Chapter 01 - Annual Leave (A)
1.0 ANNUAL LEAVE (A)1.1 Purpose
1.2 Guidelines
1.2.1 Accrual Rate and Carryover
1.2.2 Exceptions For Leave Carryover for Classified Employees
1.2.3 Accrual of Annual Leave
1.2.4 Exceptions to Annual Leave Accrual
1.2.5 Applicable Prior State Service
1.2.6 Change of Status Affects Annual Leave
1.2.7 Change of Appointment Type Affects Annual Leave
1.2.8 Reinstatement of Annual Leave Credit Upon Re-employment
1.3 Resources
1.4 Amendments
1.0 ANNUAL LEAVE (A)
1.1 Purpose
To provide eligible employees paid leave for vacations and personal use by establishing an accrual and leave usage process.
1.2 Guidelines
This applies to salaried, classified staff and university staff covered by the 12-month and AY/AP salaried faculty. Employees may be full or part-time on a regular or restricted appointment.
An employee should request to use their annual leave according to department guidelines, providing as much notice as possible.
Back to Top1.2.1 Accrual Rate and Carryover
The accrual rate for annual leave and the maximum hours of accrued leave an employee may carry from one leave year to the next or for maximum payment as applicable are:
1. Full-Time Calendar Year (12 month) Classified Staff and University Staff (Revised 7-1-00)
| Years of Service | Hours Earned Per Pay Period | Hours Accrued Per Year | Maximum Carry Over | Maximum Payout Limit |
| 0 - 5 | 4 hours | 96 hours | 192 hours | 192 hours |
| 5 - 10 | 5 hours | 120 hours | 240 hours | 240 hours |
| 10 - 15 | 6 hours | 144 hours | 288 hours | 288 hours |
| 15 - 20 | 7 hours | 168 hours | 336 hours | 288 hours |
| 20 - 25 | 8 hours | 192 hours | 384 hours | 336 hours |
| 25 or more | 9 hours | 216 hours | 432 hours | 336 hours |
Faculty members on restricted appointments or calendar year research conversion are not eligible for leave payments (see section 2.7.3 of the Virginia Tech Handbook for Special Research Faculty, or section 2.6.1.2 of the Virginia Tech Faculty Handbook).
2. Full-Time Calendar Year (12 month) Faculty
Must have 20 consecutive years service to qualify for additional leave earnings.
| Years of Service | Per Pay Period Accrual Rate | Maximum Carry Over | Maximum Payout Limit |
| Less than 20 | 8 hours | 288 hours | 288 hours |
| 20 or more | 9 hours | 336 hours | 336 hours |
3. Part-Time Classified and University Staff and Faculty
Accrual rate for annual leave is proportionate to their normal work schedule. Pay out and Carryover rates for part-time employees are not reduced proportionately, but are based on total years of service.
4. Temporary Appointment of Faculty
Temporary employment (up to six months) does not provide leave accrual, however, leave is granted retroactively to the beginning of the temporary faculty appointment when it is extended beyond six months, becoming either restricted or regular.
5. Special Term (Academic Year) Classified Appointments
earn annual leave based on the employee's established work year, according to table 1 above.
6. Academic Year (9 month) Teaching and Research Faculty
do not earn annual leave.
7. Academic Year (9 month) Administrative and Professional Faculty
earn annual leave during the established academic year, according to table 2 above.
Back to Top1.2.2 Exceptions For Leave Carryover for Classified and University Staff Employees
Requests for exception to carry over a balance which exceeds the maximum may be submitted in writing to the Assistant VP for Human Resources from the Department Head. Exceptions are warranted only when an employee is unable to use the excess leave before the end of the year because of departmental demands over a substantial period of time.
Department management is responsible for assuring that any excess leave carried over is normally used by June 30 of that year. If this timeframe is not feasible, the department may consult with Human Resources. This exception does not entitle the employee to additional payment when separated from state service, should the balance exceed the maximum at that time.
1.2.3 Accrual of Annual Leave
Leave is earned and available to use after the end of each pay period (e.g. leave earned for pay period of January 10-24 is earned and available to use after January 24). Pay will be adjusted for any period of absence without appropriate leave to cover it. In order to earn leave, all workdays within a pay period must either be worked or charged to applicable leave with pay. No leave is earned for pay periods for which there is any leave without pay.
1.2.4 Exceptions to Annual Leave Accrual
Annual Leave Does Not Accrue:
- after 90 consecutive calendar days of leave with pay, regardless of the type of leave to which the absence is charged. A return to work for a full pay period interrupts the count of 90 consecutive calendar days of leave with pay.
- during a non-working pay period for Special Term/AY appointments, whose work year is less than 12 months.
- during any pay period when the employee is on leave without pay (LWOP or Dock).
- during any pay period when the employee is on suspension (See State Policy 1.60, Standards of Conduct), except that:
- if a suspension extends into a second pay period, accrual of annual leave shall resume in the second pay period unless the period of suspension exceeds 15 calendar days; and
- if a suspension extends into a third pay period, accrual of annual leave shall resume in the third pay period unless the period of suspension exceeds 31 calendar days; and
- if suspension exceeds 31 days because of an official investigation, accrual of annual leave will not resume until the employee returns to work.
- when an employee is on layoff/lwop. The leave accrual date is not adjusted if the employee returns to state service within the 12-month layoff period.
Back to Top1.2.5 Applicable Prior State Service
Salaried, classified employees hired on or after March 16, 1998 receive credit for all past state, salaried employment to establish their leave accrual date, without regard or distinction between part-time or full-time, faculty or staff past appointments.
1.2.6 Change of Status Affects Annual Leave
- When an employee leaves state service by resignation (including resignation from layoff status), retirement, or termination, a lump sum payment will be made for the balance of accrued annual leave or the maximum, whichever is less. Exception is that restricted faculty are not eligible to be paid their leave, nor are faculty who are on calendar year research conversions.
- Staff and Faculty employees who changes from full-time to part-time retain their leave balances. During the part-time appointment, leave will be earned proportionate to the percent of time worked.
- Payment may be requested by an eligible employee when initially placed on:
- layoff/leave without pay
- leave with part pay
- leave with full pay
- military leave without pay (for other than the time normally covered by military leave with pay)
- for any other conditional or unconditional leave without pay for a period exceeding three calendar months.
- Applicable payment must be made at the onset of Virginia Sickness and Disability Program's (VSDP) Long Term Disability.
1.2.7 Change of Appointment Type Affects Annual Leave
When an appointment type changes, such as regular faculty to restricted, or staff to faculty, leave earnings and payment eligibility are affected. For detailed information, please contact Human Resources.
Back to Top1.2.8 Reinstatement of Annual Leave Credit Upon Re-employment
- An employee who leaves state service and then returns within 180 calendar days following the date of separation may be credited with the annual leave balance held on the separation date, provided no payment for annual leave was received.
- If payment was received, an employee may be credited with the accrued annual leave that was held the date of separation, provided the full amount of annual leave paid is reimbursed to the agency that issued the payment, with proper notification and approval from the hiring agency.
- If the new appointment provides different leave than the former appointment, see Guidelines for Leave Disposition When Employees Transfer, to determine eligibility.
1.3 Resources
- Virginia Department of Human Resources Policy 4.10 Annual Leave, followed by Annual Leave Annotations
- Virginia Department of Human Resources Policy 1.60 Standards of Conduct. VIII B #3, C., IX B #2 of 2
- Virginia Department of Human Resources Policy 1.30 Layoff
- Virginia Department of Human Resources Service Credit for Annual Leave Accrual Purposes Memo of March 16, 1998
- Commonwealth of Virginia Employee Handbook 1992-94
- VT (Staff) Employee Handbook
- Virginia Tech Faculty Handbook, Sections 2.15.6, 2.6.2.1
- Virginia Tech Handbook for Special Research Faculty, Section 2.7.3
- University Policies. Policy 4040: Special Term Staff/Academic Year Appointment Guidelines 2.2 #6
- University Policies. Policy 4070: Additional/Outside Employment Policy 3.5
- University Policies. Policy 4071: Policy for Classified Staff Teaching Courses 3. #3
- University Policies. Policy 4040: Layoff 2.3 #4 and 5
- University Polices. Policy 4305: Policy on Authorized Closings 2.3 #1 b and e, #2 b, 2.4 #1 a and b, 2.5, 2.6 #4
- University Policies. Policy 4315: Guidelines on Holidays 2.3, 2.4
- University Policies. Policy 4320: Guidelines for the Fair Labor Standards Act and Virginia Child Labor Laws 2.5, 3.1, 3.5
- University Policies. Policy 4340: Leave Sharing Guidelines
- University Policies. Policy 6200: Calendar Year Research Conversions
1.4 Amendments- Classified annual leave table revised 7/00 per 7/10/00 Memorandum from Workforce Commission and Governor Gilmore
Back to Top