| Applies to: | Original Policy Date: | Date of Last Review: | Approved by: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-time 12-month Faculty and Staff | March 1, 2016 | April 1, 2024 | Dr. Nicklow |
Policy Owner: Office of Human Resources
Policy Purpose
The university grants paid vacation leave based upon continuous length of service. Subject to the operational needs of the university, employees are encouraged to utilize vacation leave for periodic rest and relaxation or to attend to personal affairs. This will help to ensure employees are fully prepared to perform job responsibilities and have the opportunity to enjoy home and leisure time. This policy outlines eligibility for and use of vacation leave and how it is accrued and paid.
Policy Scope
All full-time, 12-month faculty and staff
Policy Statement
Vacation leave is accrued by eligible employees and may be used and/or carried over from one fiscal year to the next as outlined in this policy. Requests for vacation leave are subject to review and approval by the immediate supervisor. Unused accrued vacation leave may be paid to employees who leave employment with the university, subject to the conditions in consideration for a general waiver. Florida Tech reserves the right to conduct a timely and complete audit of leave records before payment of accrued vacation leave is made.
Procedures/Guidelines
- Vacation leave begins accruing from the date of hire. An employee rehired by the university after a break in service is subject to the service requirements of this policy unless rehired under the provisions of the Reinstatement Policy.
- Vacation leave is computed each pay period based upon the length of service and the employee's assigned FTE. Vacation leave earned in a pay period is credited to the employee’s vacation leave balance on the date the employee is paid for the pay period.
- Employees may take any part of their accrued vacation leave after completion of one calendar month of employment, subject to the operational needs of their department.
- Department heads, with the concurrence of the Vice President of Human Resources, may designate specific times of the year for which vacation requests are not typically approved. The department head must notify all employees in writing of the dates when leave usage will not normally be approved. Written notification to employees must be provided, at a minimum, upon hire and at the beginning of each fiscal year.
- Earned vacation leave may be used, if the employee wishes, in conjunction with workers' compensation, short term disability, or long-term disability payments while the employee is receiving any of these benefits. In no case may the combination of vacation leave with workers' compensation benefits, short term disability benefits or long-term disability benefits exceed 100% of the employee's regular pay.
- Employees on leave of absence, including family medical leave or workers’ compensation, maintain vacation leave already accrued but do not accrue additional hours while on leave of absence.
Vacation Leave Accrual Rates and Carryover
Please note that Maximum Annual Accrual and Maximum Carryover are tracked by fiscal year, not calendar year.
Executive payroll maximum
| Service Requirement | Accrual Rate | Maximum Annual Accrual | Maximum Carryover |
|---|---|---|---|
| From the date of employment | 20 days (160 hours) per year; 13.333 hours per month | 160 hours | 480 hours |
Exempt employees, including 12-month faculty & research professionals
| Service Requirement | Accrual Rate | Maximum Annual Accrual | Maximum Carryover |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to end of 3rd year | 15 days (120 hours) per year; 4.615 hours per pay period | 120 hours | 360 hours |
| Start of 4th year | 20 days (160 hours) per year; 6.154 hours per pay period | 160 hours | 480 hours |
Non-exempt employees
| Service Requirement | Accrual Rate | Maximum Annual Accrual | Maximum Carryover |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to end of 3rd year | 10 days (80 hours) per year; 3.077 hours per pay period | 80 hours | 240 hours |
| Start of 4th year through end of 9th year | 15 days (120 hours) per year; 4.615 hours per pay period | 120 hours | 360 hours |
| Start of 10th year | 20 days (160 hours) per year; 6.154 hours per pay period | 160 hours | 480 hours |
Regular full-time employees (those authorized to work 28 or more hours per week) accrue vacation leave according to the rates listed above, pro-rated if the employee's assigned FTE is less than one.
An employee's service in one category of accrual counts towards service in another category of accrual, but the accrual rate is always based on the current position. Therefore, a change from one accrual category to another may result in a change in accrual rate.
Service in a non-accrual category (i.e., in a position not eligible for vacation leave) will count towards service if an employee transfers to a position in an accrual category
Carryover from Year to Year
Maximum Carryover is the amount of accrued leave that can be "carried over" from one fiscal year to the next. It is limited to three times the maximum annual accrual for the employee’s accrual rate. An employee’s vacation leave balance may exceed this amount during the year. However, at the end of the fiscal year any unused leave balance above the maximum carryover for the employee’s accrual rate is forfeited. Employees are therefore encouraged to plan their use of vacation leave so that their leave balance at the end of the final full pay period of the fiscal year is below their maximum carryover amount.
Payment in Lieu of Vacation Leave Use
Payment of accrued vacation leave in lieu of taking vacation leave is not allowed, except at the time of separation.
Upon signing an appropriate severance agreement and/or waiver, vacation payout will be paid as follows:
- Vacation leave that is not yet credited to the employee’s vacation leave balance on the date of separation is forfeited. Vacation leave is accrued and credited to the employee’s vacation leave balance when payment for the pay period is processed. Since the accrual takes place after the pay period closes, the amount accrued for the employee’s final pay period is not eligible for payout if separation occurs prior to the pay date.
- Employees will be paid at their current rate for their actual vacation leave balance amount as of the separation date, up to a maximum of two times the applicable maximum annual accrual amount. This maximum limit applies, even if the employee’s actual vacation leave balance is higher.
- For the purpose of payment in lieu of vacation leave use, “separation” includes transfer from a position eligible for vacation leave to a position that is not eligible.
Definitions
FTE: Full time equivalent. The calculation of FTE is an employee's scheduled hours divided by the employer's hours for a full-time workweek. For example, a part-time workweek of 20 hours divided by the 40-hour full-time workweek at Florida Tech is 0.5 FTE.
Responsibilities
To avoid loss of vacation leave, it is the responsibility of the employee to request and schedule vacation so that the maximum carryover amount will not be exceeded at the end of the last full pay period in the fiscal year. It is the responsibility of the employee to request and schedule vacation far enough in advance to permit the department to meet operational needs.
Supervisors are responsible to approve vacation leave requests in accordance with policy guidelines and operational needs, respecting the requesting employee’s preference whenever practicable.
Department heads, through the supervisors, are responsible to ensure that every eligible employee is provided an opportunity to schedule and use vacation leave.
The Office of Human Resources is responsible to ensure accurate accrual, crediting, and carryover of vacation leave and to process payment in lieu of vacation leave for separating employees in accordance with policy guidelines.
Enforcement
Vacation leave that is not requested and approved in accordance with this policy will not be paid.