605: Sick Leave

Updated July 22, 2026

Statement

Georgetown University provides employees with paid sick leave to care for their own (or a family member’s) illness, medical treatment, safety, or medical care.

Philosophy

The University recognizes the importance of every employee taking care of their own health, safety, and wellbeing, along with those of their family. Therefore, sick leave is provided to employees as outlined in this policy, and in compliance with the D.C. Accrued Sick and Safe Leave Act of 2008 (“Sick and Safe Act”) and other applicable state laws.

Procedures

Eligibility 
All administrative employees (Staff and AAP), Postdoctoral Fellows, Law Center Fellows, and temporary employees are eligible for sick leave under this policy. Faculty should refer to the Faculty Handbook and their Campus Policies for details on paid leave options due to illness.  

Use of Sick Leave 
Employees must request and record all sick leave in the Georgetown Management System (GMS). Eligible employees may use sick leave hours for:

  • Absence due to personal illness or injury, including the unpaid waiting period for Short Term Disability and absence covered by the Family and Medical Leave policy;
  • Absence due to the illness or injury of an employee’s immediate family member, including absence covered by the Family and Medical Leave policy;
  • Health maintenance;
  • The first three days of absence related to a workers’ compensation injury;
  • Absences occuring if an employee or an employee’s family member is a victim of stalking, domestic violence, or sexual abuse, to obtain assistance for or with medical services (including psychological or other counseling), victim’s services, legal proceedings associated with the offense, or other reasonable actions related to the victim or their recovery.

To use sick leave, an employee must follow their department’s established call-in procedure or scheduling procedure for health maintenance appointments.

Sick leave may not be used while an employee is on other approved paid leave or on an approved, unpaid leave of absence (e.g., for education or personal reasons).

For the purpose of this policy, immediate family is defined as an employee’s spouse or domestic partner, legally domiciled adult, parent(s) (including parents of a spouse or domestic partner), legal guardian, children (including foster children and grandchildren), spouses of children, grandparents, siblings (including siblings’ spouses), a child who lives with an employee and for whom the employee permanently assumes and discharges parental responsibility, or any person who stands in the same relationship.

Sick Time Allocation & Accrual
Full-Time Staff and AAP (Allotment Method)
Full-time employees (75% FTE or greater) receive 40 hours of paid sick leave placed into their Sick Leave bank upon hire and each year thereafter on their work anniversary. Unused sick days roll over from year to year, up to a maximum accrual cap of 240 hours. 

Part-Time Staff, Temporary Employees, Postdoctoral Fellows, and Law Center Fellows (Accrual Method)
These employees accrue 1 hour of sick leave for every 30 hours worked in their Sick and Safe Leave bank, unless otherwise specified by a distinct contract or local law, up to a maximum accrual of 112 hours.

Increments of Use
In accordance with federal law requirements (per HR Policy 804) and consistent with the increments of use for PTO, partial day absences are not permitted for employees in exempt positions (i.e., salaried positions) when using sick leave. Employees in non-exempt positions (i.e., hourly positions) may use sick leave in full day or 15-minute increments.

Documentation
Departments will monitor leave records to prevent abuse of the sick leave policy and procedure.

If an employee requests to use three or more consecutive days of sick leave, their supervisor may require the employee to present a signed document or letter from a healthcare provider affirming the illness, or other reasonable safe leave documentation if the qualifying leave is not related to an illness. If a supervisor identifies evidence of a pattern of abuse of paid leave, they may require the employee to present documentation more frequently (i.e., for absences of fewer than three days).

If an employee fails to provide requested documentation, the employee will not be paid for the sick leave and may receive corrective or disciplinary action. Once a sick leave bank is exhausted, an employee may use PTO or take unpaid leave while applying for Short Term Disability (if eligible).

Responsibilities 

• The Department of Human Resources is responsible for administering this policy, in addition to communicating with and advising supervisors and employees in compliance with DC law.

• Supervisors are responsible for explaining this policy to employees, approving requests for sick leave, and monitoring the use of such leave.

• Employees are responsible for requesting sick leave as far in advance as possible and following the appropriate leave request procedures established by their departments.

• Employees are also responsible for providing medical documentation or reasonable certification upon the request of their supervisor.

Transfer, Termination, and Reinstatement

Full-Time Staff and AAP Employees

  • When a full-time employee transfers to another department within the organization, all unused sick leave transfers with them to the new department. 
  • Sick leave is not a termination benefit*; no payout is made upon termination, separation, or retirement. 
  • Following separation, if an employee returns within one year to an eligible status, unused sick leave will be reinstated.

Part-Time, Temporary, Postdoctoral, and Law Center Fellows

  • Accumulated sick leave is not a termination benefit* and will not be paid out upon termination or separation.
  • If an employee transfers out of these specific classifications into a full-time administrative or academic role, balances do not transfer and are forfeited at the time of transfer.

*The University will abide by specific state law regulations regarding sick leave accrual, usage, and payout where applicable.

D.C. Accrued Sick and Safe Leave Act

In compliance with the D.C. Accrued Sick and Safe Leave Act of 2008 (“Sick and Safe Act”) and amendments thereto, staff employees may use unscheduled paid leave for absences due to the employee’s, or a family member’s, illness or to seek legal protection from domestic violence or sexual abuse, as required by law.  Managers may not deny requests for leave when the leave is being used consistent with the Sick and Safe Act.  Unscheduled leave will be paid if the need for leave is unforeseeable and an employee has given verbal notice at the start of the work shift for which paid leave is requested, or if an employee has an emergency, within twenty four hours of the onset of the emergency. Departmental call in procedures must allow for notification of this type. Questions regarding the scope of the law should be directed to Human Resources.

For Employees Hired Prior to September 1, 1990

Prior to September 1, 1990 Georgetown University granted paid sick leave to eligible employees to use for personal illness or injury. In certain circumstances, such sick leave may also be used to care for ill or injured family members. Staff employees hired before September 1, 1990, who retained accrued sick leave hours may use such hours for covered reasons. 

Resources

Contact your Client Service Partner, found here, in the Department of Human Resources if you have questions or if you would like more information about this policy.