Sick Leave

All staff members are eligible to accrue paid sick leave. The rate at which sick leave is accrued is based on the staff member's employment status. See the Sick Leave policy for accrual rates by employment status.  See the Retirement policy for information on sick leave payout for individuals retiring from the university at age 55 or older and with 20 or more years of service.

Vacation Leave

If your position is benefited and not exempt from the Fair Labors Standards Act, you earn paid vacation leave on the basis of the following schedule:

0-4 years of continuous employment
0.038462 hour x number of hours worked and/or paid leave hours (approximately 2 weeks/year for a full-time staff member)

4-9 years of continuous employment
0.057692 hour x number of hours worked and/or paid leave hours (approximately 3 weeks/year for a full-time staff member)

9-14 years of continuous employment
0.069231 hour x number of hours worked and/or paid leave hours (approximately 3 weeks + 3 days/year for a full-time staff member)

14 years of continuous employment and over
0.076923 hour x number of hours worked and/or paid leave hours (approximately 4 weeks/year for a full-time staff member)

If your position is exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act, you earn twenty (20) paid vacation leave days per year. The vacation leave accrual may fluctuate from pay period to pay period, based on the length of each pay period. Vacation leave is prorated for part-time staff.

See the Vacation Leave policy for information on vacation rollover limits. See the Termination of Employment policy for information on vacation payout when leaving the university.

Floating Holiday

If you are a regular (non-temporary) staff member, on the first day in January following the staff winter break (typically the first business day following New Year’s Day) of each calendar year, you will be granted a floating holiday, intended to supplement the days off provided as campus holidays and bonus days. If you are hired after that date, you will receive the floating holiday benefit the following January. If you are a staff member who is budgeted to work 1.0 FTE, you will be granted eight hours of floating holiday leave. If you are budgeted to work less than 1.0 FTE, you will receive a prorated number of hours (eight hours x budgeted FTE = number of hours granted).

Personal Business Appointments Leave

If you are a regular (non-temporary) staff member in a position that is FLSA non-exempt, on the first day in January following the staff winter break (typically the first business day following New Year’s Day) of each calendar year, you will be granted up to eight hours of personal business appointments leave hours. If you are hired after that date, you will receive personal business appointments leave the following January. Personal business appointments leave applies when staff members cannot schedule the personal business appointments outside of their normal or adjusted work schedules and includes the following:

  • Meeting a contractor at home, e.g., repairs, deliveries
  • Visiting a child’s school, e.g., school program, field trip, teacher/parent conference
  • Engaging in community service, e.g. volunteering at a child’s school, attending a non-profit organization training session, meeting or event
  • Meeting with a service provider, e.g., governmental agency, accountant, attorney, provider (Note:  Appointments with health care providers that can’t be scheduled outside of normal or adjusted work schedules are charged to sick leave)

Personal business appointments leave hours are subject to advance supervisory approval. The immediate supervisor shall give consideration to all relevant factors, including work requirements, the impact of the staff member's absence on others, the urgency of the reason for the request, the frequency of such requests, the possibility of adjusting the staff member’s work schedule, and the possibility of handling such business after working hours. Requests for time off during the work day should be made in advance whenever possible.

If you are a non-exempt staff member who is budgeted to work 1.0 FTE, you will be granted eight hours of personal business appointments leave. If you are budgeted to work less than 1.0 FTE, you will receive a prorated number of hours (eight hours x budgeted FTE = number of hours granted).

Other Paid Leave

You are also eligible for other forms of paid leave time such as:

Bereavement Leave

You may request up to three working days off with pay to attend the funeral and/or to make funeral arrangements for a member of your immediate family or household. To attend the funeral of a relative who is not a member of your immediate family, you may request up to one day off with pay.

Jury Duty

The university encourages a staff member to perform his or her civic duty by serving when called to jury duty and protects a staff member's income to encourage this service.

Military Leave

The university recognizes the right of a staff member to perform services in the uniformed services and provides Military Leave for a staff member to perform his or her military duties.

Detailed descriptions of these and other programs can be found in the Staff Policies and Procedures Manual.

Find the Leave Request Form.

Washington Paid Family & Medical Leave

Washington's paid family & medical leave program is now available to eligible employees. Please access the state's website for information on eligibility and use of the paid leave benefit.

The following links provide some basic information you may find useful:

  • Checklist
  • Parents' Guide - learn more about applying for and taking bonding leave.
  • Patient and Family Guide - learn more about applying for and taking leave to care for yourself or a family member.
  • Benefit Guide - find additional information about preparing for and using the program.

Please contact benefits@pugetsound.edu if you have questions or need assistance.