Office of Human Resources
Vacation Leave Policy for Exempt (Administrative) Employees
Legacy Policy
POLICY:
This policy describes how an exempt employee may earn and utilize annual vacation leave time.
SCOPE:
This policy applies to regular full-time and part-time, benefit eligible, exempt employees. Benefit eligible part-time employees are defined as those employees who are scheduled to work 20 hours or more per week on a regular basis. This policy is effective June 1, 2006 and supercedes any existing versions of the leave policy.
REASON FOR POLICY:
Utica University offers employees vacation leave time in an effort that is intended to promote a healthy balance between work-time and personal time away from the job.
PROCEDURE:
Exempt employees scheduled to work 37 ½ hours per week earn vacation time according to the following schedule:
Vacation leave time is calculated based on service time as noted above under “Procedure”. A new exempt employee is eligible for leave time after successful completion of his/her ninety-day orientation period. Any change to the amount of leave time will be calculated on the service time at the start of the fiscal year.
Excused unpaid absences may cause a prorated reduction of vacation leave time. Vacation will continue to accrue during absences for military reserve duty, and other approved paid leaves for such things as illness and/or disability to a maximum of one year with documentation of the disability, or absences covered by workers' compensation until benefits have been received for one year or until the date a permanent award is made, whichever occurs first.
USE OF VACATION TIME:
Vacation time may be taken as calculated through service time and only with the approval of the exempt employee's supervisor; such approval shall not be unreasonably withheld. Utica University work requirements shall take precedence over the scheduling of any exempt employee's vacation.
Vacation time can be used in increments of one half hour. Any fraction of a day used that is less than this will be charged as one half hour.
All usage of vacation time must be recorded on the employee’s monthly-compensated absence report.
PAYMENT:
Vacation leave pay will be at the pay rate in effect for the exempt employee during the vacation period.
An exempt employee will receive pay for a holiday, not vacation pay, when an official Utica University holiday falls during the exempt employee's vacation.
A exempt employee will not receive pay in lieu of vacation time. However, in the event that there is a change in an employee's position that results in a change in the employee's classification and ultimately affects the vacation leave time earned from one that earns vacation to one that does not, the employee may be paid for any unused vacation leave time remaining.
Unused vacation leave time may be paid to the separating employee at the rate of pay in effect at the time of separation unless employee is still within the ninety-day orientation period.
In the event of the death of an exempt employee, any unused vacation leave time to which the employee was entitled may be paid in accordance with the University policy.
RESPONSIBILITY:
It is the responsibility of the employee to coordinate with his/her supervisor the utilization of the leave time available. It is the responsibility of the supervisor to manage the utilization of time requested by the employee.
ENFORCEMENT:
Enforcement of Utica University policies is the responsibility of the office or offices listed in the “Resources/Questions” section of each policy. The responsible office will contact the appropriate authority regarding faculty or staff members, students, vendors, or visitors who violate policies.
Utica University acknowledges that University policies may not anticipate every possible issue that may arise. The University therefore reserves the right to make reasonable and relevant decisions regarding the enforcement of this policy. All such decisions must be approved by an officer of the University (i.e. president, vice president for academic affairs, or vice president for financial affairs).
RESOURCES/QUESTIONS: Please note that other Utica University policies may apply or be related to this policy. To search for related policies, use the Keyword Search function of the online policy manual.
APPENDIX
Vacation Leave Time – Exempt
This policy describes how an exempt employee may earn and utilize annual vacation leave time.
SCOPE:
This policy applies to regular full-time and part-time, benefit eligible, exempt employees. Benefit eligible part-time employees are defined as those employees who are scheduled to work 20 hours or more per week on a regular basis. This policy is effective June 1, 2006 and supercedes any existing versions of the leave policy.
REASON FOR POLICY:
Utica University offers employees vacation leave time in an effort that is intended to promote a healthy balance between work-time and personal time away from the job.
PROCEDURE:
Exempt employees scheduled to work 37 ½ hours per week earn vacation time according to the following schedule:
- New employees receive 14 days of leave time for the first year on a pro-rated basis. (see APPENDIX) The employee’s anniversary date has no bearing on the vacation leave status except for pro-rating purposes. That leave time must be used by May 31st with no carry over of time allowed into the next year.
- Leave time can be used after successful completion of the ninety-day orientation period. No payout of time will be allowed for any employee leaving prior to the completion of the ninety-day orientation period.
- Leave time schedule as follows: (Amount of leave time awarded will be calculated on the service time at the start of the fiscal year.)
| Year of Service | Amount of vacation leave time: |
| One to Fifteen years | 20 days per fiscal year (June to May) |
| Sixteen years and beyond | 25 days per fiscal year (June to May) |
- Employees hired prior to June 1, 1990 will be grandfathered in as follows: For 30 or more years of service, 30 vacation days will remain in place.
- Employees who work
a. less than 37 1/2 hours per week, with a minimum of 20 hours per week and/or
b. less than 12 months per year (ex: 10 or 11 month employees)
b. less than 12 months per year (ex: 10 or 11 month employees)
earn vacation time on a prorated basis according to the schedule noted above.
EARNING SCHEDULE:
Vacation leave time is calculated based on service time as noted above under “Procedure”. A new exempt employee is eligible for leave time after successful completion of his/her ninety-day orientation period. Any change to the amount of leave time will be calculated on the service time at the start of the fiscal year.
Excused unpaid absences may cause a prorated reduction of vacation leave time. Vacation will continue to accrue during absences for military reserve duty, and other approved paid leaves for such things as illness and/or disability to a maximum of one year with documentation of the disability, or absences covered by workers' compensation until benefits have been received for one year or until the date a permanent award is made, whichever occurs first.
USE OF VACATION TIME:
Vacation time may be taken as calculated through service time and only with the approval of the exempt employee's supervisor; such approval shall not be unreasonably withheld. Utica University work requirements shall take precedence over the scheduling of any exempt employee's vacation.
Vacation time can be used in increments of one half hour. Any fraction of a day used that is less than this will be charged as one half hour.
All usage of vacation time must be recorded on the employee’s monthly-compensated absence report.
PAYMENT:
Vacation leave pay will be at the pay rate in effect for the exempt employee during the vacation period.
An exempt employee will receive pay for a holiday, not vacation pay, when an official Utica University holiday falls during the exempt employee's vacation.
A exempt employee will not receive pay in lieu of vacation time. However, in the event that there is a change in an employee's position that results in a change in the employee's classification and ultimately affects the vacation leave time earned from one that earns vacation to one that does not, the employee may be paid for any unused vacation leave time remaining.
- When an exempt employee has scheduled a vacation for five or more consecutive working days, vacation pay may be included in the last paycheck before the vacation subject to the following conditions:
- The exempt employee presents to the Office of Human Resources/Payroll a written request for such an arrangement approved by the appropriate supervisor showing the dates and the number of days he/she will be on vacation.
- The Office of Human Resources/Payroll must receive such a request no later than ten business days before the applicable payday.
Unused vacation leave time may be paid to the separating employee at the rate of pay in effect at the time of separation unless employee is still within the ninety-day orientation period.
In the event of the death of an exempt employee, any unused vacation leave time to which the employee was entitled may be paid in accordance with the University policy.
RESPONSIBILITY:
It is the responsibility of the employee to coordinate with his/her supervisor the utilization of the leave time available. It is the responsibility of the supervisor to manage the utilization of time requested by the employee.
ENFORCEMENT:
Enforcement of Utica University policies is the responsibility of the office or offices listed in the “Resources/Questions” section of each policy. The responsible office will contact the appropriate authority regarding faculty or staff members, students, vendors, or visitors who violate policies.
Utica University acknowledges that University policies may not anticipate every possible issue that may arise. The University therefore reserves the right to make reasonable and relevant decisions regarding the enforcement of this policy. All such decisions must be approved by an officer of the University (i.e. president, vice president for academic affairs, or vice president for financial affairs).
RESOURCES/QUESTIONS: Please note that other Utica University policies may apply or be related to this policy. To search for related policies, use the Keyword Search function of the online policy manual.
APPENDIX
Vacation Leave Time – Exempt
| If Month of Hire is: | Then 90 day | Employee receives pro-rated amount in first year |
| Orientation completed in: | Upon successful completion of orientation period as follows: | |
| June | September | 14 |
| July | October | 13 |
| August | November | 12 |
| September | December | 11 |
| October | January | 10 |
| November | February | 9 |
| December | March | 8 |
| January | April | 7 |
| February | May | 6 |
| March | June | 0 |
| April | July | 0 |
| May | August | 0 |
| Effective Date: | 05/26/2006 |
| Date Last Revised: | 10/05/2006 |
| Revision Promulgation Date: | 06/23/2011 |