Louisiana Addendum
In the event of a conflict between the Handbook and any provision of an applicable Addendum, the conflict will be resolved as follows:
- If a benefit provided by the University is more generous than the benefit provided in the applicable Addendum, the University will offer the employee the more generous benefit unless such benefit is limited by statute (e.g., to residents of or employees working in Colorado).
- If a University policy or procedure provides an employee with more protection than that provided under the applicable Addendum, the University’s more protective policy or procedure will apply to internal University processes, and the policy or procedure specified in the applicable Addendum will apply to external proceedings in the applicable state or local agency.
For example, if the University’s Discrimination and Harassment Policy includes more protected statuses than a particular state provides, the University’s Discrimination and Harassment Policy and the applicable procedures established by the Office of Equal Opportunity & Title IX (EOIX) will apply to a report or complaint filed with EOIX. For a complaint filed with the state or local civil rights agency, the protections afforded under the state Addendum will apply.
Employees with questions about the Handbook or any applicable Addendum should contact their HR Partner at AskHRPartners@du.edu.
Louisiana
Equal Employment and Anti-Discrimination Policy
This is only an excerpt of the University of Denver’s Non-Discrimination Statement and Discrimination and Harassment policy with state specific information included in italics. Please refer to the complete policy for further information.
The University of Denver is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions based on merit and University needs. Creating an inclusive and professional environment where employees feel comfortable, safe, and free from inappropriate and disrespectful conduct is one of the University’s core values.
The University of Denver does not discriminate against (in any aspect of employment, including recruiting and hiring, job assignment, compensation, opportunities for advancement, promotion, transfers, evaluation, benefits, training, discipline, and termination), nor does it tolerate harassment by any person, including, co-workers, supervisors, and third parties, on the basis of the following Protected Characteristics: In Louisiana: age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, race (including hair texture, hair type, and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists that are historically associated with race), color, national origin, religion, pregnancy and related medical conditions, childbirth and related medical conditions, sickle cell trait, genetic testing, and veterans’ status
Information about the Louisiana Commission on Human Rights can be found at https://gov.louisiana.gov/page/lchr or by calling (225) 342-6969 or (888) 248-0859 (TDD).
Jury Duty Leave
The University of Denver encourages all employees to report for jury duty and Louisiana provides employees with up to one day of paid time off to serve on any grand jury or on any jury at any criminal or civil trial. While leave to serve on a jury beyond the first day is unpaid, exempt salaried employees will not have their pay reduced for any week in which they work and also miss time for jury duty.
After receiving a summons for jury duty, employees must notify the University of Denver as soon as reasonably possible. The University of Denver may request reasonable documentation of jury duty service to the extent permitted by law. The University of Denver will not discharge, discipline, retaliate against, coerce, or otherwise penalize employees who are absent to attend judicial proceedings in response to a summons for jury duty.
The University of Denver will not require or request that employees use vacation for time spent responding to a jury duty summons, participating in jury selection, or serving on a jury.
Meal and Rest Breaks
Non-exempt Louisiana employees under 18 who work at least five hours in their workday are entitled and expected to take an unpaid, off-duty, 30-minute meal break. Employees will be relieved of all duties for the full meal break and are free to leave the premises during that time. Failure to take full meal breaks is a violation of University of Denver policy, which may subject employees to disciplinary action, possibly including termination of employment.
Military Service Leave
While performing uniformed service, employees are entitled to accrue any sick leave, vacation leave, military leave, holiday leave, and any paid leave offered by the Organization pursuant to the Organization’s stated leave of absence policy, to the extent the employee would have been entitled to such leave had they been continuously employed. Additionally, employees are entitled to up to four years of creditable service vesting in a retirement system, pension fund, or employee benefit plan.
Louisiana School and Day Care Conference and Activities Leave
Louisiana employees may take up to sixteen hours of unpaid time off during a 12-month period to attend, observe, or participate in conferences or classroom activities that are conducted at the child's school or day care center, if the conferences or classroom activities cannot reasonably be scheduled during their nonwork hours. The child must be the employee's dependent child for whom they are the legal guardian.
Employees must provide reasonable notice to the employer prior to the leave and make a reasonable effort to schedule the leave so as not to unduly disrupt the Organization’s operations. Employees may use available vacation or paid sick leave during otherwise unpaid time off taken under this policy.
Volunteer First Responder Leave
Louisiana employees may take unpaid time off to respond to their duties as medical personnel, emergency and medical technicians, volunteer firefighters, auxiliary law enforcement officers, members of the Civil Air Patrol. Employees who are called to duty by or pursuant to an operations plan of the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness may also take unpaid time off to respond to their duties. Such leave will not be considered a break in employment for purposes of seniority or length of service or for benefits programs offered by the University of Denver.
Employees must provide the University of Denver reasonable advance notice of the need for leave under this policy. The University of Denver may request reasonable documentation reflecting the need for such leave. Employees should report to the University of Denver within 72 hours of their release from their emergency duties or the recovery from disease or injury resulting from these duties. The University of Denver will make reasonable accommodations to reinstate any employee returning from such leave.
Employees may use available vacation or paid sick leave during otherwise unpaid time off taken under this policy.