Other Paid Absences

A. Bereavement

Non-teaching exempt staff, bargaining unit staff, and overtime eligible non-bargaining unit staff will be excused with pay for up to three days absence required by a death in the immediate family or household, or following a miscarriage, failed surrogacy, adoption, or fertility treatment. Learn more about this policy..

B. Jury Duty/Court Appearance

Any employee, including a temporary or less than half time (LHT) employee, will be excused and receive his/her regular pay while serving on jury duty. Any employee, including a temporary or LHT employee, will be given time off with pay if he/she is required to appear in court as a witness but is not a party to the action. It is expected that the employee will be at work for any days or parts of days that are not required for court attendance. If an employee is a party to the action, the time off should be charged to accrued vacation time or personal days or the time may be taken off without pay; the time off cannot be charged to sick time.

D. Release Time

The University provides release time for several types of absences: retirement planning, class attendance and voting.

a) Retirement Planning

Employees who have completed 10 or more years of continuous service and who are least 60 years of age may be granted time off with pay for the purpose of pursuing retirement-oriented development if, in the opinion of the supervisor, staffing and workload permit. The purpose of the time off is to allow the employee, in the years immediately preceding planned retirement, to participate in volunteer activities or other specific developmental programs (e.g., a vocational or second career skills development) that will facilitate planning for retirement. Such time off normally will not exceed three hours per week and will require a letter from the employee to his/her supervisor detailing the activity. If release time is granted, a supervisor may require evidence of employee participation. Time off for an activity of unspecified duration (e.g., ongoing volunteer work) is subject to quarterly review in terms of department needs and appropriate preretirement transition. 

b) Class Attendance

An employee with two or more years of continuous service is eligible for up to three hours per week of release time to attend classes (proportionately less for part-time employees), provided that he/she has made arrangements with his/her supervisor.

c) Voting

Employees may be entitled to release time to vote. An employee must be given time off with pay if such time off is necessary in order for him/her to vote. Normally such time off is not necessary because the period of time the polls are open extends beyond most normal work schedules.

Last updated: 8/07/2015