2.3.010 Employee Vacation Accrual Policy

The university values the contributions of its employees and provides as a benefit to its employees vacation time to be absent from work with pay. Vacation time off with pay is available to employees covered by this policy to provide opportunities for rest, relaxation, and personal pursuits.

This policy applies to all university employees that accrue vacation hours.

For purposes of this policy, “employee” means all regular, full-time, non-faculty employees. Other types of leave are governed by their respective policies.

For purposes of this policy, “vacation time” is paid time off for which employees are compensated at their base rate of pay at the time of the absence. It does not include overtime or any other special forms of compensation.

All employees covered by this policy accrue vacation time at the rate specified in the accrual schedule below, based on their years of service, for each pay period of completed employment. Accrued vacation time is credited to employees on the last pay day of each pay period in which they have been employed for the entire period. Employees do not accrue vacation time for any portion of the first pay period for which they are employed that is less than the full period.

Years of Service	Hours per pay period	Max. Carryover per year	Max. Bank
Less than 4	5	90	280
4-9	7	126
More than 9	8	144

 

Exempt employees may use vacation time in minimum increments of one hour; non-exempt employees may use vacation time in fifteen (15) minute increments. Employees cannot use future, anticipated, vacation time not yet accrued at the date of the absence. Vacation time will not accrue for pay periods in which seven or more workdays are unpaid.

Employees should schedule planned vacation time in advance with their supervisor. Vacation time will be approved or denied, taking into account considerations such as the needs of the university and schedules of employees. Employees who have an unexpected need to be absent from work should notify their supervisor before the scheduled start of their workday, if possible. The supervisor must also be contacted on each additional day of unexpected absence, absent extenuating circumstances.

Accrued vacation time will be paid out to employees at the end of their employment with the university. Employees do not accrue vacation time for their final period of employment with the university if they work less than the full pay period.

Employees may not accrue vacation time in excess of 280 total hours. After an employee accrues 280 total hours of available, but unused vacation time, the employee will stop accruing vacation time until his or her vacation time balance falls below 280, after which vacation time will resume accruing up to a total of 280 hours.

Any questions regarding this policy should be directed to the Human Resources Office.

A. Regular full-time employees in a 100% Full Time Equivalent position are eligible to earn and use vacation time.

B. Regular employees who occupy a .80 to .99 FTE position will receive the same vacation benefits on a pro-rated basis. For example, a .80 exempt employee with less than 4 years of service would earn 8 hours of vacation per month. Employees occupying less than a .80 FTE do not accrue vacation time. Maximum accrual levels will also be at the pro-rated rates. (Ex: 120 x .80 = 96)

Exempt (Salaried) & Nonexempt (Hourly) Employees

Years of Eligible Service (As of Anniversary Date)	Vacation Hours (Semi-Monthly)	Vacation Days (Per Year)	Max Carryover per year	Maximum Bank
Less than 4 years	5 hours	15 days or 120 hours	90 hours	280 hours
4-9	7 hours	21 days or 168 hours	126 hours	280 hours
9 years and beyond	8 hours	24 days or 192 hours	144 hours	280 hours

C. Years of service in the above table refers to continuous service. Accrual rates change on the employee's four and nine-year anniversary dates.

D. Vacation is credited at the conclusion of each semi-monthly pay period.

E. Vacation will not be earned for pay periods in which seven or more workdays are unpaid. The number of work days in a given pay period can range from 9 to 12 depending on the month.

F. Vacation time must be earned and credited to the employee's vacation record before using it.

G. Vacation is paid at the employee's base pay rate at the time the vacation is taken.

H. In the event that available vacation is not used by the end of the anniversary year, it may be carried forward per above table. Once unused vacation reaches 280 hours further accumulation stops until vacation is used.

I. Upon termination of employment, employees (except probationary) will be paid all earned but unused vacation available to them. For probationary employees who do not satisfactorily complete the probationary period, no payment for accrued but unused vacation will be made upon termination of employment.

J. Supervisors must approve all requests for vacation (electronic or paper) for the absence to be valid. Exempt employees must submit requests in one-hour increments. Nonexempt employee requests for leave must be submitted in fifteen-minute increments.

K. Vacation constitutes hours worked in calculating overtime pay for nonexempt employees only.