Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County

Human Resource Policy Manual

Section:	Absence Policies
Subject:	Vacation Leave
Policy:	Local
Code:	603
Issued:	8/9/02 revised 12/4/08
Association Adoption:	5/6/04
Association Effective Date:	6/10/04 / revisions effective 1/1/09

Summary Cornell Cooperative Extensions vacation policy is designed to provide eligible employees with a period of rest and relaxation in recognition for services performed throughout the year.

Eligibility Full-time, part-time and temporary benefits-eligible employees are eligible for paid vacation leave in accordance with the vacation schedule below. Non-benefits eligible temporary employees are not eligible for paid vacation leave but may be allowed to take time off without pay, provided the employee receives prior approval from the employee's supervisor.

Vacation Leave Pay A non-exempt employee is eligible to receive compensation at the employee's current base rate of pay for the vacation period. An exempt employee receives the employee's regular salary for the vacation period.

Vacation Accruals - Vacation accruals begin on the staff member's first day at work. Vacation leave may not be taken before it is accrued. Vacation leave will cease to accrue during periods of paid or unpaid leave that extend beyond 15 consecutive calendar days (excluding extended vacation leave periods).

Accrual Calculations for Nonexempt Staff
Administrative Staff - Full-time administrative staff (working 37.5 hours/week) will accrue vacation leave credits according to the following schedule:

Years of Employment	Total Days Per Year
1	15 Days
2	15.5
3	16
4	16.5
5	17
6	17.5
7	18
8	18.5
9	19
10	19 .5
11	20
12	20.5
13	21

Program Staff - Full-time program staff (working 37.5 hours/week) will receive 13.125 hours (equivalent to 1¾ days) of vacation per month to a maximum annual accrual of 21 days per year. Part-time program staff will receive vacation in proportion to the number of hours of work regularly scheduled.

Accrual Calculations for Exempt Staff Eligible exempt employees accrue vacation leave at a rate equivalent to 1 days per month to a maximum annual accrual of 21 vacation days.

Pro-rated Vacation Leave Eligible part-time staff members accrue vacation at a pro-rated amount based on the standard number of hours scheduled per week.

Maximum Accumulation The maximum accumulation of unused vacation leave credits is set at 30 days. At no time, should the maximum accumulation exceed 30 days.

Benefit Year - The period commencing on January 1^st and ending on December 31^st.

Scheduling - Requests for scheduled time off must be submitted in writing to the employee's supervisor (e-mail is acceptable). Vacations are normally scheduled based on the date the request is received. The Association reserves the right to designate when some or all of an employee's vacation leave is taken, based upon program, administrative and other Association needs.

Use of Vacation Leave Non-exempt employees may use vacation leave in increments of one hour. Exempt staff should normally use vacation leave in half-day increments.

Holiday During Scheduled Vacation - If an Association observed holiday falls on an employee's normal workday and the employee is on paid vacation, the day is counted as a paid holiday and not a vacation day. No allowance is made for sickness or other paid absence occurring during a scheduled vacation.

Leave of Absence - Vacation leave accrues while an employee is on a paid leave of absence (including paid portion of FMLA leave) but does not accrue while an employee is on an unpaid leave of absence.

Change in Standard Hours - If an eligible employees regular hours of work changes during the fiscal year (January 1 December 31st), either voluntarily or involuntarily, the maximum accumulation balance will not be adjusted until completion of 6 months or after the end of the new fiscal year, whichever is longer. After that date, any unused accrued vacation leave over the new maximum accumulation amount will be forfeited.

Change in Employment Status - When a staff member changes from temporary to regular employment or benefits-eligible status with no break in service, vacation accruals are retroactive to the staff member's original hire date in accordance with the accrual charts above.

Separation from Employment - An employee who resigns, retires, terminates or is laid off is eligible to receive compensation for unused accumulated vacation leave, up to the association maximum accrual upon separation from the Association.

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