Employee Leaves
Human Resources Generalist
Leave of Absence Administrator
hr@providenceri.gov
P: 401-680-5616
F: 401-273-9510
25 Dorrance St, 4th Floor
Providence, RI 02903
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
- Purpose: FMLA aims to balance the demands of the workplace with the needs of families by allowing eligible employees to take unpaid leave for specific family and medical reasons without risking their job security.
- Eligibility: To be eligible for FMLA, employees of the City of Providence must have worked for at least 12 months, have worked at least 1,250 hours during the 12 months preceding the start of the leave.
- Qualifying Reasons: FMLA provides leave for specific qualifying reasons, including the birth or adoption of a child, to care for a newborn or newly adopted child, to care for a family member with a serious health condition, or for the employee’s own serious health condition that makes them unable to perform their job.
- Duration of Leave: Eligible employees can take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave during a 12-month period for FMLA-qualifying reasons. Additionally, FMLA provides up to 26 weeks of leave to care for a covered service member with a serious injury or illness incurred in the line of duty.
- Job Protection: FMLA ensures that eligible employees who take leave are entitled to return to their same or an equivalent position with the same pay, benefits, and terms of employment upon their return from leave.
- Health Benefits and Seniority: During FMLA leave, employers are required to maintain the employee’s group health insurance coverage under the same terms as if the employee had not taken leave. Additionally, employees’ seniority and accrued benefits must continue to accrue while on FMLA leave.
- Notice and Documentation: Employees must provide advance notice of their need for FMLA leave when possible and are required to provide documentation, such as medical certifications, to support their leave request.
- Intermittent and Reduced Schedule Leave: FMLA allows eligible employees to take leave intermittently or on a reduced schedule basis when medically necessary, such as for ongoing medical treatments or to care for a family member with a serious health condition.
- Protection from Retaliation: Employers are prohibited from interfering with, restraining, or denying the exercise of FMLA rights by eligible employees. Additionally, employers are prohibited from retaliating against employees for exercising their FMLA rights.
- Enforcement: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division administers and enforces FMLA regulations, investigating complaints and ensuring compliance with the law.
- Purpose: The RIPFMLA aims to balance the needs of employees to take unpaid time off from work for family and medical reasons with the requirements of employers to provide job-protected leave.
- Eligibility: To be eligible for FMLA, employees of the City of Providence must have worked for the previous 12 months continuously, during which time they must have worked on average 30 hours per week for the previous 12 months.
- Qualifying Reasons: RIPFMLA allows eligible employees to take leave for various reasons, including the birth or adoption of a child, to care for a newborn or newly adopted child, to care for a family member with a serious health condition, or for the employee’s own serious health condition.
- Duration of Leave: Eligible employees can take up to 13 continuous weeks of unpaid leave in a 24-month period for RIPFMLA-qualifying reasons.
- Job Protection: RIPFMLA provides job protection to employees who take leave, ensuring that they are entitled to return to their same position or an equivalent position with the same pay, benefits, and terms of employment upon their return from leave.
- Health Benefits: Employers are required to maintain employees’ group health insurance coverage under the same terms as if the employee had not taken leave during the period of RIPFMLA leave.
- Notice and Documentation: Employees are generally required to provide advance notice of their need for RIPFMLA leave when possible and are required to provide documentation, such as medical certifications, to support their leave request.
- Continuous Leave: RIPFMLA only allows eligible employees to take leave continuously. Intermittent or reduced schedules would not be applicable.
- Small Necessities law- Leave will be granted to attend a child’s qualifying school activity *limited to 10 hours in a 12-month period.
- Protection from Retaliation: Employers are prohibited from interfering with, restraining, or denying the exercise of FMLA rights by eligible employees. Additionally, employers are prohibited from retaliating against employees for exercising their FMLA rights.
- Enforcement: The Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training administers and enforces RIPFMLA regulations, investigating complaints and ensuring compliance with the law.
- Purpose: The general leave of absence aims to support all employees in balance the needs of employees may be granted leave for personal illness, disability or other purposed deemed proper and approved by their Department Director and CHRO; with the requirements of employers to provide job-protected leave.
- Eligibility: Any employee. Subject to department and CHRO approval.
- Qualifying Reasons: An employee with a personal illness, disability or other purposed deemed proper and approved by their Department Director and CHRO
- Duration of Leave: Not to exceed 1 year duration. While on leave, the utilization of your accrual balance is required. Going unpaid subject to the approval of the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO). Except for employees on leave for medical reasons- employees on unpaid leave of any nature will not accrue sick and vacation time after 26 weeks of unpaid leave. While on a leave for medical reasons it is mandatory to discharge all accrued sick time.
- Job Protection: General leave of absences provides job protection to employees who take leave, ensuring that they are entitled to return to their same position or an equivalent position with the same pay, benefits, and terms of employment upon their return from leave.
- Health Benefits: Employers are required to maintain employees’ group health insurance coverage under the same terms as if the employee had not taken leave during the period.
- Notice and Documentation: Employees are generally required to provide 30-day advance notice of their need for general leave of absence. Employees are required to provide an application and documentation to support their leave request.
- Protection from Retaliation: Employers are prohibited from interfering with, restraining, the exercise of leave by eligible employees.
- Enforcement: The Human Resources Generalists and CHRO enforce the general leave of absence eligibility, and entitlements.
- Purpose: Sick leave extension aims to support union employees in balance the needs of employees to take time off from work for their own serious medical reasons with the requirements of employers to provide job-protected leave.
- Eligibility: Any employee represented by the Laborer’s Union Local 1033 with at least 5 years continuous service, who has a serious illness. Subject to Department and CHRO approval.
- Qualifying Reasons: An employee with a serious health condition.
- Duration of Leave: Approvals for paid parental leave require the employee to discharge all accrued time. Sick leave extensions are granted in 30-day increments not to exceed 90 days. Employees are entitled to three 30-day extensions over the course of their employment with the City.
- Job Protection: Sick leave extension provides job protection to employees who take leave, ensuring that they are entitled to return to their same position or an equivalent position with the same pay, benefits, and terms of employment upon their return from leave.
- Health Benefits: Employers are required to maintain employees’ group health insurance coverage under the same terms as if the employee had not taken leave during the period.
- Notice and Documentation: Employees are generally required to provide 30 days advance notice of their need for sick leave extensions. Employees are required to provide an application to support their leave request.
- Protection from Retaliation: Employers are prohibited from interfering with, restraining, the exercise of leave by eligible employees.
- Enforcement: The Human Resources Generalists and CHRO enforce the sick leave extension eligibility, and entitlements.
- Purpose: The non-union sick bank aims to support management employees in balance the needs of employees to take time off from work for medical emergency or suffering from a major disaster with the requirements of employers to provide job-protected leave.
- Eligibility: Any employee non-union employee, who has a medical emergency or is suffering from a major disaster. Subject to CHRO approval.
- Qualifying Reasons: An employee with a medical emergency or is suffering from a major disaster.
- Duration of Leave: Approvals for non-union sick bank leave require the employee to discharge all accrued time. Non-union sick bank leave is granted in hourly increments not to exceed 210 hours in a rolling 12-month period.
- Job Protection: Non-union sick bank leave provides job protection to employees who take leave, ensuring that they are entitled to return to their same position or an equivalent position with the same pay, benefits, and terms of employment upon their return from leave.
- Health Benefits: Employers are required to maintain employees’ group health insurance coverage under the same terms as if the employee had not taken leave during the period.
- Notice and Documentation: Employees are generally required to provide 30-day advance notice of their need for non-union sick bank leave. Employees are required to provide an application and medical documentation to support their leave request.
- Protection from Retaliation: Employers are prohibited from interfering with, restraining, the exercise of leave by eligible employees.
- Enforcement: The Human Resources Generalists and CHRO enforce the non-union sick bank leave eligibility, and entitlements.
- Purpose: Paid parental leave aims to support management employees in balancing their work responsibilities with the demands of caring for a new child, promoting employee well-being, gender equality, and family stability.
- Eligibility: Must be a non-union, management employee. Must be a City employee for 12 consecutive months. Must not have used any other leave entitlements during the previous 12 months. Must be in good standing with an acceptable performance record as determined by the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO).
- Qualifying Reasons: The birth or adoption of a child, to care for a newborn or newly adopted child.
- Duration of Leave: Approvals for paid parental leave require the employee to discharge all but 2 weeks of paid time off prior to receiving leave with pay. Up to 6 weeks of paid leave to accommodate the birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child in the home.
- Job Protection: Paid parental leave provides job protection to employees who take leave, ensuring that they are entitled to return to their same position or an equivalent position with the same pay, benefits, and terms of employment upon their return from leave.
- Health Benefits: Employers are required to maintain employees’ group health insurance coverage under the same terms as if the employee had not taken leave during the period.
- Notice and Documentation: Employees are generally required to provide 30 days advance notice of their need for Paid Parental leave. Employees are required to provide an application to support their leave request.
- Protection from Retaliation: Employers are prohibited from interfering with, restraining, the exercise of leave by eligible employees.
- Enforcement: The Human Resources Generalists and CHRO enforce Paid Parental Leave eligibility, and entitlements.
- Purpose: Military leave of absence aims to support all employees in active service to ensure they can fulfill their duty to their country without fear of losing their civilian employment or facing negative consequences.
- Eligibility: Any full-time employees who have been continuously employed for at least 6 months and who by reason of membership in the active reserve forces of the United States or member of RI National Guard with orders for duty.
- Qualifying Reasons: An employee with orders for duty from their military branch.
- Duration of Leave: Military leave can be paid or unpaid leave. City policy grants paid time for up to 15 days in 1 year. Employees requesting more than 15 days of paid military leave must provide proof of military salary to allow for calculations of compensation amounts in accordance with the City Ordinance.
- Job Protection: Military leave provides job protection to employees who take leave, ensuring that they are entitled to return to their same position or an equivalent position with the same pay, benefits, and terms of employment upon their return from leave.
- Health Benefits: Employers are required to maintain employees’ group health insurance coverage under the same terms as if the employee had not taken leave during the period.
- Notice and Documentation: Employees must give written or verbal notice along with (if available), a copy of the military orders to their supervisor and Department of Human Resources at least 2 weeks prior to the start date of the military leave of absence.
- Protection from Retaliation: Employers are prohibited from interfering with, restraining, the exercise of leave by eligible employees.
- Enforcement: The Human Resources Generalists and CHRO enforce military leave eligibility, and entitlements.
View the Holiday Schedule Here
Annual vacation time for employees is calculated based on an employee’s time actually served, dependent on the number of years of total service to the city as a permanent employee. If in a calendar year, an employee has attained the number of years of service outlined below, then beginning on the employee’s anniversary date of that year, the employee will accrue vacation time at the rate indicated in the following schedule:
Full-Time Employees, Non-Union – 35 Weekly Hours
Years of Service – Vacation Weeks per Year
6 Months – 1 Week Vacation per Year
1 to 5 Years (Hired after 7/1/87) – 2 Weeks per Year
1 to 5 Years (Hired before 7/1/87) – 3 Weeks per Year
6 to 10 Years – 3 Weeks per Year
11 to 15 Years – 4 Weeks per Year
15 or More Years – 5 Weeks per Year
Each employee is allowed to carry over earned but unused vacation time in the calendar year in which it was scheduled to be taken to a maximum accumulation of six (6) weeks or thirty (30) working days.
Full-Time Employees, Local 1033 – 35/40 Weekly Hours
Years of Service – Vacation Weeks per Year
6 Months – 1 Week Vacation per Year
1 to 5 Years (Hired after 7/1/87) – 2 Weeks per Year
1 to 5 Years (Hired before 7/1/87) – 3 Weeks per Year
6 to 10 Years – 3 Weeks per Year
11 to 15 Years – 4 Weeks per Year
15 or More Years – 5 Weeks per Year
Each employee is allowed to carry over earned but unused vacation time in the calendar year in which it was scheduled to be taken to a maximum accumulation of six (6) weeks or thirty (30) working days. Please see the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) for details. This administrative policy does not modify existing CBA language regarding vacation time, accrual, or banks.
Please note that no person employed as a consultant or expert on a contract basis, employed on a seasonal basis, or temporarily employed in a non-budgeted role shall accrue vacation time.
Employees are encouraged to utilize the vacation time that they have accrued and should request the use of vacation time as far in advance as possible. Department directors may implement their own requirements for advance notice of vacation requests to align with their unique operational requirements. Department directors may also institute their own procedure for vacation requests, such as a digital or print form, email, or scheduled calendar events, provided that all requests are consistent. Departmental procedure should be documented, posted, and available to all employees of the department.
Supervisors will attempt to grant an employee their requested vacation time, in accordance with their director’s procedures, departmental coverage, and operational needs. In the case of multiple vacation requests for the same time period, requests will be reviewed on a first come, first served basis. For employees in Local Union 1033, vacation time may be discharged on an hourly basis and should always be requested as far in advance as possible. Non Union employees should also request time as far in advance as possible, but may discharge time in half or full day increments only.
Requests for vacation are approved or denied at the discretion of a department director or their designee. An employee should not begin the use of vacation time without having received explicit approval from management.
Floating Holidays
Employees are granted three (3) floating holidays at the start of the calendar year. Floating holidays must be used within the calendar year in which they are accrued and will not roll over.
For employees in Local Union 1033, floating holiday time may be discharged on an hourly basis and should always be requested as far in advance as possible. Non Union employees should also request time as far in advance as possible, but may discharge floating holiday time in half or full day increments only. Supervisors will attempt to grant an employee their requested floating holidays, in accordance with departmental coverage and operational needs. In the case of multiple floating holiday requests for the same time period, requests will be reviewed on a first come, first served basis.
Employees that are members of a bargaining unit may have different contractual provisions regarding the accrual and discharge of floating holiday time that are not modified by this administrative policy. Please see your collective bargaining agreement (CBA) for details.
Bereavement Leave Policy (Non-Union)
When a death occurs in an employee’s immediate family (as defined below), all regular, full-time employees may take up to five (5) days off with pay for purposes of bereavement. The city may, at its discretion, require verification of the need for bereavement leave provided to the Department of Human Resources.
Additionally, all regular, full-time employees may take up to two (2) days off with pay following the death of a non-immediate extended family member.
For the purposes of this policy, an “Immediate Family Member” shall be defined as the employee’s spouse, domestic partner, parents (to include stepparents, foster parents, parents-in-law and domestic partner’s parents), grandparents, siblings, children, children of a domestic partner, stepchildren, adopted children, children for whom the employee has parental responsibility, grandchildren, and in some cases may include extended family members who are domiciled in the employee’s home.
For the purposes of this policy, a non-immediate “Extended Family Member” shall be defined as any other non-immediate family member, such as an aunt, uncle, or cousin.
Paid time off may be granted in the case of persons with non-familial relationships to the employee, such as colleagues, friends, or other categories of relation. These may be eligible for bereavement and/or other paid time off in the form of vacation, floating holiday, or personal time, at the sole discretion of the Department of Human Resources in consultation with the employee’s department, provided that notice is given as soon as possible. Such requests will not be unreasonably denied.
Additional time off may also be granted depending on circumstances such as distance, or the employee’s personal responsibility for funeral arrangements.
Bereavement Leave Policy (Union)
All employees od the bargaining unit shall be allowed leave without loss of pay, when death occurs in an employee’s immediate family, [i.e. employee’s legal spouse, employee’s domestic partner of the same or opposite sex who has lived in the same household as the employee for at least six (6) months and when the employee and partner have made a commitment to continue to live as a family, mother, father, son, daughter, brother, sister, or other members of the immediate household] provided that in such cases of employees of the Jewish faith, said leave shall be for the actual period of mourning observed, but not to exceed seven (7) days from the day of burial.
All employees covered by this Agreement shall be granted one (1) day with pay to attend funeral services for grandparents, mother-in-law, father- in -law, aunts and uncles.
In the event there is a death in the employees’ family, but not in the immediate household, as defined above, the employee shall be granted sufficient time to attend the funeral service without loss of pay.
Jury Duty
An employee who is called for jury services in a court of law shall be excused from work for the days on which the employee services and shall received, for each such day of jury service on which the employee otherwise would have worked, the straight time rate of pay for each hour of absences, less the amount received from jury duty. The employee will present proof of such services and the amount received therefor.
Voting Leave