2.3 Benefits-eligible employees may request vacation leave after completing continuous employment with the University for six months. No requests for paid vacation should be approved prior to completion of six months service even though the employee has accrued leave.

2.4 Requests for vacation leave should be submitted on the University of Houston-Downtown Application for Leave for Vacation, Sick Leave and Emergency Leave form (Exhibit B) and given to the immediate supervisor for approval as far in advance as possible.

2.5 After each payroll period, copies of the Lost Time Register (Exhibit C) are distributed to all department managers. This register shows vacation and sick leave hours available for use as of the date of the report. Supervisors must review the number of hours available prior to approving any leave.

2.6 Time during which employees are excused from work due to holidays or officially granted administrative leave shall not be considered vacation leave.

2.7 Vacation leave requests will be considered based on the order of receipt and the work schedule of the department. Supervisors have authority to approve/disapprove requests subject to workload in the department. Once approved, the signed Application for Leave for Vacation, Sick Leave and Emergency Leave should be distributed as follows:

2.7.1 The original should be attached to the appropriate Time and Effort Report (Exhibit D) at the time it is submitted to the Payroll Department;

2.7.2 The yellow copy should be retained by the supervisor as the department's record; and

2.7.3 The pink copy should be returned to the employee for his/her personal record.

2.8 The net balance of unused accumulated leave, not to exceed the maximum allowable (refer to Exhibit A), may be carried forward from one fiscal year to the next.

2.9 Employees terminating employment from the University, after at least six months of employment, will be paid for their accrued vacation balance.

2.9.1 Once the Personnel Action Request for the terminating employee is received from the department, the vacation balance will be verified against Human Resources records. If vacation is being reported on the employee's last time sheet, Human Resources records will be adjusted accordingly. Otherwise, the vacation balance will be processed on the last paycheck, provided the terminating Personnel Action Request was received prior to the payroll run. If it is received after the payroll run, a separate check will be generated for the remaining vacation pay.

2.10 Employees transferring to another state agency without a break in service may be eligible to transfer their unused vacation leave to that state agency. No break in service means that an employee being paid by one agency, leaves that agency's payroll, and starts immediately on the payroll of another agency the next day. Upon request from the employing agency, the Payroll Department will provide a statement of the accrued unused vacation leave

Responsible Party (Reviewer): Vice President for Administration
Review: Biennial
Reprint of original policy statement. Signed original on file in the President's Office.