This section provides an overview of many benefits available to faculty and staff. In the event of conflict between the overview provided in this handbook and the plan document or insurance plan, the plan document or insurance plan will govern. Complete descriptions are not possible in the handbook; employees should contact Human Resources for specific plan details. The Labor Agreement governs in the case of Union employees in all aspects of this section. Regular non-union employees who have a schedule involving a (.46) FTE or above, and Union employees who have a (.50) FTE or above are eligible to participate in the College’s benefit programs.

Carleton College will comply with all applicable laws such as ACA, FMLA, federal, state, and any applicable regulations.

Employment & Benefits

Select a Policy to jump to: Background Checks Childrearing, Family, and Medical Leaves Confidentiality Domestic Partners and the College Benefit Program Driving Privileges Earned Sick and Safe Time Employee Benefits Faculty Development (FDA) Accounts Faculty Entertaining Students Program Federal Social Security and Medicare (FICA) Financial Planning Reimbursement Fraud Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) Global Travel for Carleton Employees and Students Headley Travel Fund for Professional Meetings Open Enrollment (Renewal Option) Parental Leaves (Birth or Adoption) - Faculty Payroll Advance for New Tenure-Track Faculty Relocation or Travel Expenses Retirement - regular and phased Retirement Plan Sabbatical Leaves, Professional Leaves, and Leaves of Absence Salary Payments Short-Term Medical or Funeral Leaves Summer Student Research and Employment Tuition Workers' Compensation

Earned Sick and Safe Time

Minnesota’s Earned Sick and Safe Time law (ESST) requires all employers to offer paid sick time to employees who work at least 80 hours per year.

Carleton’s existing sick leave plan for benefits-eligible staff (FTE of .46 or greater) exceeds the state requirements. Therefore, benefits-eligible employees will continue to accrue sick leave hours as outlined in our Sick Leave Policy. There is no change in the accrual rates or method; however, benefits-eligible staff may designate up to 80 hours of sick accruals per fiscal year as ESST, as outlined below. 

Faculty, student employees, and non-benefits eligible staff who previously did not accrue sick leave will now earn one hour of ESST for every 30 hours worked, with a maximum accrual of 48 hours per fiscal year and a maximum balance of 80 hours. 

Employees can use sick and safe time for reasons such as: 

• The employee’s mental or physical illness, treatment, or preventive care    
• A family member’s mental or physical illness, treatment, or preventive care 
• Absence due to domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking of the employee or a family member
• Closure of the employee’s workplace due to weather or public emergency or closure of a family member’s school or care facility due to weather or public emergency
• When determined by a health authority or health care professional that the employee or a family member is at risk of infecting others with a communicable disease. 

Employees may use sick and safe time for the following family members: 

1. Their child, including foster child, adult child, legal ward, child for whom the employee is legal guardian, or child to whom the employee stands or stood in loco parentis (in place of a parent)
2. Their spouse or registered domestic partner
3. Their sibling, stepsibling, or foster sibling
4. Their biological, adoptive, or foster parent, stepparent, or a person who stood in loco parentis (in place of a parent) when the employee was a minor child
5. Their grandchild, foster grandchild, or step-grandchild
6. Their grandparent or step-grandparent
7. A child of a sibling of the employee
8. A sibling of the parents of the employee 
9. A child-in-law or sibling-in-law
10. Any of the family members (1 through 9 above) of an employee’s spouse or registered domestic partner
11. Any other individual related by blood or whose close association with the employee is the equivalent of a family relationship
12. Up to one individual annually designated by the employee

Other aspects of sick and safe time: 

1. Employees are required to request ESST seven days in advance when it is used for a foreseeable reason. 
2. Absences for three or more consecutive days may require substantiating documentation. 
3. ESST will run concurrently with other available forms of leave for which the employee may be eligible, such as Family Medical Leave. 
4. Workers using ESST do not need to find someone to cover their shift, however, they are required to inform their supervisor as soon as possible.  
5. ESST can only be used to cover hours missed during a scheduled work time. 
6. An employee who returns to Carleton within 180 days of separation is entitled to the ESST hours accrued before leaving the employer. 
7. ESST balances are not eligible for payout. 
8. Carleton College prohibits retaliation against employees for requesting or using sick and safe time in good faith and in accordance with this policy. Please notify Human Resources with concerns regarding retaliation. If an employee believes they have been retaliated against or improperly denied earned sick and safe time, they can also file a complaint with the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry or file a civil action in court for earned sick and safe time violations. 
9. The law applies to all hours worked on or after January 1, 2024.

For: Faculty, Staff, Students

Maintained by: Human Resources

List all Policies & Guidelines for Employment & Benefits