Staff member is scheduled for surgery. He will be off work for approximately 4 weeks. Disability insurance will pay during this time. Is there any regulation/law that says the employer can or cannot require the employee to use vacation time or to surrender vacation time for this period of time.
In other words, can the employer force the employee to give up vacation time he will otherwise earn, due to the surgery and recoup time he will be off work. I understand that he may not earn more vacation time during the period he is off. But should he be denied all vacation time earned for the whole year, because he had to take this 4 weeks off?

Thanks

Wouldn't that depend on your policy? Since the bank I work for pays both short term and long term disability, we require that all vacation and sick time be exhausted before short term disability kicks in. That is in our policy.

yes, check you policy and state law. we generally require them to use all but 1 week of vacation, although they may opt to use all vacation to make up the difference until disability kicks in