Human Resources

Vacation

Table of Contents

Introduction

RIT understands how important it is to balance both your career and personal life. We have developed a total compensation package that includes paid time-off for all regular full-time, extended part-time, and part-time employees.

Vacation

Regular full-time, extended part-time, and part-time staff employees and 12-month faculty are eligible for paid vacation. Eligible employees earn vacation during the fiscal year (July 1 – June 30); it is not front-loaded at the beginning of the fiscal year or on the date of hire. Use of vacation is subject to supervisor/manager approval.

Beginning the July 1 after the employee’s hire date, vacation is earned during the fiscal year on a monthly basis at a rate of 1/12 the annual fiscal year vacation amount. Vacation is earned in any month in which an eligible employee is employed for 15 or more days. The amount of vacation earned annually is dependent upon an employee’s length of service and employment category, as outlined in the chart below. In addition, the total vacation time is based on the employee’s standard weekly hours. For example, an exempt employee who has been employed for less than 5 years, whose standard weekly hours are 40, and who is scheduled to work 12 months per year, would have 3 weeks of vacation, at 40 hours for each week.

For employees who are scheduled to work 12 months per year, who are non-exempt, extended part-time, or part-time, the number of hours of vacation per fiscal year is the number of vacation weeks as shown in the Vacation Eligibility Chart below multiplied by the number of the employee’s standard weekly hours.

  • For example, a non-exempt employee eligible for 2 weeks of vacation who is scheduled to work 35 hours per week, 52 weeks per year will have 70 vacation hours each fiscal year (35 hours x 2 weeks = 70 vacation hours per fiscal year).
  • For example, an extended part-time exempt employee eligible for 3 weeks of vacation who is scheduled to work 25 hours per week,12 months per fiscal year, will have 75 vacation hours each fiscal year (25 hours x 3 weeks = 75 vacation hours per fiscal year)

Vacation Eligibility Chart

Employment Category Annual Vacation Prior to 5th Anniversary pro-rated in 1st year of hire, if hired after July 15th) Annual Vacation
5th Anniversary 10th Anniversary 20th Anniversary
12-month faculty(1) 4 weeks 4 weeks 4 weeks 5 weeks
Exempt staff(2) 3 weeks 4 weeks 4 weeks 5 weeks
Non-exempt staff(2) 2 weeks 3 weeks 4 weeks 5 weeks

(1)Faculty members on 9.5-month or 11-month contracts follow Policy E.4.0, Faculty Employment Policies.

(2)Beginning August 1, 2012, new hire staff employees will have pro-rated vacation if they are scheduled for less than 12 months per year; in addition, an existing employee who transfers into a less than 12-month position, will also have pro-rated vacation.

Currently, the vacation accrual increases based on length of service beginning the July 1st nearest the anniversary date (i.e., if anniversary date is July 1 - December 31, vacation accrual increases the July 1st before anniversary date; if anniversary date is January 1 - June 30, vacation accrual increases the July 1st after the anniversary date).

Effective January 1, 2013, the monthly vacation accrual increases according to the Vacation Eligibility Chart. The monthly accrual will increase beginning the first of the month on or after the employee’s anniversary date of their date of hire (or adjusted date of hire, if a rehire). For example, if the anniversary date is October 1, the vacation accrual increases October 1; if the anniversary date is October 2, the vacation accrual increases November 1.

Staff Employees Scheduled for Less Than 12 Months Per Fiscal Year

Effective August 1, 2012, vacation will be pro-rated for new hires and for existing employees who change jobs if scheduled for less than 12 months per fiscal year for exempt employees and less than 52 weeks per fiscal year for non-exempt employees. Staff employees who are scheduled to work less than 12 months per year as of July 31, 2012 will be grandfathered under the previous benefit and will not have pro-rated vacation time.

  • For example, a non-exempt employee eligible for 2 weeks of vacation who is scheduled to work 35 hours per week, 44 weeks per year will have 59.23 vacation hours each fiscal year.
    • 44 weeks / 52 weeks = .85 pro-ration factor
    • 35 x 2 = 70 hours x .85 = 59.23
  • For example, an exempt employee eligible for 3 weeks of vacation who is scheduled to work 40 hours per week,10 months per fiscal year, will have 12.45 vacation days each fiscal year.
    • 10 months / 12 months = .83 pro-ration factor
    • 40 x 3 = 120 hours x .83 = 99.6 hours or 12.45 days

Earning Vacation

An eligible employee earns 1/12 of the annual vacation each month, provided the employee is employed 15 or more days in the month. An employee may take vacation time before it is earned, with supervisor/manager approval.

Non-exempt employees earn 1/12 of the annual vacation hours the 16th of each month and they will be able to view their remaining vacation time through Oracle employee self-service on the online payslip. The accrual will take place based on the pay period end date, NOT the check date.

  • For example, the 8/17/12 paycheck will NOT show the August vacation accrual because the pay period end date is 8/9/12. The accrual will calculate and show in the next paycheck, 8/31/12.

Any vacation that is carried over from the prior fiscal year will show in the balance amount (see the section called Vacation Carry–Over for details on how this works). As an employee takes vacation, the balance will decline. It is important to understand that a person could see a negative balance since the employee may take vacation time before actually earning it.

  • For example: full-time employee works 40 hours a week and receives 2 weeks, or 80 hours, vacation each fiscal year. Therefore, the monthly accrual is 6.67 hours per month (1/12 of 80 hours). If the person takes one week of vacation at the end of August, he/she has earned 13.33 vacation hours and has taken 40 vacation hours, so the online payslip will show 26.67 negative vacation hours (13.33 hours earned less 40 hours taken). This example assumes there was no vacation carry over.

Exempt employees also earn 1/12 of the annual vacation each month but it is not shown in Oracle. Vacation time should be tracked in each department; check with your supervisor/manager for details.

Vacation Increase During the Fiscal Year - The monthly vacation accrual increases according to the Vacation Eligibility Chart. The monthly accrual will increase beginning the first of the month on or after the employee’s anniversary date of their date of hire (or adjusted date of hire if a rehire). For example, if the anniversary date is October 1, the vacation accrual increases October 1; if the anniversary date is October 2, the vacation accrual increases November 1.

  • Example #1: exempt employee’s 5th year anniversary falls on November 1 and the employee is scheduled for a 5-day, 40 hour week, 12 months per year. Fiscal year vacation is earned based on 3 weeks (15 days) of vacation from July – October, then earned based on 4 weeks (20 days) for remainder of fiscal year. The fiscal year accrual will be as follows:
    • July – October – each month earn 1/12 of 15 days per year, or 1.25 days per month (4 months x 1.25 = 5 days)
    • November – June – each month earn 1/12 of 20 days per year, or 1.67 days per month (8 months x 1.67 days = 13.36 days)
    • Total for fiscal year is 18.36 days
  • Example #2: non-exempt employee’s 20th year anniversary falls on February 1 and the employee’s standard weekly hours are 40 and the employee is scheduled for 52 weeks per year. Fiscal year vacation is earned based on 4 weeks of vacation (160 hours) from July – January, then earned based on 5 weeks of vacation (200 hours) for remainder of fiscal year. The fiscal year accrual will be as follows:
    • July – January – each month earn 1/12 of 160 hours per year, or 13.33 hours per month (7 months x 13.33 = 93.31 hours)
    • February – June – each month earn 1/12 of 200 hours per year, or 16.67 hours per month (5 months x 16.67 hours = 83.35 hours)
    • Total for fiscal year is 176.66 hours

Using Vacation

Employees should schedule their vacation in advance and obtain supervisor/manager approval. Earned, unused vacation time will be forfeited at the end of the fiscal year except as described in the Vacation Carry-Over section below.

For non-exempt employees, earned, unused vacation time may be used to extend paid sick/personal time after an employee’s sick/personal leave benefits are exhausted, with supervisor/manager approval. Earned, unused vacation time may also be applied to supplement Workers’ Compensation or short-disability pay when the amount is less than full pay. The vacation time to supplement is used in the amount needed to supplement. For example, if you are receiving the 80% STD benefit and supplement with vacation time, you will use 20% of a day to supplement.

For 12-month faculty and exempt employees, the individual department is responsible for controlling, recording, and monitoring vacation usage and vacation carry-over (described below). For non-exempt employees, vacation usage and carry-over hours are tracked through RIT’s time keeping system.

Vacation Carry-Over

Vacation is provided as a benefit to employees to allow for employees to relax, rejuvenate and enjoy “non-work” activities. All employees are, therefore, encouraged to utilize their annual vacation in the year in which it is earned. There may be times, however, when this is not possible due to work schedules and/or personal plans. For these situations, RIT provides a vacation carry-over provision of up to one-half of the year’s earned vacation. The carry-over is based only on the current year’s earned vacation; any carry-over from the prior fiscal year is not included in determining the amount.

  • Example: regular full-time employee earns 3 weeks per fiscal year (15 days) and carried over 5 from the prior fiscal year:
    Vacation earned 15 days
    Carried Over 5 days
    Total for Year 20 days
    Less: Used 11 days
    Remaining 9 days
    Carry Over 7.5 days
    (½ of annual accrual of 15 days)
    Forfeit (lose) 1.5 days

After January 1, 2013, the maximum carry over is one-half of the annual vacation accrual amount in effect as of June 30. For example, if an employee’s 20th anniversary falls within the fiscal year, the maximum carry over will be 2.5 weeks (one-half of the 5 weeks).

It is important that the correct carry over amount be reported. The vacation carry over is a financial obligation of the university that must be reported on RIT’s financial statements.

Non-Exempt Employees: Since RIT uses its HR/Payroll system for reporting and tracking vacation time, non-exempt employees and their supervisors/managers do not need to take any additional steps for the vacation carry over process. It is an automatic process.

Exempt Employees: Exempt employees will enter their vacation carry over amount in RIT’s HR/Payroll system through Employee Self Service. Supervisors/managers will confirm the carry over time entered. The entry and confirmation must be completed on or before June 30 of each year. If the entry and confirmation are not completed by June 30, there will be no carry over.

Vacation Calculation at Termination

Staff and 12-month faculty will be paid for any earned, unused vacation time as soon as administratively possible after termination of employment. Employees must work through the 15th of the month in order for that month to be included in the accrual calculation.

Illness During Vacation

If an employee becomes ill or is injured during a scheduled vacation, the time off can be counted as sick/personal leave (non-exempt employees) and salary continuation (exempt employees). You should report this change to your supervisor/manager the first day you report back to work.

Vacation During University/Building Closing

If the university closes or a building closes for the day, opens late, or closes early (e.g., Chase Corporate Challenge, weather-related, power outage in a building) when an employee is off for a scheduled vacation, the time off will be counted as vacation time.

Vacation Eligibility During Disability

Vacation is earned during short-term disability periods. When a disability crosses over into a new fiscal year, the employee may not use the new fiscal year’s vacation accrual until he/she returns to work.

Vacation Eligibility During Leave of Absence

When an employee is on an approved leave of absence, the vacation accrual will be based on the rules for that type of leave. Refer to the Institute Policies and Procedures Manual for details.

Vacation Credit upon Change in Status or Change in Work Schedule

An employee’s vacation accrual will be changed for a change in employment status (e.g., extended part-time to full-time) or a change in work schedule (e.g., standard weekly hours change from 37 hours to 40 hours). If the change is effective before the 15th of the month, the change will be effective in the month of the change. If the change is effective after the 15th of the month, the change will be effective the following month.

Vacation Credit upon Rehire

When a former regular employee is rehired into a regular position, the employee is given vacation accrual in accordance with the adjusted date of hire. Similar to all new hires, during the first year of rehire, vacation is pro-rated according to the amount of time the employee will be working during the fiscal year.

Holiday/Vacation Policy

If a University holiday falls on a day that an employee is scheduled to work and it is during an employee’s scheduled vacation, the day will be paid as a holiday not vacation.

Vacation and Retirement Transition Program

Employees participating in the Retirement Transition Program continue to be eligible for vacation time. The amount of vacation will be pro-rated based on the work schedule while on Retirement Transition.

If the employee works the entire fiscal year (12 months if exempt or 52 weeks if non-exempt), the employee would be entitled to the same number of weeks of vacation they had prior to being in the Retirement Transition Program. They will simply have fewer days/hours of vacation time. For example, if the employee is scheduled 20 hours per week (had been 40 before Retirement Transition) and the employee is eligible for four weeks of vacation, the employee will have four 20-hour weeks of vacation instead of four 40-hour weeks of vacation.

If the employee works the less than entire fiscal year (less than 12 months if exempt or less than 52 weeks if non-exempt), the vacation time will be pro-rated as explained in the section titled Staff Employees Scheduled for Less Than 12 Months Per Fiscal Year.

Vacation for Faculty Who Move From 12-Month Position to a Less Than 12-Month Month Position

While working in a 12-month position, a faculty member earns vacation according to the Vacation Eligibility Chart. If the faculty member moves to position which is less than 12 months per year, the earned, unused vacation should be paid out. The vacation information should be reported on the Employee Action Form (EAF) that the department completes for the job change. If the change is effective July 1, the EAF should be received in Human Resources in time for the vacation payout to occur with the June 30 paycheck.