This policy is under review. Learn more about business process changes involving leave policies at Workday@UT or on the Human Resources Time Off & Leave website.

 

 

Handbook of Operating Procedures 5-4110

Annual Leave



The University of Texas at Austin

Executive Sponsor: Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Policy Owner: Assoc. Vice President for Human Resources
September 28, 2003


 

  1. Policy Statement

 

The University of Texas at Austin provides paid annual leave to employees for periodic vacations or any other purpose in accordance with state law.

 

  1. Scope

 

This policy applies to employees appointed to work at least twenty (20) hours per week for a period of  at least four and one-half (4 ) months. Faculty are excluded from this policy. Students employed in positions that require student status as a condition of employment are not covered by this policy.

 

  1. Accrual and Credit

 

  1. Accrual. Employees will accrue annual leave for each month or fraction of a month of employment based on total state service credit. Part-time employees will accrue annual leave on a percentage  basis for the time appointed. Annual leave will accrue according to the following chart:
 

 

 

Employees with total state service credit of:

 

Hours accrued per month

Maximum carryover hours to next fiscal year for full-time employees

Less than 2 years

8

180

At least 2 years but less than 5

9

244

At least 5 years but less than 10

10

268

At least 10 years but less than 15

11

292

At least 15 years but less than 20

13

340

At least 20 years but less than 25

15

388

At least 25 years but less and 30

17

436

At least 30 years but less than 35

19

484

At least 35 years or more

21

532

 

Employees must have six (6) months of continuous state employment before they can use accrued annual leave. Leave without pay status is not included in the calculation of continuous service.

 

  1. Credit. Credit for accrual will be given and posted to an employee's leave record on the first day of employment and on the first day of each succeeding month of employment. If an employee is on paid leave on the first day of the month, the annual leave will be credited for that month but will    not be available for use until after the employee returns to work.

 

Definitions:

 

Duty day means an employee's last physical day on the job prior to separation from employment.

 

State service credit is earned for the actual days, months, and years of service with the University   or other state of Texas agencies or higher education institutions, as long as employment at the other state agency or institution is not concurrent with employment at the University. Each month an employee is on active payroll counts as one (1) month of state service credit, regardless of the number of hours worked in a month.

 

Only the actual days worked during those partial months at the beginning and ending of employment count as state service credit. Each thirty (30) days of employment converts into one (1)  month of state service credit.

 

  1. Nonaccrual. Employees do not accrue annual leave for any full calendar month in which the employee is on leave without pay. Employees called to active duty during a national emergency by a reserve branch of the U.S. Armed Forces of the United States do not accrue annual leave during such service, but do accrue state service credit. See (HOP 5-4430, Military Leave Policy.)
 

 

  1. Limitations on Use

 

  1. Outside Employment. While on annual leave, an employee may not be employed elsewhere unless the requirements and approvals for outside employment have been met. (See HOP 5-2270, Outside Employment Policy.)
  2. Quarter Hour Increments. An employee who uses annual leave in an amount less than a full hour shall be charged for such leave to the closest quarter hour in fifteen (15) minute increments. HOP  5-2270, Outside Employment Policy.)
  3. Use and Exhaustion. Annual leave may not be used before it is accrued. When an employee exhausts all appropriate and available leave, leave without pay is the only option.

 

  1. Illness or Injury During Annual Leave. An employee who becomes ill or is injured while on  approved annual leave will be allowed to use accrued sick leave to cover the illness or injury. Upon receipt of a medical certification, an employee may request to have the actual time they were incapacitated due to illness or injury changed to sick leave.

 

  1. Emergency Closure During Annual Leave. An employee who is on a prior approved annual leave during an emergency closure shall have the annual leave changed to administrative leave.

 

  1. Coordination with Other Leave. Employees who are eligible to earn and use compensatory time are encouraged to use accrued and available compensatory time before  using accrued annual  leave.  (See HOP 5-4010, State Compensatory Time Policy.) A department head can require employees to charge leave time to any accrued and available compensatory time rather than accrued annual leave.

 

  1. Notification Requirements

 

  1. Advance Notice. When foreseeable, employees shall give at least thirty (30) calendar days advance notice to their supervisor of their request to use annual leave.

 

  1. Advance Notice Not Possible. When advance notice is not possible, notice by the employee should be provided as soon as practicable.

 

  1. Written/Verbal Notice. Written notice of the request to use annual leave is recommended when possible; however, employees may provide verbal notice of the request for the leave.

 

  1. Concurrent Use of Other Paid Leave

 

Employees are required to use accrued and available annual leave concurrent with Family and Medical Leave and/or Parental Leave. (See HOP 5-4310, Family and Medical Leave or HOP 5-4330, Parental Leave Policies.) Employees may use annual leave in conjunction with unpaid Military Leave. (See HOP 5-4430, Military Leave Policy.)

 
  1. Allowable Carryover Hours

 

Unused annual leave carries forward into the next fiscal year. However, the number of hours carried forward cannot exceed the limits outlined in the annual leave Accrual Schedule for a full-time employee. Annual leave hours in excess of the set limits at the end of the fiscal year (August 31) transfer to the employee's sick leave balance. Regular employees who work less than forty (40) hours per week carry unused annual leave hours forward in proportion to their appointment.

 

  1. Loss of Eligibility Due to Change in Status

 

If the employee's appointment changes to less than twenty (20) hours per week before completing six (6) months continuous, benefits eligible, state employment, the annual leave accrual is frozen.

 

If the employee's appointment changes to less than twenty (20) hours per week after six (6) months of continuous, benefits eligible, state employment, the accrued annual leave is frozen. No further annual leave will accrue and none of the existing annual leave balance may be used. If the employee's appointment returns to twenty (20) hours or more per week, the annual leave balance will be restored and may be used immediately.

 

  1. Employee Transfers With No Break in Service

 

  1. Transfers Within the University. Accrued annual leave balances for employees transferring with no break in service within the University are automatically transferred to the new department.

 

  1. Transfers to the University. Employees transferring with no break in service to the University from another state of Texas agency or higher education institution can request that their accrued annual leave be transferred to the University.

 

  1. Transfers to Another State of Texas Agency or Higher Education Institution. University employees transferring with no break in service to another state of Texas agency or higher education institution can request that their accrued annual leave be transferred to the new workplace.

 

If the employee has six (6) months of continuous, benefits eligible, state employment prior to any of the above transfers, the annual leave accrued is available for use with appropriate approval.

 

  1. Employee Separations

 

  1. Lump Sum Payment. An employee who separates from the University through resignation or termination is entitled to a lump sum payment for accrued and unused annual leave when:

 

 

  1. Continued Payroll Status. At the department's discretion, an employee separating from  the  University may be allowed to remain on the payroll after the last workday to use annual leave in     lieu of a lump sum payment.
 
  1. Separation before Six (6) Months. If an employee separates from the University before completing  six (6) months of continuous, benefits eligible, state employment, annual leave accrual is lost.

 

  1. Payment to an Estate

 

A deceased employee's estate is entitled to payment for unused annual leave if the employee had at least six (6) months of continuous state employment at the time of death. The payment is based upon the employee's rate of pay at the time of death.

 

If the employee's accrued annual leave was not available for use at the time of death because the employee's appointment had reduced to less than twenty (20) hours per week, the payment is based on the rate of pay at the time the employee last accrued annual leave. (See Loss of Eligibility Due to Change in Status above.)

 

  1. Employee Responsibilities

 

The employee shall provide appropriate notice to the supervisor of the request to use annual leave. The employee shall promptly and accurately record the use of leave.

 

  1. Supervisor and Department Responsibilities

 

The supervisor must review the employee's request based on university and departmental guidelines and approve/disapprove within 5 working days of receipt of the request. Employee time reports should be verified for accuracy and signed.

 

The department shall maintain the monthly Report of Vacation and Sick Leave of all employees who take annual leave.

 

  1. Delegation of Authority

 

Authority is hereby delegated to the department head or designee to determine annual leave eligibility and approve use of leave.

 

For Assistance: Questions regarding annual leave should be directed to Human Resources, Benefits Services Section, or to the website: http://www.utexas.edu/hr/.

Electronic time sheet website: https://utdirect.utexas.edu/pntime.
Source: Texas Government Code 661.031-661.038, 661.061-661.068,  661.151-661.153
Board of Regents' Rules and Regulations 30201
Previously: HOP 9.53, 9.61 and HOP 7.F.1