Faculty and faculty administrators who accrue vacation (those on 10, 11 or 12-month assignments) will have 15 months to use their annual quota of vacation hours. Vacation hours will continue to be deposited in leave accounts each July 1 but will not expire until September 30 the following year.
Opt-out: Deans and Educational Unit Administrators (Department Chairs or School Directors) retain the ability to restrict faculty vacation use to 12 months, (with the approval of the Dean and OFA); however, any unit limiting use to 12 months must communicate in writing to all involved faculty prior to when the leave is deposited (July 1) to ensure transparent and timely communication and ensure faculty know the time limitations of their vacation hour allotment. Any unit changing its status (opting in or opting out) must have written approval of the Dean and OFA prior to the start of the fiscal year they propose a change.
Reporting, recording and tracking faculty vacation leave. It is imperative that each college has strong internal processes ensuring that they are reporting, recording and tracking faculty leaves in the university’s central system. The Provost may revoke delegation of authority for any college that does not have effective oversight of reporting, recording and tracking faculty leave.
Prorated vacation credit and terminal vacation pay. Although the full allotment of vacation hours is deposited in leave accounts each July 1, vacation is pro-rated over the course of the year. As outlined in AR3.6, vacation days are deemed to be earned per month during an assignment period. For example, if a faculty member departs the institution after three months; their allowed vacation time is 25% of the full allotment, and if they have used more than that portion, they will be required to re-pay the institution.
If a faculty member departs the institution and has not used their proportional allotment of vacation leave, they shall be paid for earned but unused vacation leave, up to a maximum of 22 days (AR 3:6). However, while vacation hours are allowed to be used for up to 15 months after receipt, there is no pay out of unused vacation hours past the fiscal year in which they are earned. For example, if a faculty on a 12-month assignment leaves August 1, they can only receive pay-out for 1/12 of their unused current year allotment, even if they did not use all prior fiscal year vacation hours.
Faculty with Department of Veterans Affairs assignments. Faculty who have assignments at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) may receive partial salary support from the VA and may accrue vacation leave at the VA. The VA vacation assignment is pro-rated to effort at the VA; however, the University does not pro-rate vacation hours for faculty with VA assignments. Thus, faculty must claim their full planned vacation hours from the University, as well as the proportional VA time from the VA. For example, a 12-month faculty member who has a 4/8 assignment at the VA and plans to take a week of vacation must claim 40 hours of leave from the University and 20 hours of leave from the VA for that week’s vacation.
Impact of approved leave on vacation leave (see GR 10):
Sabbatical: There is no impact of sabbatical leave on vacation leave. Faculty who accrue vacation who take a sabbatical have the same vacation hour allotment and the same 15-month period in which to use their vacation time.
Temporary Disability Leave (TDL) or Family Medical Leave (FML): Vacation time may be charged for faculty taking parental leave beyond 6-8 weeks for child birth or adoption. Vacation time is considered earned during time on leave.
Leaves with Pay: There is no impact of approved leave with pay on vacation hours. Vacation hours are earned while on leave with pay.
Leaves without Pay: Vacation hours are not earned while on leave without pay.
Educational Leave: There is no impact of approved education leave on vacation hours. Vacation hours are earned while on educational leave.
Scholarly Fellowship Leave: There is no impact of approved scholarly fellowship leave on vacation hours. Vacation hours are earned while on scholarly fellowship leave.
Entrepreneurial leave: Vacation hours are not earned while on entrepreneurial leave.
Exceptions. As outlined in AR 3:6, if extraordinary business-related circumstances prevent a faculty employee from using their annual vacation leave within the 15 months allowed, the dean may request permission to carry forward the unused leave. The request must be submitted in writing from the dean to the Associate Provost for Faculty Advancement. Final approval to carry forward unused vacation leave shall be granted by the Provost on a case-by-case basis.