WMU Sick Leave Policy Changes for Benefits-Eligible, Non-Bargaining Employees

The Michigan Earned Sick Time Act (ESTA) as amended on February 21, 2025, requires several changes to existing sick leave policies for benefits-eligible, non-bargaining employees.

For your rights and responsibilities under the Michigan ESTA, please see the State of Michigan posters section at Employment Law Posters.

To ensure everyone understands these policy changes, we are offering multiple ESTA training sessions both in-person and livestreamed, beginning Monday, March 24. To view and register for available sessions, please visit https://experiencewmu.wmich.edu/organization/HR/events.  

Key ESTA-related provisions for benefits-eligible, non-bargaining employees: 

• Employees will continue to earn one hour of sick leave for every 20 hours paid. However, there are no longer limits on the amount of sick leave employees may earn. 
• The list of qualifying reasons for using paid sick time has been expanded. 
• If an employee knows in advance that they will need to use paid sick leave, the employee must provide their supervisor with advance notice seven days before the day paid sick leave is to begin.
• The policy for unexpected absences remains the same: Employees must notify their supervisor of their absence no later than two hours after the beginning of their scheduled workday.

ESTA-related policy changes have been incorporated into the following Employee Handbook and HR Policies and Procedures web pages:

1. Leave Plans, Employee Handbook Section 11 at https://wmich.edu/hr/handbook-leave 
2. Work Schedules, Employee Handbook Section 7, https://wmich.edu/hr/handbook-schedules 
3. Leaves and Absences from Work: Introduction, Policies and Procedures Manual Section 13, https://wmich.edu/hr/manual-leaves-introduction 

For additional detail see ESTA-required Changes to the WMU Employee Handbook and WMU HR Policies and Procedures Manual.