Vacation time off with pay is available to eligible employees to provide opportunities for rest, relaxation, and personal pursuits. Vacation time is earned in number of hours that increment one time each month, as designated by Wilkes University. Employees in the following employment classification(s) are eligible to earn and use vacation time as described in this policy:
- Full-time employees (35 hours per week for 12 months)
- Full-time employees (35 hours per week for 9 or 10 months)
- Part-time employees (Minimum 1,000 work hours for 12 months)
- Introductory employees
Paid vacation time can be used in minimum increments of one hour. To take vacation, employees should request advance approval from their supervisors. Requests will be reviewed based on a number of factors, including business needs and staffing requirements.
Vacation time off is paid at the employee's base pay rate at the time of vacation. Vacation time is not used in the calculation of overtime or any special forms of compensation.
The amount of paid vacation time that employees receive each year and applicable carryover provisions are as follows:
Full-Time Staff Employees (35 hours per week for 12 Months)
Introductory Employee
- During the first incomplete (less than 12 months) fiscal year of eligible service the new employee is entitled to accrue vacation time at a rate of 5.84 hours or 6.67 hours per month. New employees whose first day of work falls on a day other than the first day of that month will be eligible to accrue vacation time the first day of the following month.
Continuous Employee
- During the first complete (full 12 months) fiscal year of eligible service the employee is entitled to accrue (10) vacation days, accrued monthly at the rate of 5.84 hours or 6.67 hours per month.
- During the 2nd through the 5th fiscal years of eligible service the employee is entitled to accrue (15) vacation days each year, accrued monthly at the rate of 8.75 hours or 10.00 hours per month.
- After completing 5 full fiscal years of eligible service the employee is entitled to accrue (20) vacation days each year, accrued monthly at the rate of 11.67 hours or 13.33 hours per month.
- After 10 complete fiscal years of eligible service the employee is entitled to accrue (l) one additional vacation day each year to a maximum of (30) days.
Carryover
Effective June 1, 2023, earned and unused vacation hours must be used by December 31 of each year. However, employees may carry a maximum number of hours of unused vacation time over to the next year, beginning January 1. The maximum number of unused vacation carryover hours are 10 days/70 or 80 hours.
Full-Time, 9/10 Month Appointment
Beginning Sept. 1, 2021, all full-time 9 and 10 month staff (with the exception of ESL Instructors) will receive a deposit of 35 hours to their vacation bank each year in September. Newly hired 9 and 10 month staff will receive a prorated amount of vacation time based on Table (A) below. Employees should be mindful to schedule time off in advance if possible. In lieu of any hours remaining in their reserve sick bank, these hours may also be used if an employee must take unplanned time off from work due to injury or illness.
Carryover
There is no provision for carry over hours from one year to the next. Vacation hours must be used by Aug. 31 of the following year.
Upon voluntary resignation of employment, unused vacation hours are compensable based on the employee's termination date. The value of the payout will be prorated for each month of continued employment between the resignation date and Aug. 31.
For example, if an employee resigns in Oct. and has 35 unused vacation hours, the payment will be calculated as follows:
35 unused vacation hours * .17 proration * hourly rate = payout amount.
See Table (B) below for proration amounts.
Table A
| Month of hire | Vacation Deposit Proration (hours) |
|---|---|
| September | 35 |
| October | 32.08 |
| November | 29.17 |
| December | 26.25 |
| January | 23.33 |
| February | 20.42 |
| March | 17.5 |
| April | 14.58 |
| May | 11.67 |
| June | 8.75 |
| July | 5.83 |
| August | 0 |
Table B
| Month of continued employment | Payout Proration |
|---|---|
| October | 0.17 |
| November | 0.25 |
| December | 0.33 |
| January | 0.42 |
| February | 0.50 |
| March | 0.58 |
| April | 0.67 |
| May | 0.75 |
| June | 0.83 |
| July | 0.92 |
| August | 1.00 |
Part-Time Staff Employees
Employees who work an average of 20 hours/week for 12 months and have a minimum 1,000 recorded work hours in the prior fiscal year will be eligible for vacation leave in accordance with the following schedule:
- After 1st full fiscal year of service | 1 week (20 hours) vacation.
- After 2nd through 5th full fiscal years of service | 2 weeks (40 hours) vacation.
- After 6th full fiscal year of service | 3 weeks (60 hours) vacation.
Carryover
Earned and unused vacation hours must be used by August 31 of each year. However, employees may carry a maximum number of hours of unused vacation time over to the remainder of next year. The maximum number of unused vacation carryover hours are 10 days/40 hours.
Voluntary Termination of Employment
Upon voluntary termination of employment, full-time employees may be paid unused vacation time that has been accrued through the last full month worked. Part-time employees will be paid for their unused vacation time.
Employees must provide the required amount of written advance notice to qualify for vacation payout. Exempt employees must provide at least four weeks of notice. Non-exempt and part-time employees must provide at least two weeks of notice. Vacation time cannot be used to extend the date of termination. Eligible unused vacation time will be paid in the final check. The last day of actual work is the employee's termination date.