OF RECORD


During the redesign project this past year, the Benefits Advisory Committee recommended that Penn reduce the number of categories of paid time off to a single paid time off accrual. Addition ally, one accrual schedule was recommended for all new staff hired on or after July 1, 1997, with current staff members to get the better of the old or new accrual rates. The following policy reflects those recommendations. -- Division of Human Resources

Paid Time Off Policy for Staff, Effective July 1, 1997

Policy No: 607 (Supersedes Policies No: 607 (09/01/91), 606 (09/01/91), and 508 (09/75)

Paid Time Off is provided for the purpose of rest, relaxation and a planned interruption from the workplace or to attend to personal affairs. Paid Time Off is to be taken within the year accrued in order to receive the personal replenishment value intended. Supervisors and staff have the responsibility to plan schedules that meet operating requirements of departments and time off needs of staff. In order to balance and meet service and staffing requirements, staff members and supervisors should plan time off schedules well in advance.

607.1 Eligibility

All regular part and full time staff members whose salaries are based on service for twelve months are eligible to request the use of accrued Paid Time Off upon the completion of the Introductory Period.

607.2 Accrual

Staff members accrue Paid Time Off based on years of service and the date when they began continuous employment with the University. Staff members hired on or before June 30, 1997 will accrue Paid Time Off consistent with the old accrual rate. Staff members hired on or after July 1, 1997 will accrue Paid Time Off consistent with the new accrual rate.

(A) Accrual of Paid Time Off: New Accrual Rate

(Effective July 1, 1997)

All regular staff members who have completed the Introductory Period and whose salaries are based on service for twelve months hired on or after July 1, 1997 accrue Paid Time Off in accordance with the following:

     Years of Service     	Monthly Accrual Rate     Maximum Days
     Less than 2 years of service     	1.250     			15
     At least 2 years of service     	1.417     			17     
     At least 3 years of service     	1.583     			19     
     At least 4 years of service     	1.750     			21     
     At least 5 years of service     	2.000     			24     

-- Paid Time Off is accrued monthly and is available for use by the staff member the month following the month of accrual.

-- Years of service are accrued from the most recent employment date of the staff member. If the anniversary date is on or before the 15th of the month, the staff member will accrue at the new rate for the month. If the anniversary date is on or after the 16th of the month, the staff member will accrue at the new rate the following month.

-- When hired on or before or terminated on or after the 15th of the month, a full months accrual will be credited.

(B) Accrual of Paid Time Off: Old Accrual Rate 1

Staff members hired on or before June 30, 1997 will accrue paid leave in accordance with the following procedures:

(1) Regular exempt, monthly paid staff members

Regular exempt, monthly paid staff members whose salaries are based on service for twelve months and who have completed their Introductory Period are eligible for Paid Time Off according to the following:

     Years of Service     Monthly Accrual Rate     Maximum Days
     0 to 5 years of service          1.917          		23
     5 or more years of service       2.000          		24

-- Years of service are accrued from the most recent employment date of the staff member. The month in which the staff member is hired is counted in the calculation if the staff member started work on or before the 15th of that month.

(2) Regular non-exempt, weekly paid staff members 2

Regular, non-exempt, weekly paid staff members whose salaries are based on service for twelve months and who have completed their Introductory Period are eligible for Paid Time Off according to the following:

     Years of Service     Monthly Accrual Rate     Maximum Days
     15 months or less               1.250          	       15
     At least 17 months               1.417          		17
     At least 22 months               1.500          		18
     At least 2 years                 1.583          		19
     At least 27 months               1.670          		20
     At least 29 months               1.750          		21
     At least 32 months               1.830         		22
     At least 34 months               1.917          		23
     3 years or more                  2.000          		24

-- Years of service are accrued from the most recent employment date of the staff member. The month in which the staff member is hired is counted in the calculation if the staff member started work on or before the 15th of that month .

(C) Maximum Balance

During the first year of this policy, staff members will continue to accrue Paid Time Off without a maximum balance being applied. Effective July 1, 1998 (fiscal year 1999), a staff member may not have a balance of more than twenty-four (24) Paid Time Off days at any time. If a staff member's balance is at twenty-four (24) days, the staff member will not accrue any additional days. Days will not be retroactively accrued and credited to the staff member's Paid Time Off balance.

(D) Introductory Period

During the Introductory Period staff members do not accrue Paid Time Off. A staff member whose employment is terminated during this period will not receive payment for Paid Time Off days. However, upon completion of the Introductory Period, accrued Paid Time Off will be credited retroactively to the initial date of employment. Upon completion of the Introductory Period, a staff member may request Paid Time Off.

607.3 Part Time Staff Members

Regular part time staff members accrue Paid Time Off based on the percentage of a full time schedule worked. Paid Time Off is calculated by determining the number of days which such a staff member would be eligible if the staff member were fulltime. That number is divided by the number of hours per week established for the fulltime positions in the same department and multiplied by the number of hours the parttime staff member works per week.

607.4 Use of Paid Time Off

Staff members and supervisors should plan and schedule each fiscal year to allow the staff member to take Paid Time Off. Arrangements for Paid Time Off should be requested and approved in advance by a staff member's immediate supervisor. The staff member's immediate supervisor maintains the discretion to grant Paid Time Off without advance notice. In such cases, the supervisor may or may not grant Paid Time Off based on the business and operational needs of the unit.

607.5 Payment of Unused Paid Time Off

Upon the voluntary or involuntary termination of employment, all regular staff members who have successfully completed their Introductory Period must be paid for their unused Paid Time Off based on the date of separation.

607.6 Unionized Staff Members

University staff members covered by collective bargaining agreements should refer to the appropriate contract language.

Applicability: All Regular Staff Members

1 To ensure that staff members hired on or before June 30, 1997 receive the better of the old and new accrual rates, slight adjustments have been made to the accrual rates. Additionally, under the old policies each regular monthly paid staff member received 1 floating day annually and each regular weekly paid staff member received 3 personal days and 1 floating day annually. These days are reflected in the accrual rates.

2 Weekly paid staff members will begin the accrual of Paid Time Off at the new accrual rate effective May 1, 1997.

Note: This policy reflects the new accrual schedule for Paid Time Off. This policy supersedes the vacation, personal day and floating day policies. The vacation, personal and floating day policies have been combined into this revised policy. -- Division of Human Resources


Almanac

Volume 43 Number 36
June 17, 1997


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