Vacation Leave

Policy Number: 3349-07-160
Effective Date: 12/15/2000
Updated: 02/01/2025
Reviewed: —
Responsible Department: Human Resources, Payroll
Applies To: All University Employees

A. Purpose

1. To provide a standard vacation policy for all employees of the University in order to ensure that employees maintain a healthy balance between personal life and work-related obligations.

B. Scope

1. This Policy applies to full and part-time faculty; administrative staff, unclassified hourly staff, and classified civil service employees. This Policy does not apply to student employees.

C. Definitions

1. Consult Institution Policy no. 3349‐7‐01.
2. “Regular Rate of Pay” refers the employee’s base rate of pay.

D. Policy Statement

1. Vacation Leave Accrual
   1. Unclassified hourly employees and Classified Civil Service Employees
      1. Each unclassified hourly employee and classified civil service Employee shall earn vacation leave in accordance with the following formula.
         

         Years of Service	Accrual Formula
         1-4	.03875 x hours paid
         5-9	.05750 x hours paid
         10-20	.07750 x hours paid
         21 or more	.09625 x hours paid

         Vacation leave does not accumulate while on an unpaid leave of absence or while receiving paid hours from the Sick Leave Donation Pool.

      2. The employee will be permitted to take accrued vacation leave after completing the probationary period.
      3. A full-time unclassified hourly employee or classified civil service employee earning vacation credits is entitled to have any service with former State of Ohio public employers (State or any political subdivision of the State) counted as service, for the purpose of computing the amount of vacation leave in the formula specified above. Documentation of former service must be received by Human Resources within ninety (90) days from the date of hire.
   2. Faculty, Monthly Administrative and Bi-Weekly Staff
      1. All full and part-time faculty and full and part-time administrative staff shall earn vacation leave in accordance with the following formula.
         .085 x hours paid per pay period
2. Vacation Leave Usage
   1. Unclassified Hourly Employee and Classified Civil Service Employee
      1. Employees are expected to use their accrued vacation leave annually. Employees may accrue vacation leave up to a maximum of three times the amount earned annually. Once the maximum is earned, no further vacation leave may be earned until vacation leave is used.
   2. Faculty and Administrative Staff
      1. Employees are expected to use their accrued vacation leave annually. Any accrued and unused vacation leave up to a maximum of 352 hours may be carried forward to the following fiscal year. Any accrued and unused vacation leave in excess of 352 hours must be used by the end of the fiscal year or will be forfeited.
      2. The use of vacation leave may be authorized in advance of accrual upon approval of the Immediate Supervisor.
   3. If an employee takes vacation leave during a week in which there is a paid holiday, the employee need not record the holiday as vacation leave.
   4. Vacation leave shall be subject to approval of the Immediate Supervisor to minimize interruption of service.
3. Vacation Payout
   1. At the point of separation from the University or upon the death of the employee, accrued but unused vacation will be paid in the next bi-weekly or monthly pay following separation in a lump sum at the employee’s Regular Rate of Pay subject to the following maximum amounts:
      1. Faculty and administrative staff are subject to a vacation payout maximum of 176 hours of accrued but unused vacation hours.
      2. Classified and Unclassified Hourly employees are subject to a maximum vacation payout equivalent to the maximum amount of hours accrued per year based on their years of service.
   2. In the event of an Employee’s death, the vacation leave payout will be made to the Employee’s estate.
   3. The payout for accrued but unused vacation for employees will be made at the next regularly scheduled bi‐weekly or monthly paycheck following the employee’s death or separation from the University.
   4. Employees are not permitted to use vacation time to extend their retirement or resignation date.

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