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Policy

Vacation

This policy applies to: Regular full-time and part-time staff working in New York State.

Faculty, departmental fellows, ACGME residents and fellows and postdoctoral appointees are eligible for vacation in accordance with the terms of their appointment.

Individuals represented by collective bargaining agreements receive benefits in accordance with those agreements.

Employees working outside of New York State will receive vacation benefits in accordance with the laws of the state where they work.

I. Policy

The intent of the Vacation Plan is to recognize an individual’s need to have time away from the work environment. Effective management of vacation time, by both the department and by the staff member, should increase efficiency on the job, encourage continued employment and reward University service.

II. Guidelines

A. Vacation Accrual

  1. Qualified staff earn a portion of the annual vacation entitlement on the first day of each pay period.
  2. Staff paid on a bi-weekly basis earn one twenty-sixth of their annual entitlement each pay period; staff paid on a semi-monthly basis earn one-twenty-fourth of their annual entitlement each pay period; staff paid on a monthly basis earn one-twelfth of their annual entitlement each pay period.
  3. Benefits provided by the Plan: See schedules below.

B. Benefits Upon Retirement, Termination, or Change to Ineligible Status

If a staff member has completed at least six months of service upon termination, retirement or change to an ineligible status, payout of accumulated vacation, up to one year’s entitlement, is made. Vacation cannot be used to extend a termination or retirement date.

C. Benefits During Short-Term Disability, Workers’ Compensation, and Long-Term Disability

Accumulated vacation may be used to supplement partial pay while receiving Short-Term Disability or Workers’ Compensation benefits. See individual leave policies regarding use of vacation and other accruals while on an approved leave.

Vacation does not accrue during periods covered by the Short-Term Disability (STD), Paid Family Leave (PFL), Workers’ Compensation (WC), or Long-Term Disability (LTD) Plans. Vacation accruals will occur if an individual works on the first day of the pay period. Payout of accumulated vacation, up to one year’s entitlement, is made:

  1. When an individual’s status changes to “LTD” after a short-term disability or workers’ compensation leave.

A staff member on vacation who becomes disabled may be eligible to receive sick pay instead of vacation pay. Questions about sick leave while on vacation should be directed to Leave Administration (HRLeaveAdministration@UR.rochester.edu). View Leave Administration contact information.

D. Benefits During Other Leaves of Absence

During an approved leave of absence, vacation does not accrue. When an individual is placed on leave of absence, vacation will be paid on the regular pay period cycle until exhausted.

E. Benefits During Layoff

During a staff member’s temporary or indefinite layoff, vacation does not accrue. When an individual is placed on indefinite layoff status, payout of accumulated vacation, up to one year’s entitlement, is made. Individuals placed on temporary layoff are not required to have vacation paid out but may make a request for the payout from Leave Administration.

III. Procedures

A. For all staff members, the online pay statement reflects available vacation balances as of the end of the pay period.

B. Vacation time off must be requested in advance and approved by the department head/supervisor. Salaried staff may schedule vacation in increments of one-half the normal work day; Hourly paid staff Hourly paid staff (including staff in the professional and leadership career streams paid hourly) may schedule vacation in increments of one-half hour. Vacations must be scheduled to meet the work requirements of each department. Every effort is made to satisfy individual preference for vacation dates. Departments which experience periods of reduced work schedules may require that vacations be taken at those times, and when feasible, individuals will be informed of such requirements in advance.

C. Vacation is to be taken during the year it is earned and is to be utilized in the amount that mirrors one’s normal work schedule for that day (i.e. employee with a 12-hour schedule would use 12 hours of vacation for that day). Concurrent with the University philosophy, such periods of vacation are an important component of work life. At the end of the last day of December each year, a maximum of one year’s accrual may be carried forward. During the year, vacation accruals will continue to be earned but will be reduced to one year’s entitlement at the end of the calendar year.

D. An individual’s base pay rate and standard hours in effect at the time vacation is taken are used in calculating vacation pay.

E. For hourly paid staff members (including including staff in the professional and leadership career streams paid hourly), paid vacation hours are not counted as “time worked” in calculating overtime pay.

F. Shift differential is included in the calculation of vacation pay when an individual’s regular schedule qualifies for the shift differential.

G. When an individual transfers from one University department to another, accumulated vacation is carried over.

H. Employees who transfer between Medical Center and Non-Medical Center departments will have their vacation accruals adjusted in the next pay period to account for the vacation allocation under the Medical Center PTO plan.

Schedule of Annual Vacation Entitlement

Below lists the vacation entitlement schedules.  Entitlements vary based on the division where the individual works and their leave plan.

Employees may reference each job’s leave plan in the University of Rochester’s Job Catalog.

Schedule of Annual Vacation Entitlement for MC Staff in PTO Plan

For employees whose primary appointment is in divisions 40 (School of Medicine and Dentistry), 50 (Strong Memorial Hospital), 60 (School of Nursing), 90 (Health Sciences), 91 (Medical Faculty Group) and 92 (Eastman Institute for Oral Health). This is effective on or after January 1, 2021.

Note: A “day” of vacation is equal to one-fifth the staff member’s standard weekly work hours. Years of service listed below means the new accrual will begin at the completion of that full year full year (i.e. at the end of year 4, a staff member will begin to earn 14 days annually)

Staff Members in the Clinical and Associate Career Streams with Leave Plan D

Years of University Service*

Annual Vacation Accrual (In Days Per Year)

0 through 3

13

4

14

5

15

6

16

7

17

8

18

9

19

10

20

11

21

12

22

13 through 17

23

18 through 22

25

23 and over

28

Staff Members in the Clinical Career Streams with Leave Plan C 

Years of University Service

Annual Vacation Accrual (In Days Per Year)

0 through 8

18

9

19

10

20

11

21

12

22

13 through 17

23

18 through 22

25

23 and over

28

Staff Members in the Clinical Career Streams with Leave Plan F  

Years of University Service

Annual Vacation Accrual (In Days Per Year)

0 through 17

23

18 through 22

25

23 and over

28

Schedule of Annual Vacation Entitlement for Staff in the Sick Leave Plan

Primary appointment is in divisions 10 (Central Administration), 20 (River Campus), 21 (School of Arts and Sciences), 22 (School of Engineering and Applied Science), 23 (Simon School), 24 (Warner School of Education), 25 (Laboratory for Laser Energetics) 30 (Eastman School of Music) or 70 (Memorial Art Gallery)

Note: A “day” of vacation is equal to one-fifth the staff member’s standard weekly work hours. Years of service listed below means the new accrual will begin at the completion of that full year (i.e. at the end of year 4, a staff member will begin to earn 16 days annually)

Staff Members in the Clinical and Associate Career Streams with Plan D

 Years of University Service

Annual Vacation Accrual (In Days Per Year)

0 through 3

15

4

16

5

17

6

18

7

19

8

20

9

21

10

22

11

23

12

24

13 through 17

25

18 through 22

27

23 and over

30

Staff in the Clinical Career Streams with Leave Plan E

Years of University Service

Annual Vacation Accrual (In Days Per Year)

0 through 17

25

18 through 22

27

23 and over

30

Schedule of Annual Vacation Entitlement for Staff in the Clinical, Professional and Leadership Career Streams (including those paid hourly) with Leave Plan A

Staff in the Clinical, Professional and Leadership Career Streams with Plan A (including those paid hourly). 

 Years of University Service

Annual Vacation Accrual (In Days Per Year)

0 through 3

17

4 through 6

20

7 through 17

25

18 through 22

27

23 and over

30

Staff in the Clinical, Professional and Leadership and Sr. Leadership Career Streams with Leave Plan B or G (including those paid hourly) 

Years of University Service

Annual Vacation Accrual (In Days Per Year)

0 through 17

25

18 through 22

27

23 and over

30


The University reserves the right to interpret, modify, amend, or terminate any or all of the benefit plans at any time, including actions that may affect coverage, cost-sharing, or covered benefits. A paper copy of this information is available for free from Leave Administration.