Sick Leave Bank Frequently Asked Questions

The Bank provides paid sick leave to qualifying members who are medically certified as unable to perform the duties of their jobs as a result of a personal or minor child’s illness, injury, accident, disability, medical condition, or quarantine and who have exhausted all their personal annual, compensatory, and sick leave balances, and paid parental leave if applicable.

2.   How do I join the Bank?

Open Enrollment for the Bank begins August 1st through October 31st annually. Go to the Sick Leave Bank website at tn.gov/hr/employees1/sick-leave-bank and following reading the Sick Leave Bank Guidelines, click on "SLB Open Enrollment Training" where you can review how to submit enrollment in Edison.

You can apply to enroll following the below path in Edison:
Navigator> HCM> Self Service> Time Reporting> Sick Leave Bank

3.   How many sick days do I need to be eligible to join the Bank?

Employees joining the Bank must have a minimum sick leave balance of 6 days as of October 31st of the enrollment year.

4.   Do I have to contribute additional days to the Bank to maintain my membership?

Eligible employees electing to join the Bank will initially have four days of sick leave deducted from their sick leave balance and donated to the Bank. Bank members are assessed one day of sick leave each October 1st following their enrollment year to maintain membership in the Bank.

5.   May I donate annual days if I do not have a sick leave balance available to join the Bank or for assessment to maintain my membership?

No. You may not substitute annual leave for sick leave to enroll or for assessments.

6.   Am I required to re-enroll every year if I am already a member of the Bank?

No. You maintain your membership in the Bank as long as you meet the annual assessment requirement.

7.   After joining, when may I apply for grants of leave from the Bank?

New members may apply for benefits from the Bank beginning January 1st following enrollment. New members are not eligible to receive grants from the Bank for pre-existing conditions until November 1st of the year following enrollment. For example, a new member who joins on November 1st is not eligible to apply for benefits for a pre-existing condition until November 1st of the year following enrollment in the Bank.

8.   What is a pre-existing medical condition?

"Pre-existing" means a condition that existed for which a member received treatment or advice during the 12 month period prior to the effective date of initial Sick Leave Bank membership.

9.    What forms do I need to submit to apply for grants from the Bank?

Members must apply for grants in Edison via the below path:

Navigator> HCM> Self Service> Time Reporting> Sick Leave Bank> Request Withdraw> Start a New Request

In addition, the Medical Certification form must be submitted by the employee’s medical provider via fax to the SLB Office at 615-532-3209 OR via secure email to SLB.Sickbank@tn.gov.

10.  Where do I find the Withdrawal Request Application and Medical Certification form?

You may obtain Sick Leave Bank forms from your agency's human resources office or by visiting the Bank's website at tn.gov/hr/employees1/sick-leave-bank.

11.  When do I submit the Withdrawal Request Application and Medical Certification form?

A Withdrawal Request Application must be submitted no earlier than two weeks prior to, but no later than 30 workdays after the eligibility date absent any extraordinary circumstances through Edison Employee Self Service.  If the member is unable to access the internet or Edison portal, the member must submit the withdrawal request to their agency HR office who will upload the application into the Edison portal for their employee.

12.  How long may I draw from the Bank?

A member may receive a maximum of 90 days from the Bank as a result of a personal or minor child’s illness, injury, accident, disability, medical condition, or quarantine or a condition related to, resulting from, or recurring from a previously diagnosed condition for which the Bank granted sick leave.

13.  Am I able to receive benefits from the Bank if I have a work related injury or illness?

If a member sustains a job or service related injury or illness, he/she must first submit a claim for workers' compensation (or the equivalent if service related) and receive a determination prior to receiving grants from the Bank. Members who sustain a job or service related injury or illness must file a claim for workers' compensation (or the equivalent if service related) and receive a determination prior to receiving any grants from the Bank. If your workers' compensation claim is denied, you have up to 30 workdays after notification of the denial to file an application with the Bank.

Note: Members who received lost time and/or a settlement based on a workers' compensation claim or any other employer provided benefits for job or service related injuries or illnesses are not eligible for Bank grants for any claims involving the same injuries or illnesses.

14.  How often may I draw from the Bank?

A qualifying member may receive a maximum of 90 days of sick leave from the Bank within a 12 month period. The initial 12 month period starts on the date your sick leave grants first begin and extends 12 months forward from that date. A new 12 month period would begin the first time grants from the Bank begin again after completion of the previous 12 month period.

15.  May I receive grants from the Bank when my family is ill?

Grants from the Bank are for personal or minor child’s condition only. Members are not eligible to receive grants from the Bank for illnesses/care of any other family members.

16.  If I decide to leave the Bank, may I get my donated sick days back?

No. All initial donations as well as annual and special assessments contributed to the Bank are nonrefundable and nontransferable.

17.  What type of conditions are eligible for SLB benefits?

Benefits may include, but may not be limited to, conditions related to the recovery from the birth of a child, personal or minor child’s illness, injury, accident, disability, medical condition, quarantine, etc.

18. May I receive SLB grants while receiving state short or long-term disability benefits, retirement, social security disability benefits, workers' compensation benefits, income from other employment, paid parental leave if applicable,  or any other employer-provided benefits for Job or Service Related injuries or illnesses that are also related to the request for grants from the Bank?

No, SLB grants may not be paid while receiving any of the above-referenced benefits.

* Please read the complete Bank Guidelines at tn.gov/hr/employees1/sick-leave-bank.

** Submitting an application for membership in the Bank does not guarantee acceptance into the Bank. After meeting all other eligibility requirements, an applicant must have a minimum sick leave balance of six (6) days as of October 31st and donate four (4) of those days to the Bank.