UAB recognizes that faculty and other employees experience unforeseen events that might require extra time off for personal or professional reasons not covered by the other types of leaves. Personal Leave is a leave of absence without pay, and the reasons might include but are not limited to:

insufficient accrued sick time (4.3);
ineligibility for FMLA or additional time required beyond FMLA limits (4.5.2);
professional development opportunity over an extended time and the faculty member is not eligible for sabbatical leave (4.4); or
professional development opportunity that includes temporary employment by a government agency or other organization relevant to the faculty member’s field, which would be of benefit to both the faculty member and UAB upon the individual’s return to the university.

To be eligible for unpaid Personal Leave of up to one year, a faculty member must have at least one-year continuous service and must exhaust all accrued annual leave and/or, if applicable, all accrued sick leave. Justifiable reason(s) must be provided and approved by the department chair (and/or division director if applicable) and the dean. Only in unusual circumstances, a second year may be granted with approval by the chair, dean, and Provost with appropriate justification. Vacation and sick time do not accrue during a non-paid leave of absence but earned credits may be carried forward. With the approval of the chair, dean, and Provost, a faculty member’s tenure clock may be extended by the time they were off for unpaid leave, pursuant to the departmental and school regulation (2.15.4.5).

Faculty should provide as much advance notice as possible when requesting personal leave. However, in the case of unpaid personal leave for professional development, the faculty member must request the leave not less than three months in advance to minimize interruption of educational and/or scholarly programs.

During unpaid leave of absences, employees may elect to continue their UAB group insurance benefits by making arrangements through the Human Resources Employee Benefits and paying the total amount of the premiums due. In the case of a personal leave for professional development which includes temporary employment with a government agency or other organization related to the individual’s field, the individual may use the group insurance benefits of the outside entity if offered.

Return to UAB service following an approved leave of absence shall be without prejudice to the faculty status of the individual prior to taking leave. Time spent on personal leave of absence shall not be considered as part of an individual’s tenure-earning period or for promotion, tenure, or eligibility for sabbatical leave. Full-time tenured faculty on an approved leave of absence may reduce their full-time commitment without relinquishing their tenure. Unauthorized absence from work at the conclusion of the leave period constitutes grounds for termination of employment.