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Vacation
Staff employees categorized as full-time or part-time with benefits earn vacation leave from 10 days in the first year of full-time service to 20 days in the eleventh year of employment. The amount of leave accrued is pro-rated based on the percentage of work performed.
Regular full-time and regular part-time staff employees with benefits accrue vacation leave based on their employment duration. In the first year, regular full-time staff (excluding Research Postdoctoral Fellows) earn ten (10) days of vacation. From the second to the tenth year, they earn fifteen (15) days annually, and from the eleventh year onwards, they earn twenty (20) days per year. Regular part-time staff with benefits earn a prorated vacation based on their full-time equivalent percentage. Research Postdoctoral Fellows accrue five (5) days of vacation per year.
Except for Research Postdoctoral Fellows, employees may carry over unused vacation leave up to one time (1X) their current accrual rate per year. Once this threshold is reached, further accruals continue until the next anniversary date, after which excess unused vacation over one time (1X) the current accrual rate is forfeited.
Vacation accrual continues during paid leave but ceases during unpaid leave, with exceptions outlined in the "Military Leave" section of this Handbook.
Employees must provide their supervisor with at least two (2) weeks' notice for vacation requests. Supervisors schedule vacations based on departmental requirements, prioritizing employees' tenure if conflicts arise.
All eligible employees (both non-exempt and exempt) must record vacation time for actual days away from work.
Upon termination after at least six (6) consecutive months of service, employees receive payment for accrued but unused vacation leave.
Staff Handbook
The Staff Vacation Transfer Pool is designed to make additional paid leave available to staff employees who experience a catastrophic health event by permitting eligible employees to voluntarily surrender their accrued, unused, vacation leave for the benefit of such other employees on a first-come, first-served basis.
In order to be eligible to use the Staff Vacation Transfer Pool, a staff employee must:
- Must be eligible for Family and Medical leave; and
- Must be eligible to accrue vacation leave; and
- Must have used all of his or her own paid leave.
Only vacation hours may be transferred to the Staff Vacation Transfer Pool. Vacation hours may also be transferred to a specific employee who meets the above criteria. Solicitation of vacation hours for transfer is prohibited.
To submit a request to transfer vacation hours, complete and return the application form to the Records team:
Holidays and Winter Recess
The university provides a generous holiday schedule that is published each year and generally includes 14 standard holidays. In addition to standard holidays, those weekdays falling between Christmas Day and New Year's Eve may be designated winter recess at the university's discretion.
The university holiday schedule for the 2024–2025 fiscal year is outlined below. This schedule lists the dates on which the university is closed for business.
Note about floating holiday: Benefits-eligible staff may use the floating holiday at any time during the fiscal year with supervisor approval. Unused floating holidays do not carry over to the next fiscal year.
- Independence Day: Thursday, July 4, 2024
- Labor Day: Monday, September 2, 2024
- Thanksgiving: Thursday, November 28, 2024
- Friday after Thanksgiving: Friday, November 29, 2024
- Christmas Eve: Tuesday, December, 24, 2024
- Christmas Day: Wednesday, December 25, 2024
- New Year’s Eve: Tuesday, December 31, 2024
- New Year’s Day: Wednesday, January 1, 2025
- Martin Luther King Day: Monday, January 20, 2025
- Lundi Gras – Staff Appreciation Day: Monday, March 3, 2025
- Mardi Gras Day: Tuesday, March 4, 2025
- Memorial Day: Monday, May 26, 2025
- Juneteenth: Thursday, June 19, 2025
- Floating Holiday
Winter Recess for 2024-2025:
Additional weekdays on which the university is closed for business that are not listed as a holidays are considered "Winter Recess" and are at the discretion of the President of the University. This year, we are pleased to announce that the following days have been designated as Winter Recess for the 2024–25 academic year:
- Monday, December 23, 2024
- Thursday, December 26, 2024
- Friday, December 27, 2024
- Monday, December 30, 2024
- Independence Day: Tuesday, July 4, 2023
- Labor Day: Monday, September 4, 2023
- Thanksgiving: Thursday, November 23, 2023
- Friday after Thanksgiving: Friday, November 24, 2023
- Christmas Eve (observed): Monday, December 25, 2023
- Christmas Day (observed): Tuesday, December 26, 2023
- New Year’s Eve (observed): Monday, January 1, 2024
- New Year’s Day (observed): Tuesday, January 2, 2024
- Martin Luther King Day: Monday, January 15, 2024
- Lundi Gras: Staff Appreciation Day: Monday, February 12, 2024
- Mardi Gras Day: Tuesday, February 13, 2024
- Memorial Day: Monday, May 27, 2024
- Juneteenth: Wednesday, June 19, 2024
- Floating Holiday
Winter Recess 2022-2023
Additional weekdays on which the university is closed for business that are not listed as a University holiday are considered "Winter Recess" and are at the discretion of the President of the University. This year, we are pleased to announce that the following days have been designated as Winter Recess for the 2023–24 academic year:
- Wednesday, December 27, 2023
- Thursday, December 28, 2023
- Friday, December 29, 2023
For more information, please refer to the staff handbook. Questions related to the holiday schedule can be directed to the Office of Human Resources & Institutional Equity at hr@tulane.edu or 504-865-4748 (HR4U).
In order to be eligible to receive their regular rate of pay during a holiday, a staff member must meet all of the following criteria:
- the staff member must be classified as regular full-time (working at least 37.5 hours per week) OR regular part-time with benefits (i.e., working at least 18.75 hours per week); and
- the staff member must be in paid status on the day before and after the holiday(s) or Winter Recess (i.e., not be on an unpaid leave of absence)
Rate of Pay—Employees Not Scheduled to Work
Holiday or winter recess pay is paid at regular hourly wage for non-exempt employees based on the number of hours of schedule on that day and at regular pay for exempt employees.
Rate of Pay—Employees Scheduled to Work
A non-exempt employee classified as either regular full-time or regular part-time with benefits who is required to work on a standard University Holiday or Winter recess will be paid their regular
rate of pay plus a premium of one and one-half times (1 ½ X) their regular rate for hours worked on the standard university holiday or winter recess.
In addition, designated non-exempt, benefits-eligible staff assigned to the School of Medicine as well as Tulane Medical Group will be paid their regular rate of pay plus a premium of one time (1X) their regular rate for hours worked on the standard university holiday or winter recess.
Holiday or winter recess pay is not used to calculate overtime pay.
If a staff member who is classified as an exempt employee is required to work on any of the standard holidays or winter recess, the exempt employee may reschedule the number of days worked with the approval of their supervisor. The exempt employee will receive pay only at their regular rate for work performed on the standard holidays or winter recess.
The university holiday schedule for the 2022–2023 fiscal year is outlined below. This schedule lists the dates on which the university is closed for business.
Note about the floating holiday: Benefits-eligible staff may use the floating holiday at any time during the fiscal year with supervisor approval. Unused floating holidays do not carry over to the next fiscal year.
- Independence Day: Monday, July 4, 2022
- Labor Day: Monday, September 5, 2022
- Thanksgiving: Thursday, November 24, 2022
- Friday after Thanksgiving: Friday, November 25, 2022
- Christmas Eve (observed): Friday, December 23, 2022
- Christmas Day (observed): Monday, December 26, 2022
- New Year’s Eve (observed): Friday, December 30, 2022
- New Year’s Day (observed): Monday, January 2, 2023
- Martin Luther King Day: Monday, January 16, 2023
- Lundi Gras – Staff Appreciation Day: Monday, February 20, 2023
- Mardi Gras Day: Tuesday, February 21, 2023
- Memorial Day: Monday, May 29, 2023
- Floating Holiday
- Juneteenth: Monday, June 19, 2023
Winter Recess 2022-2023
Additional weekdays on which the university is closed for business that are not listed as a University holiday are considered "Winter Recess" and are at the discretion of the President of the University. This year, we are pleased to announce that the following days have been designated as Winter Recess for the 2022-23 academic year:
- Tuesday, December 27, 2022
- Wednesday, December 28, 2022
- Thursday, December 29, 2022
For more information please refer to the staff handbook. Questions related to the holiday schedule can be directed to the Office of Human Resources & Institutional Equity at hr@tulane.edu or 504-865-4748.
Update December 2020:
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, an update has been made to the 2020-2021 university holiday schedule to make Monday, February 15, 2021 (Lundi Gras) a regular workday. An additional floating holiday has taken the place of this. Employees may choose to request this day off with the approval of their supervisor. This applies to 2021 only due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The university holiday schedule for the 2020-21 fiscal year is outlined below. This schedule lists the dates on which the university is closed for business.
In addition, as we strive to establish best practices across the institution, we’re aligning with our peers and modifying the 2020-2021 holiday schedule. Beginning July 1, 2020, a floating holiday will replace Tulane’s previous observance of Good Friday. Benefits-eligible staff may use the floating holiday at any time during the fiscal year with supervisor approval. Those who wish to take off Good Friday can still do so or choose to take any other day off for any reason. Unused floating holidays do not carry over to the next fiscal year.
Holiday Schedule for 2020-21:
- Independence Day: Friday, July 3, 2020
- Labor Day: Monday, September 7, 2020
- Thanksgiving: Thursday, November 26, 2020
- Friday after Thanksgiving: Friday, November 27, 2020
- Christmas Eve: Thursday, December 24, 2020
- Christmas Day: Friday, December 25, 2020
- New Year’s Eve: Thursday, December 31, 2020
- New Year’s Day: Friday, January 1, 2021
- Martin Luther King Day: Monday, January 18, 2021
- Mardi Gras Day: Tuesday, February 16, 2021
- Memorial Day: Monday, May 31, 2021
- Floating Holiday
- Floating Holiday
Winter Recess for 2020–21:
Those weekdays falling between Christmas Day and New Year's Eve that are not listed as a University holiday are considered "Winter Recess" and are at the discretion of the President of the University. This year, we are pleased to announce that the following days have been designated as Winter Recess for the 2020-21 academic year:
- Monday, December 21, 2020
- Tuesday, December 22, 2020
- Wednesday, December 23, 2020
- Monday, December 28, 2020
- Tuesday, December 29, 2020
- Wednesday, December 30, 2020
For more details, refer to the staff handbook. Questions related to the holiday schedule can be directed to the Office of Human Resources & Institutional Equity at hr@tulane.edu or 504-865-4748 (HR4U).
Sick Leave
Tulane provides sick time for you to treat and/or recover from a personal illness or to tend to the illness of an immediate family member that requires your personal attention. Staff employees accrue sick time based on pay frequency and full-time or part-time status.
The purpose of sick leave is to provide leave for you to treat and/or recover from personal illness or to tend to the illness of an immediate family member (a child, parent, or legal spouse) that requires your personal attention.
Examples of permissible use of sick leave include, but are not limited to, appointments with physicians, dentists, or optometrists. In these instances, non-exempt as well as exempt employees are only allowed to be absent during the time spent attending the appointment and are required to return to work directly following an appointment if the work day has not ended.
Sick leave may not be used as a substitute for vacation for any reason.
Full-time staff employees earn one (1) day of sick leave per full calendar month worked. Regular part-time employees earn a pro-rated amount of sick leave based on the percentage of full-time hours they work. You may accrue and carry over to the following year unused sick leave up to one hundred and twenty (120) days.
Your supervisor may request proof of the illness and an explanation why your personal attention is required prior to approving payment for sick leave. Sick leave may be disallowed if you do not report to your supervisor within two (2) hours after your regular time to report to work. In addition, you may be required to submit a doctor’s certificate verifying the illness after three (3) consecutive missed workdays.
You are not paid for any unused sick leave upon termination of your employment with the university.
Family and Medical Leave
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides for up to 12 weeks of leave to care for an immediate family member due to his or her serious health condition if you meet eligibility requirements. If you have worked with us for at least twelve months, have worked at least 975 hours during the twelve months before requesting leave, and work at a location where there are at least 50 Tulane employees within 75 miles, you are eligible for up to 12 weeks of family and medical leave within a rolling 12-month period.
Parental Leave
Tulane provides up to four consecutive weeks of parental leave, both paid and unpaid based on eligibility, to parents for both natural birth and adoption.
Military Leave
A military leave of absence provides time away from work for military purposes. Tulane complies with the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) and applicable state laws. We’ll ensure you have all of the rights these laws provide while you’re on an approved leave of absence. To learn more about the rules and requirements for military leaves of absence, see the staff handbook.
Bereavement
In the event of a death in your immediate family, full-time and part-time staff members who have completed at least six months of continuous employment are allowed a paid period of bereavement leave.
You are allowed a paid period of leave in the event of a death in your immediate family. For purposes of bereavement leave, “immediate family” means a child, parent, sibling, legal spouse, parent-in-law, grandparent, grandchild, or stepfamily member.
The maximum bereavement leave is three (3) working days for a funeral held within one hundred (100) miles of New Orleans or five (5) working days for a funeral held more than one hundred (100) miles from New Orleans.
Full-time and part-time staff employees who have completed at least six (6) months of continuous employment with the university will receive pay during bereavement leave. Part-time employees will receive pay based on the percentage of full-time work for which they are scheduled.
If you require additional time away from work for bereavement, you may use accumulated vacation leave. You will continue to accumulate vacation leave and sick leave to the extent it accrues during periods of bereavement leave for which you receive pay.
How to Request Time Off
When taking time off, employees should talk with their immediate supervisor to gain approval and make arrangements. In addition, employees are also required to request time off in our timekeeping system, Kronos, to record the request so that your time away is accurately captured.
Vacations are essential for a well-balanced, healthy life and are as important as eating well and getting exercise. Vacations relieve stress, help prevent heart disease, help maintain focus, help prevent illness, and make you more productive at work.
Sick leave provides paid time off for eligible staff to treat and/or recover from personal illness or tend to the illness of an immediate family member. Examples of permissible use of sick leave are appointments with physicians, dentists, or optometrists. When taking sick leave, eligible staff should record the actual hours absent from work in Kronos. If the appointment does not last a full day, staff are required to return to work following the appointment.
Click here for a pdf version of the instructions below.
