We know that life happens, and it’s important for you to take the time you need. Our PetSmart Leave of Absence team is here to help you navigate taking time away from work.
If you have a disabling illness or injury and are unable to work, you may qualify for income replacement through disability benefits. During a leave of absence, your medical coverage will continue and you will be responsible for paying your medical premiums when you return to work.
To learn more, review the related policies located in the Policy and Procedure library on our internal Fetch site. For questions, please contact your Leader or the Leave of Absence Team, or call 1-800-521-7387.
|
Leave type – paid |
Description |
Who is eligible |
|---|---|---|
|
Maternity/adoption leave |
State-mandated leave of 8 paid weeks of maternity and adoption leave; includes miscarriages |
Full-time and part-time associates |
|
Bereavement leave |
Up to 3 days |
Full-time associates |
|
Jury duty |
Up to 15 working days |
Full-time associates |
|
Sports leave |
Up to 30 days to represent PR in Olympic-type events |
Full-time associates |
|
Leave for witness in criminal cases |
Receive regular compensation if summoned as a witness in a criminal case |
Full-time associates |
|
Leave type – unpaid |
Description |
Who is eligible |
|---|---|---|
|
USERRA |
Employees who provide notice of military orders are not to be treated disproportionately to paid time off and other benefits while on leave |
All associates |
|
FMLA |
After working 1,250 hours, associates are entitled to 12 weeks of job-protected leave |
All associates |
Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Associates may be eligible for a period of job-protected unpaid leave for certain family and medical reasons such as:
- A serious health condition which renders the associate unable to perform his/her job
- To bond with a new child through birth, adoption, or foster care
- To care for an immediate family member
- A deployment of an eligible family member in the U.S. military
To be eligible for FMLA leave, an associate must have worked for PetSmart for at least 12 months and must have worked 1,250 hours during the 12-month period prior to the start date of any leave request.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is another resource that applies only to associates who do not meet the eligibility requirements under FMLA, or who have exhausted FMLA leave. A medical leave may be requested when an associate is under the care of a licensed healthcare provider (practicing within the terms of his/her license).
- The associate must be currently unable to perform one or more essential functions of their position, with or without accommodations. If PetSmart crafts an accommodation for the associate that would allow them to perform their position even with their current medical restrictions, then leave under this policy will be unavailable.
- To obtain leave under this policy, the associate must cooperate with PetSmart to obtain medical information substantiating: (1) the nature of impairment; (2) the functions the associate cannot perform; (3) the amount of time the associate will have the restrictions; (4) an estimated return to work date; (5) the level of confidence of the physician that the date provided is accurate; and (6) estimated restrictions that will still exist after the associate is released to return.
Paid Parental Leave
It’s an adjustment to transition back to work after adding to your family. PetSmart is proud to offer Paid Parental Leave (PPL) to new fathers which includes up to 4 weeks of paid parental leave.
The full paid parental leave policy is located on our internal Fetch site and associates are encouraged to reach out to the Leave of Absence Team for more information at leaveofabsence@petsmart.com. Eligibility requirements must be met in accordance with the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
Short-Term and Long-Term Disability
|
Benefit |
Highlights |
|---|---|
|
Short-Term Disability |
Company-paid benefit offered through Puerto Rico government; benefit is $113/week up to 26 weeks. |
|
Long-Term Disability |
Company-paid for salaried associates and hourly store leadership; associate-paid for hourly non-leadership associates. Payable after elimination period. |
Short-Term Disability (STD) coverage provides income replacement to associates who are unable to work because of an extended illness or non-work-related injury. STD coverage is available automatically and at no cost to all full-time associates.
How do you make a claim for STD benefits? Review the steps to complete your disability claim here.
Maternity Leave and Short-Term Disability Benefits from Cigna
- Claims that have been processed for STD with Cigna will automatically be reviewed for potential LTD compensation if eligible.
- Cigna will conduct an investigation in accordance to the plan guidelines and may require additional documentation to support the continued disability.
- To be eligible to receive LTD benefits, the associate must be totally disabled during the entire STD period and under a physician’s regular care and attendance.
- Payments stop when the associate returns to work, the disability ends or the maximum benefit has been paid, whichever occurs first.
- PetSmart offers reasonable accommodations consistent with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act to qualified individuals as long as those reasonable accommodations will not create a hardship on PetSmart.
Schedule of LTD Benefits
|
Benefit |
60% of monthly earnings |
|---|---|
|
Maximum benefit |
$10,500 per month (less any SINOT payments received) |
|
Minimum benefit |
$100 per week |
|
Benefit waiting period |
13 weeks |
Other Time Away
Personal Leave:
- Any full-time or part-time associate can request a personal leave of absence of up to 30 days for a compelling non-medical personal reason per management approval.
- There is no job protection while on a personal leave.
- Personal leave is unpaid; however, an associate can use vacation pay or discretionary days to cover any period of the personal leave. An associate may be eligible to use accrued sick time as determined by state or local regulations.
Haven’t found what you’re looking for? Check out these frequently asked questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Leader FAQs
If an associate is absent from work for more than three consecutive days, you will need to create a Status Change Form (SCF) in HR Connect and place the associate on the appropriate leave of absence. The leave start date is the first day the associate missed work due to the need for leave. Once the associate has been released to return to work, you will need to process an SCF returning the associate from leave.
A review of the restrictions and any requested accommodation will need to be reviewed with the Leave of Absence team and the associate. For additional information, please or contact the Leave of Absence team at leaveofabsence@petsmart.com, or by phone at 1-800-521-7387.
Leaders and associates can review the following policies and procedures on our internal Fetch site under the P&P library.
- Americans with Disabilities Policy
- Family Medical Leave Act Policy
- Paid Parental Leave Policy
Associate FAQs
To be eligible for FMLA leave, an associate must have worked for PetSmart for at least 12 months and must have worked 1,250 hours during the 12-month period prior to the commencement date of any leave request.
- Short-term disability is not a leave of absence; it is a partial income replacement program that is meant to supplement your lost income if you are out of work due to an illness or non-work-related accident.
- A Leave of Absence (LOA) is what protects your job. LOA allows the company to hold your job, for a reasonable timeframe, until you are released by your medical provider to return to work.
Review the steps to complete your disability claim.
If you have health benefits with PetSmart, you are responsible for your portion of the benefit premiums that would normally be deducted from each paycheck (medical, dental, vision, etc.). Please refer back to your LOA paperwork for full instructions. Contact Address: Benefits Department- Premiums, 19601 N. 27th Avenue Phoenix, AZ 85027.