfers
  Employees transferring between state agencies may have their EIB/sick leave balance transferred to the new agency if there is no break in service or they are reemployed by the state within 31 calendar days to 12 months of the date of separation.

  • For employees transferring to UTMB from another state agency that has a traditional leave program, their unused sick leave will transfer as EIB accruals.
  • For employees transferring to UTMB from another state agency that has a paid time off program, their unused EIB hours will transfer as EIB accruals.
  • For employees transferring from UTMB to another state agency that has a traditional leave program, their unused EIB hours will transfer as sick leave accruals.
  • For employees transferring from UTMB to another state agency that has a paid time off program, their unused EIB hours will transfer as EIB accruals.

  Retirement
  Eligible employees may be able to use their EIB and/or PTO accruals to purchase or receive service credit through the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) or the Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS). See the State Service Credit Fact Sheet for more details.

  Death Benefits
  Upon the death of an active employee, UTMB will pay the estate of the deceased for one-half of their accrued EIB hours or for 336 hours, whichever is less. The employee must have had at least six months of continuous employment with the state for the estate to receive payment. Payment will be calculated at the employee’s monthly or hourly base pay rate at the time of their death.