Vacation and Scheduling Vacation

Amended date: 12/1/21

Provided by the Department of Human Resources

University leadership recognizes the need for work/life balance, and as such, provides opportunities for time off for all employees who meet benefit eligibility. University leadership encourages using vacation accruals throughout the year.

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During the first year of employment, employees must complete at least ninety (90) days of employment before taking any accrued vacation time.

Employees receive their usual base pay during a scheduled vacation. Full-time, hourly non-exempt employees earn vacation at the rate of 1.25 days per month, which equates to an annual total of fifteen (15) days. After completing ten (10) years of service an hourly non-exempt employee's vacation accrual rate increases to 1.67 days per month, for an annual total of twenty (20) days. Vacation can be taken in partial day, day, or week increments.

Salaried non-exempt and exempt employees earn 1.67 days of vacation per month, or twenty (20) days per year. Those employees who have completed twenty-five (25) years of service begin to accumulate vacation at the rate of 2.08 days per month, or twenty-five (25) days per year. Vacation can be taken in partial day, day, or week increments.

Academic year and full-time regular employees accrue vacation at the above rate during the months they work.

Part-time employees receive pro-rated vacation time based on their regular work schedule.

If an employee is hired, or returning to work from an unpaid leave, on or before the fifteenth (15th) day of the month, the employee will not receive vacation credit for the month. If an employee is terminating, or going out on unpaid leave, on or after the fifteenth day of the month, the employee will receive vacation credit for the month.

Vacation does not accrue during an unpaid leave of absence. Please consult your human resource business partner for additional information.

Scheduling Vacation Time:

Scheduling vacation: All vacation schedules must be approved by your supervisor. Whenever possible, vacation time should be requested at least three (3) weeks in advance. The workload in your department and, in some cases, your length of service will be considered when setting up vacation schedules.

Illness during vacation: If you become sick for more than three (3) days during your vacation, you may use your earned sick time, with medical documentation.

When a holiday occurs during a vacation, it is not counted as vacation time.

Maximum Accrual Policy:

Tufts provides a generous vacation policy and encourages employees to take vacation annually. Vacation provides employees with needed rest and relaxation and allows them to recharge so that they can continue performing at a high rate of productivity.

The university uses a centralized system to track vacation, personal, and sick time and enforces a maximum vacation balance accrual. The maximum vacation time that an employee can accrue is equal to the amount of time the employee accrues in one year based on their eligibility. Once the maximum accrual is reached, vacation time will stop accruing until the balance drops below the maximum allowed.

Please note: As of 6/30/23 the maximum vacation accrual policy will change. The new policy allows an employee to accrue up to one year’s vacation time, based on their eligibility. Once the maximum accrual is reached, vacation time will stop accruing until the balance drops below the maximum allowed.

Leaving the University: Vacation Pay upon Separations

If an employee leaves the university and has completed three (3) months of employment, they are entitled to payment for accrued, unused vacation.

Definitions:

This policy applies to all benefits-eligible staff, excluding those employees otherwise covered by a collective bargaining agreement.

Related Links and Resources:

Postdoctoral Scholars’ Handbook: https://viceprovost.tufts.edu/postdoc/handbook/

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This Vacation and Scheduling Vacation Statement is part of the Employee Policies & Procedures (a.k.a., Handbook).

Disclaimer: Changes to this policy and the handbook in which it is maintained may be made at any time, at the sole discretion of the university and is not a contract. Employment by the university is at will and either the employee or the university may end the employment relationship at any time.