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family relationship and the need for leave.

Employees who have exhausted sick leave credits are entitled to charge

absences otherwise chargeable to sick leave to other leave credits (vacation,
personal leave, etc.) subject to the same approval procedures and

documentation requirements as apply to use of sick leave credits.
Medical Documentation

The Attendance Rules provide that an appointing authority is entitled to
satisfactory medical documentation before approving absence due to illness

or before authorizing return to work.
Satisfactory medical documentation generally meets the following

criteria:
1. A brief diagnosis will not be required as part of any required medical

documentation unless the employee has been absent from work due to
illness or injury for greater than 30 consecutive calendar days.

2. It specifies the inclusive dates of disability covered by the doctor’s note
and the date or dates of treatment during the period covered.

3. It certifies that the employee is disabled from the performance of his or
her job duties. In some cases (for example, partial disability) it may provide

information on the kinds of job duties the employee is unable to perform.
4. It indicates the anticipated date of return to work.

5. It is signed by an appropriate medical practitioner.
Agencies are required to treat medical documentation in a confidential

manner. Article 10.16 of the ASU Agreement provides employees, upon
their request, with an additional procedure for special handling of medical

certificates to provide further confidentiality.

The ASU Agreement provides that a doctor’s certificate will not be
routinely required for absences of four days or less due to illness. This in no
way limits management’s rights to require medical documentation for a

specific absence in order to substantiate use of sick leave.

When an agency requires that an employee be examined by a physician
selected by the employer prior to return to duty, Article 10.17 of the ASU

Agreement establishes time frames within which the verification of fitness
for duty will either be completed or the employee will be returned to full

pay status until such verification is completed.
Pursuant to Article 10.16(b), when the appointing authority determines

that the employee shall be required to provide medical documentation solely

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