Leave Time for COVID-19 Vaccination

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Section: COVID-19 Return to Work on Campus Series
Policy Number: 1103
Responsible Office: Human Resources
Effective Date: 3/12/21
Revised: 12/1/21; 1/10/22

Scope 

This policy applies to all St. John’s University employees.

Policy 

An employee may take up to four hours of duty time per dose to travel to the vaccination site, receive a vaccination, and return to work. This would mean a maximum of eight hours of duty time for employees receiving two doses. If an employee spends less time getting the vaccine, only the necessary amount of duty time will be granted. 

Paid COVID-19 vaccination leave applies to any COVID-19 vaccination received by an employee, including booster shots.

Procedure

Paid leave taken for this purpose will not be charged against an employee’s sick or vacation leave balances. Leave will be paid at the employee’s regular rate of pay. For employee leave time for the purpose of a child’s COVID-19 vaccination, refer to policy #1102.

Employees who take longer than four hours to get the vaccine must send their supervisors an email documenting the reason for the additional time. Any additional time requested will be granted, if reasonable, but will not be paid as vaccination leave; in that situation, the employee can elect to use accrued leave (e.g., sick leave) to cover the additional time. If an employee is vaccinated outside of their approved duty time, they will not be compensated.

Time Reporting: Employees who are required to complete a timesheet should identify the vaccination leave time taken in the comments section as: “COVID-19 vaccine leave (and date)”. Supervisors are expected to maintain time records for each employee who does not complete a timesheet.

The University prohibits discrimination or retaliation against any employee who exercises their rights under the law.

Related Policies and Information

St. John's University, New York
Human Resources Policy Manual