Johnson School Administrative Service Center: Accruals (OPE)

Vacation and Sick Leave accruals begin on the employee's first day of work. Vacation cannot be taken before it is accrued. Staff members may use accrued vacation after six months employment with the supervisor's approval - and, at the Johnson School, with an executed Vacation Usage Consent Form filed in Administrative Services. If termination of employment occurs prior to completing one year of service, the amount of vacation used will be deducted from the employee's final paycheck.

Vacation time must be requested and scheduled in advance at a time agreeable to both the employee and the supervisor. Should a scheduled University Holiday fall within a staff member's vacation leave, time for that day is considered as Holiday Pay, not vacation leave. If a staff member is on vacation when the University declares an unscheduled day off (e.g., due to inclement weather) the staff member's time for that day will continue to be classified as vacation leave and the employee will not be given an additional day off.

If you transferred to the Johnson School, you need to verify in COLTS your Vacation and Sick Leave Balances with your former supervisor. Any unused balances should transfer with you to your COLTS record in the Johnson School. If there is a discrepancy, you need to contact the the Administrative Service Center.

Vacation and Sick Leave balances are available in COLTS. If you believe your balances are incorrect, please contact the Administrative Service Center. Additionally, Personal and Family Health Care Leave balances are maintained in Administrative Services.

Vacation Time Accumulation in Years Based on 78 Hour, Biweekly Pay Period		Number of Days Per Year
4.5 hours	1 but less than 10 years	15
4.8 hours	10 but less than 11 years	16
5.1 hours	11 but less than 12 years	17
5.4 hours	12 but less than 13 years	18
5.7 hours	13 but less than 14 years	19
6.0 hours	14 years or more	20

Maximum accumulations are, as follows:

Credited Service	Nonexempt Maximum Accumulation (Hours)
Less than 10 years	234.0
10 but less than 11 years	249.6
11 but less than 12 years	265.2
12 but less than 13 years	280.8
13 but less than 14 years	296.4
14 years or more	312.0

Note: The maximum accumulation for staff who are in positions that have been approved for a 40-hour work week will be based on the 40-hour work week (e.g., for staff with less than ten years of service the maximum accumulation is 240 hours).

Change in Standard Hours

If a staff member changes his or her standard hours of appointment during the fiscal year (July 1 - June 30), either voluntarily or involuntarily, the maximum accumulation balance will not be adjusted until the first pay period following July 1, the start of the new fiscal year. At that time the maximum balance will be reset based upon his or her new standard hours of appointment. Any time accrued over the new maximum accumulation amount will be forfeited.

If the change in standard hours occurs at a point during the fiscal year that doesn't realistically provide time for the staff member to use up accrued time over the new maximum (adjusted at the beginning of the next fiscal year) an exception to the maximum accumulation provision may be considered. Exceptions should be considered on a case-by-case basis by the unit department head, with the stipulation that accruals must be brought within the maximum by June 30 of the next fiscal year. Exceptions will not be granted in two consecutive years. The intent is for supervisors and staff to work together to proactively plan and balance business and personal needs to allow adequate time away and avoid the loss of accruals.

Although vacation payouts at retirement or termination cannot exceed the maximum during the fiscal year, vacation-eligible staff may accrue in excess of their maximum accumulation. This excess is not carried over into the next fiscal year. At the end of the fiscal year, leave balances that exceed the maximum are automatically adjusted to the appropriate max in accordance with the information above. Requests for exceptions on maintaining accruals beyond the provisions of the policy may be considered only if staff members are specifically requested to forego taking vacation due to pressing business needs; i.e. the PeopleSoft implementation was a prime example. Pay in lieu of vacation is prohibited. University Policy prohibits paying for more than fifty-two (52) weeks of work and vacation in one year.

When an employee retires or terminates, accrued vacation up to the maximum accumulation allowed based on credited years of service will be paid in a lump sum in the last scheduled check.

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Sick Leave Accruals (Personal Leave, Family Health Care Leave)

Sick Leave accruals begin immediately upon employment. Leave cannot be taken before it is accrued. Sick leave is available for illness or medical emergencies that prevent the employee from reporting to work, or for planned, routine medical or dental appointments needed to maintain the individual's good health. The procedure for routine dental and medical appointments is that the employee submits a written leave request to the supervisor as far in advance of the appointment as possible. Prior approval is not required for sick leave taken for illness and medical emergencies.

Regular full time, benefits' eligible employees accrue at 3.6 hours per pay period or twelve (12) days a year. This is based on ten (10) working days and seventy-eight (78) total hours per pay period. The maximum Sick Leave accrual is 702.0 hours or ninety (90) days.

Personal and Family Health Care Leave are deducted from Sick Leave balances.

When a nonacademic employee is on a paid leave other than vacation (e.g. Sick Leave, Short-Term Disability, Workers' Compensation) for more than twenty (20) consecutive calendar days, Vacation and Sick Leave cease to accrue. The twenty (20) consecutive calendar days are counted from the first date of absence.