Unpaid Leave

Unpaid leave is a leave of absence from work in which the employee does not receive pay from UW–Madison. In some cases, employees are entitled to unpaid leave based on university policies or federal and/or state law. In other cases, unpaid leave may be requested by the employee and granted at the discretion of the university, based on university policy.

The reason for an employee’s request for unpaid leave is important in determining which type of unpaid leave may apply.

Leave Questions?

Please contact your Divisional HR Representative

Family or Medical Leave:

Please contact your Divisional Disability Representative

Leave of Absence (LOA)

Leave of Absence (LOA) allows eligible employees temporary non-medical leaves of absence without pay for reasons including, but not limited to entrepreneurial activities, public service as an elected or appointed official, and providing services or research with an entity affiliated or partnered with a UW System institution.

Family and Medical Leave (FMLA)

The federal Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and Wisconsin Family & Medical Leave Act (WFMLA) provide eligible employees with entitlements to job-protected, unpaid leave for specified family and/or medical reasons with continuation of group health insurance coverage under the same terms as if the employee had not taken leave. Employees can choose to use their sick leave or other accrued paid leave during an approved FMLA/WFMLA leave.

UW–Madison Family-Related Leave policy
Family and Medical Leave Information Guide
Notice of Employee Rights and Responsibilities
FMLA Forms
Campus Divisional Disability Representatives
To make a request or to learn more about FMLA/LOA, please contact your Divisional Disability Representative (DDR).

Additional Family and Medical Leave Resources

Catastrophic Leave

Catastrophic Leave allows eligible UW-Madison employees who have a catastrophic need and have exhausted all their earned paid leave, to receive leave donations from other employees and allows eligible employees to donate earned paid leave credits (except for sick leave or compensatory time) to eligible recipients at UW-Madison or at a different UW institution who have a catastrophic need.

Military Leave

Military Leave allows all employees who are ordered or inducted into active military service to be placed on an unpaid military leave of absence. All University employees are also afforded the rights and protections provided by the federal Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) and may be eligible for one or both of the following military leave benefits: Annual 30-day military leave benefit and/or 4-year military leave benefit.