Posted on September 9, 2005 at 4:40 p.m.

BIRMINGHAM, AL — UAB has put in place several leave options for employees who wish to participate in Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. These options will ensure adequate staffing here at UAB while also helping our friends in the region.

Option I

The UAB Health System and UA Health Services Foundation are coordinating the formation of a team of 15 professionals to be deployed for a period of 14 days. These volunteers will continue to receive full salary and benefits while on leave for this deployment. Volunteers are needed to fulfill the job types as described below (those in italics are critical staffing demands):

• Chaplain/Social Worker
• Clinical Physicians
• Dentists
• Dieticians
• Epidemiologists
• LPNs
• Medical Clerks
• Mental Health Workers
• Nursing Assistants
• Nurse Practitioners
• Nursing Staff Directors
• Nursing Supp Techs
• Patient Transporters
• Pharmacists
• Physician Chiefs of Staff
• Physician’s Assistants
• Psychologists
• Resp Therapists
• RNs
• Safety Officers
• Social Workers
• Supply Managers
• Veterinarians

Additional critical needs are expected in the areas of occupational health, medical equipment, facilities and logistics. It is imperative that potential volunteers for this deployment team have their immunizations (tetanus, Hepatitis B, and diphtheria) up to date.

To be considered for this relief team, e-mail you name, name, phone number, e-mail address and job category to Linda McCord at lmccord@uabmc.edu, or call (205) 934-4444. All responses should be received by 3 p.m., Monday, September 12.

Option II

This option may provide paid leave for those UAB employees with specific disaster training. An employee may receive paid leave for relief efforts when the following requirements are met:

• The leave request must be approved by the employee’s immediate supervisor (leave approval is at the supervisor’s discretion).
• Paid leave cannot be for more than 14 days.
• The employee must have received disaster relief training from the American Red Cross or other established relief agency.
• The employee should have received a request from the relief agency for assistance in their trained area of expertise.

Option III

Paid leave to assist in relief efforts may still be possible for those UAB employees who do not meet the requirements above, but possess needed expertise needed by a relief agency. Paid leave of 14 days may be granted if the following requirements are met:

• The employee should be professionally licensed in a field that is of need in the relief efforts
• Approval by the appropriate dean, vice president, or CEO of the Health System
• Approval by the chief human resources officer.

Option IV

For those UAB employees who are not interested in extended leaves but who would like to volunteer their time during the work week or weekends, it is recommended that supervisors consider flexible scheduling where possible. This type of time away will not be paid by UAB. Also, the granting of vacation and personal holiday time to assist in relief efforts for those that are not able to participate in the paid leave options above should be approved when possible. It is hoped that every effort will be made by departments to grant these vacation and personal holiday requests.

General Information

All paid leave requests should be processed as Personal Leave With Pay and a memo stating the reason for the leave from the immediate supervisor should be included as an attachment. Any employee currently funded by a grant account should first be moved to a state account before processing the leave.

The duration of this practice will continue for six months from the date of this announcement. An extension may be granted if it is determined to be necessary.

Please direct any questions concerning this practice to HRM Records Administration at (205) 934-4408.