Use your vacation! Procedure now caps leave at maximum
January 15, 2013 •
Do you know how many hours of vacation you have? The procedure for managing vacation accrual for policy-represented staff has been standardized systemwide to cap vacation leave at an employee’s maximum accrual and define exceptions.
Leave is calculated based on your appointment type, percent of time worked and how long you have worked at UC. The maximum you can accrue is two times your annual accrual, although exceptions may apply (see more below).
Once you reach your maximum, you will not be able to accumulate any more vacation leave, so you will not earn any additional vacation until you take some time off and your balance falls below the maximum cap.
Here is a table to help you calculate your maximum vacation accrual:
| Years of qualifying service | Approximate vacation in hours per month/year | Maximum accrual (two times annual accrual) |
| Professional & support staff (PSS) | ||
| Less than 10 | 10 hours/120 hours | 240 hours |
| 10 but less than 15 | 12 hours/144 hours | 288 hours |
| 15 but less than 20 | 14 hours/168 hours | 336 hours |
| 20 or more | 16 hours/192 hours | 384 hours |
| Senior managers, managers & senior professionals (MSP) | ||
| Less than 5 | 12 hours/144 hours | 288 hours |
| 5 but less than 10 | 14 hours/168 hours | 336 hours |
| 10 or more | 16 hours/192 hours | 384 hours |
New procedure for managing exceptions
The new systemwide procedures for vacation leave accrual for policy-covered staff are described in the Absence From Work Policy, PPSM 2.210. New UCOP-specific procedures regarding maximum vacation accrual and approval for exceptions will be implemented effective Feb. 1, 2013. These procedures will be posted no later than Friday, Jan. 25.
The new procedures address situations in which an employee could not schedule vacation leave within 60 working days of reaching his or her maximum vacation accrual limit, due to exceptional operational considerations. Qualifying exceptional circumstances must be documented and approved by your supervisor and your department or division head, and they should be rare.
Under such circumstances, employees are allowed up to four additional months to take vacation and bring their accrual below the maximum. Employees continue to accrue vacation during an approved grace period.
Please talk with your supervisor about taking vacation leave to ensure that you have the opportunity for rest and renewal, especially if you are approaching or have already reached your maximum accrual.
You can find out how much vacation you have accrued by checking your time and attendance record in the Time Reporting System or by reviewing your current pay statement.
If you still have questions regarding your leave balances, please contact your payroll representative. For questions about the vacation leave policy and procedures, please contact Michael Lum at Michael.Lum@ucop.edu.
