Special Leave of Absence Coverage (SLOAC) entitles eligible and approved City employees up to a maximum of 18 weeks or 4 months (depending on pay cycle) of benefits coverage in a 12-month period during unpaid leave resulting from a disability or serious illness of the employee.

An eligible employee may apply for benefits coverage under SLOAC if the unpaid leave of absence results from a disability or serious illness of the employee. 

The following basic City health coverage and several Fund benefits, paid for by the City and the Fund respectively, will continue for up to a maximum of 18 weeks or 4 months (depending on pay cycle) for approved Fund members:

• Basic Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance
• Superimposed Major Medical
• Dental
• Vision Care.

The following coverage for both the member and eligible dependents will continue under SLOAC:

• Basic City health coverage
• Basic Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance
• Superimposed Major Medical
• Dental
• Vision Care

Please note that Basic Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance coverage applies to the member only.

Contact your agency personnel office to request SLOAC coverage when taking an unpaid leave. If you are eligible and approved, the personnel office will send the Fund's administrative office the appropriate information for continuation of Fund benefits.

The 12-month period in which the 18 weeks or 4 months of SLOAC (depending on pay cycle) occur is a "rolling" 12-month period measured backward from the date any coverage is continued under SLOAC.

The remaining SLOAC would be the balance of the 18 weeks or 4 months, which has not been used during the previous 12-month period.

Yes. Coverage previously received during an unpaid leave under FMLA serves to reduce the maximum allowable coverage period under SLOAC. For instance, one month unpaid leave coverage under FMLA results in a maximum of 3 months coverage allowable under SLOAC.

An employee not satisfying the eligibility requirements under FMLA, or an employee who was on paid leave for all 12 weeks under FMLA however, would have the maximum allowable coverage of 18 weeks, or 4 months (depending on pay cycle) under SLOAC.

When the continuation of basic City health coverage and Fund benefits ends under SLOAC, a member and/or eligible covered dependents may each have the right to continue basic City health coverage and certain Fund benefits (Superimposed Major Medical, Dental, and Vision Care) under the federal law known as the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA). The personnel office of the member's employer agency will provide notice of each eligible covered person's rights under COBRA.