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Full-Time Staff

Vacation, Sick and Personal Time

General Information

All vacation scheduling is subject to supervisory approval and departmental procedures and departmental needs. The vacation year for the purposes of this policy is defined as January 1 through December 31. Up to five days of unused vacation time may be carried over from one year to the next without University approval. Carryover of vacation time beyond five days requires the approval of the supervisor and Human Resources. Vacation carry over is limited to the unused vacation time accrued during the most current year. Vacation carry over request forms are available from the Office of Human Resources.

Vacation time cannot be used to extend the date of termination. Staff voluntarily terminating their employment with the University will receive a payout for unused, earned, vacation days, provided appropriate notice of voluntary termination has been given by the staff member.  At minimum, a two week notice (14 days) is considered a proper notice.  If a staff member uses non-accrued vacation in their last year of employment they are required to pay back that time.  Employees, who meet the normal retirement guidelines upon their voluntary termination of employment, are eligible for the full allotment of their vacation accrual for the year.  Employees terminating for any other reason will not be paid for unused vacation time.

The smallest increment of vacation time that can be taken is one-half day (3.5 hours or 4 hours).

Vacation Accrual

Administrators accrue at a rate of 4 weeks of vacation per year, prorated in the first year for full months of service (1.67 days per month rounded to the next full half day).

Professional staff and non-exempt staff accrue vacation during the first year of employment at the rate of one-half day (3.5 or 4 hours) per full month of employment, up to 5 days (35 or 40 hours).  The accrual rate is based on the staff member's normal work day of 7 or 8 hours (35 or 40 hours per week).  In subsequent years, vacation eligibility and accrual is according to the following chart:

VACATION ACCRUAL

Professional/ParaProf Staff

Non-Exempt Staff

Second Calendar Year

2 weeks accrual at 2 days per month for 5 months

2 weeks accrual at 2 days per month for 5 months

Third Calendar Year

3 weeks accrual at 3 days per month for 5 months

2 weeks accrual at 2 days per month for 5 months

Fourth Calendar Year

4 weeks accrual at 4 days per month for 5 months

2 weeks accrual at 2 days per month for 5 months

Fifth Calendar Year

4 weeks accrual at 4 days per month for 5 months

3 weeks accrual at 3 days per month for 5 months

Tenth Calendar Year and beyond

4 weeks accrual at 4 days per month for 5 months

4 weeks accrual at 4 days per month for 5 month

Sick Time

Sick leave time is only for incidents of brief illness and medically related appointments.  Generally, full-time staff and administrators are eligible for eight sick leave days (56 or 64 hours, depending on work schedule) each year.  All staff may carry over unused time and accumulate up to a maximum of 130 days (910 or 1,040 hours, depending on work schedule). There is no payment for unused sick time upon separation of employment for any reason.

During the first year of employment, sick leave time is prorated at one day (7 or 8 hours) for each completed month of employment, up to eight days (56 or 64 hours). 

The smallest increment of sick time that can be taken is 15 minutes. Overruns on sick leave time will be deducted from vacation time, or treated as time without pay if no vacation time remains.  

The University of Scranton reserves the right to request appropriate documentation and may deny the use of sick time if it is not provided in a timely manner.

If a staff member is absent for more than three (3) working days, they should contact the Office of Human Resources at (570) 941-7767.

Family Sick Time

Full-time staff may be eligible to use available sick time, in increments as little as 15 minutes, to care for a sick dependent, or to accompany the dependent to medical appointments.  Dependent for the purposes of this policy, is defined by the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). 

Family illness time may also be used during a Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) qualifying event.  See the "Family Medical Leave" policy for more information or contact the Office of Human Resources for details of qualifying events and eligible dependents as defined by the FMLA.

The University of Scranton reserves the right to request appropriate documentation and may deny the use of family illness time if it is not provided in a timely manner.

The smallest increment of sick time that can be taken is 15 minutes.

Personal Days

Full-time staff accrue one day per month up to two days (14 or 16 hours) to be used for personal business.  Such time should be scheduled with supervisory approval.  Supervisors reserve the right to approve or disapprove requests for personal time based on department needs.  Up to two days (14 or 16 hours) of unused personal time may be carried over as personal time from one year to the next without University approval.  Available personal time, above two days (14 or 16 hours), will be automatically converted to sick time.

The smallest increment of personal time that can be taken is 15 minutes.

Overruns on personal time will be deducted from vacation time.  Personal time may not be used to extend employment upon termination.  Unused personal days will not be paid out upon separation from employment for any reason.  (Updated March 2015)

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