Vacation

Staff Vacation Leave Policy

Staff accrue vacation time according to the length of continuous University service: 

Staff who are regularly scheduled to work at least 1,000 hours per year (base schedule is at least 1,000 hours or more) will earn vacation. The amount of vacation will be based on the hours paid in the pay period.

Part-time employees accrue vacation time on a pro-rated basis. 

Calculation of Vacation Time Accrued:

Eligible employees accrue vacation every pay-period as long as they are in a paid status, (e.g. regular, vacation, sick leave, holiday, etc.) and they have not already reached their maximum accrual.

Eligible employees begin accruing vacation leave on the first day of each pay period.

Employees will earn vacation based on the number of hours paid each pay period; including vacation, sick, holiday, bereavement leave, etc. with the exception of new exempt employees. Exempt employees who start employment after the 15th of the month will accrue the month following their start date.

Employees continue to accrue vacation benefits, without penalty, while on paid time off (e.g., jury duty, parental leave, bereavement leave, etc.)

Employees on unpaid leave of absence do not accrue vacation time.

Year to Year Accumulation of Vacation Time:

The maximum vacation accumulated by an employee may not exceed twice the yearly allowance.  Once an employee has accumulated twice their yearly allowance, they will not accrue any additional vacation until vacation time is used and their vacation balance is below two times the yearly allowance. 

If an employee is at their maximum accrual when a pay period begins, they will not accrue any additional vacation time during that pay period, even if they take vacation during that period and thus reduce the balance below the maximum accrual.

Leave taken is deducted from the balance once the employee submits AND the manager approves time. For exempt employees, this normally happens after the month has ended through the 5th of the following month. 

In the event that a vacation accrual balance remains at the maximum in a pay period because leave reports from previous pay periods are not submitted and approved by the deadline, an employee will not accrue vacation time for that time period.  The University will not adjust vacation balances for late submission or late approval of time and leave.

Scheduling Vacation:

Earned vacation may be taken at times mutually acceptable to the employee and the immediate supervisor. Requests to use vacation time must be agreed to and approved in advance. Department work requirements will always be a prime consideration and the employee's supervisor will make final decisions as to when vacation may be taken.

Non-exempt employees will record their vacation time in hours, similar to worked time.

Exempt employees must take vacation time in half or full-day increments.

Employees must take eligible paid time off (sick, vacation, parental leave) prior to going on leave without pay.

Eligible employees regularly scheduled to work less than 12 months per year must take vacation time during their normal work schedules.

The University reserves the right to reduce an employee’s paycheck if their leave balance goes into a negative balance.

Payment Upon Separation:

*Employees who separate/retire from University employment will be paid for unused vacation days up to the employee’s yearly accrual plus five days, not their maximum accrual. Should an employee die while in active service, pay for accumulated vacation will be paid to the estate of the employee. Employees who are terminated for gross misconduct (incidents of serious misconduct, including but not limited to theft, fraud or violence in the workplace), are not eligible to be paid for accumulated vacation.  Negative vacation balances will be recovered at the time of separation via payroll deduction

View the Staff Vacation Leave Policy.