Human Resources Policies

POLICY: Vacation Leave
Policy Number: HR-31
Effective Date: April 2004, June 2004
Revisions: April 2004, June 2004
Responsible Officer: Associate Dean, Planning and Operations


PURPOSE:
This policy was established to provide eligible employees with paid time off for rest and relaxation based on hours of work and years of service.

I. POLICY:
The College of Medicine provides eligible employees with the opportunity to earn vacation leave based on hours scheduled, job classification and years of service.

II. ELIGIBILITY:
This policy applies to all College non-faculty employees.

III. DEFINITIONS
Vacation Leave is the amount of time an employee may earn based upon hours scheduled, job classification and years of service for use as vacation or other personal time. Full Time is a position requiring a minimum of 40 regularly scheduled hours of work weekly, which entitles the employee to benefits. Part Time is a position requiring a minimum of 20 regularly scheduled hours of work weekly, which entitles the employee to pro-rated benefits. An Exempt employee is in a classification as defined by the Fair Labor Standards Act that is not subject to the overtime provisions of the Act.

A Non-Exempt employee is employed in a classification as defined by the Fair Labor Standards Act and is subject to the overtime provisions of the Act.

IV. SCHEDULE FOR VACATION ACCRUALS

For non-exempt staff employed on or before March 31, 2004:
0 – 3 months of employment with the College – 0 days

Beginning in 4th month – 36th month of employment with the College – 12 days per year (1 day per month)

37th month of employment with the College through 60th month – 15 days per year (1.25 days per month)

61st month and over of employment with the College – 20 days per year (1.67 days per month)

For non-exempt staff employees on April 1, 2004 and afterwards:
From the date of hire through the 4th year (60th month) of employment with the College – 10 days per year (.83 day per month)

5 years (61th month) through the 9th year (120th month) of employment with the College – 15 days per year (1.25 per month)

10 years (121th month) and over of employment with the College – 20 days per year (1.67 days per month)

For exempt staff employed on or before March 31, 2004:
0 – 12 months of employment with the College – 12 days per year (1 day per month)

13 months and over of employment with the College – 20 days per year (1.67 days per month)

For exempt staff employed on April 1, 2004 and afterwards:
A new exempt employee with less than 5 years of professional work experience – 10 days per year (.83 day month). After 5 full years with the College, accrual becomes 15 days per year (1.25 day per month). After 10 full years with the College, accrual becomes 20 days (1.67 days per month).

A new exempt employee with at least 5 years but less than 10 years of professional work experience – 15 days (1.25 days per month). After 5 full years with the College, accrual becomes 20 days (1.67 days per month).

A new exempt employee with 10 years of professional work experience – 20 days (1.67 days per month)

The Department of Human Resources assesses experience levels and assigns vacation accruals to new employees.  In the event of a dispute between the hiring department and Human Resources, the Associate Dean, Planning and Operations in consultation with the Vice President of Human Resources will make the final decision.

V. GUIDELINES:

A. Accrual of Vacation Leave
1. Employees accrue pro-rated vacation leave based on hours paid per pay period.

2. The maximum number of hours scheduled/paid that will be used to calculate the accrual each bi-weekly pay period is 80 hours.

3. The maximum vacation amount that can be accrued is 1.8 times the annual accrual based on scheduled hours. Once the employee’s vacation leave accrual hits the maximum, accruals will stop until vacation leave is used. For employees entitled to 10 days of annual vacation, the maximum accrual will be 18 days. For employees entitled to 15 days of annual vacation the maximum accrual will be 27 days. For employees entitled to 20 days of annual vacation the maximum accrual will be 36 days.

4. Vacation leave is earned in any period in which an employee is in an active pay status.

5. The vacation leave accrual rate will be adjusted based on length of service in the pay period following the employee's anniversary date. Maximum vacation leave is 20 days per year.

6. Vacation leave is paid according to an employee's base hourly rate at the time the vacation leave is used.

7. Employees shall not be paid cash in lieu of taking vacation leave.

8. An employee is eligible to use vacation leave in the same pay period in which it is accrued.

B. Holidays and Vacation Leave
When a holiday occurs during scheduled vacation leave, the employee will be paid holiday time instead of vacation leave for that day.

C. Scheduling Vacation Leave
1. Requests for vacation leave are granted at the discretion and approval of the supervisor/manager. Vacation leave must be approved in advance and should be requested according to departmental policies and procedures. The supervisor/manager is responsible for ensuring proper staffing levels when granting vacation leave requests. The supervisor/manager is responsible for maintaining attendance records and recording proper vacation leave on payroll timesheets or exception reporting for exempt employees.

2. The supervisor/manager will make every attempt to accommodate an employee's request for vacation leave. However, employees may be required to postpone vacation leave requests to accommodate the needs of the department or in emergency situations.

3. Vacation leave may not be taken immediately preceding or immediately following any other authorized paid absence (e.g., paid holiday) unless authorized in advance by the employee's supervisor/manager.

4. Vacation leave may be used for unscheduled absences only in rare instances and with the approval of the supervisor/manager.

5. Vacation leave may be granted in no less than one-hour increments for non-exempt employees and in half-day increments for exempt employees.

D. Compensation and Vacation Leave
1. Full-time employees are paid the number of hours they are normally scheduled to work at their regular hourly rate of pay.

2. Part-time employees are paid the number of hours that constitute their normal scheduled workday at their regular hourly rate of pay.

3. Vacation leave will not be counted in determining overtime compensation.

E. Introductory Period and Vacation Leave
An employee may not use vacation leave during the Introductory Period (normally three months unless extended).

F. Sick Leave and Vacation Leave
In the event an illness or injury occurs to an employee during vacation leave, the employee may request that sick leave be substituted for vacation leave if medical documentation is provided in the form of a note from a health care provider.

G. Leaves of Absence and Vacation Leave

1. Employees shall be required to utilize all available vacation leave while on a leave of absence. However, an employee on military leave shall not be required to use available vacation leave. In cases of leave for the employee’s own serious health condition, vacation leave shall be utilized following the exhaustion of available sick leave. (See HR - 52 policies on Family and Medical Leave and Non-Family and Medical Leave.)

2. Vacation leave will not accrue while an employee is on an unpaid leave of absence or on disciplinary suspension.

H. Separation and Vacation Leave

1. Preceding termination, vacation leave may not be taken during the notice period unless authorized in advance of resignation.

2. Employees who give proper notice (no less than two weeks as noted in HR-48 Termination of Employment) and have completed their introductory period, will receive payment for accrued, unused vacation up to a maximum of 1.5 times their annual accrual. For employees entitled to 10 days of annual vacation the maximum payment for accrued, unused vacation will be limited to 15 days. For employees entitled to 15 days of annual vacation the maximum payment for accrued, unused vacation will be limited to 22.5 days. For employees entitled to 20 days annual vacation the maximum payment for accrued, unused vacation will be limited to 30 days.

Additional Information: Inquiries regarding this policy can be directed to the Human Resources Department.