PRINT DISCLAIMER: Official version of this document is accessible in the online policy library at https://policyoffice.ku.edu/. Printed copies may not reflect the most recent updates.
DOCUMENT TYPE:
Policy
PURPOSE:
To describe the eligibility for and circumstances under which paid vacation leave may be requested, granted, accrued, and paid out upon separation.
APPLIES TO:
Fiscal year faculty and staff appointed to regular positions.
CAMPUS:
Edwards, Lawrence, Juniper Gardens, Parsons, Topeka, Yoder
POLICY STATEMENT:
Requests/Authorization
Fiscal year staff and fiscal year faculty appointed to regular positions are eligible for paid vacation leave for personal use when granted by a supervisor.
Employees must request vacation leave from their supervisors or in accordance with departmental policy as soon as possible. Vacations are granted for dates and duration requested by employees, provided that the department is not adversely affected and when there is a sufficient vacation balance available at the time the vacation is taken. Before authorizing vacation leave, supervisors have the authority to determine if the timing or the length of a vacation has an adverse effect on departmental operations. In order to authorize vacation leave, supervisors have the right to know the reason for the leave.
Accrual Rates
Vacation leave accrues at the end of a pay period, and its use cannot be granted until after it has been accrued. The vacation leave accrual rates for eligible employees are determined on the basis of:
- salaried (exempt) or hourly (non-exempt) position status and;
- FTE (percent of appointment) or hours in pay status in each pay period.
Part-time salaried eligible employees accrue vacation leave on a prorated basis based on their FTE.
An example illustrating how vacation accrues and instructions for viewing vacation balances in the HR/Pay system are described on the Vacation Leave webpage.
Accrual Maximums
Each fiscal year, fiscal year faculty and staff accrue vacation leave until a 176 hour maximum has been reached. and may maintain a maximum vacation balance of 304 hours each pay period. Additional vacation leave hours will not accrue beyond the 304-hour limit.
Vacation Leave Balances Upon Termination
Unused vacation leave is paid out at the maximum allowable limit (176 hours) when employment is voluntarily or involuntarily terminated. If retirement eligible, the maximum allowable payout upon separation from service is 240 hours.
If employment changes from fiscal year academic faculty/staff status to academic year faculty/academic staff status, a maximum of 176 vacation hours will be paid.
If the employee has accepted another position at a State of Kansas agency, including a Kansas Board of Regents state university, and that position is eligible for vacation, the employee’s vacation balance will not be paid out but hours will be transferred, up to the maximum allowed by the new agency.
EXCLUSIONS OR SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES:
Academic year faculty/staff, anyone appointed to temporary positions, and student employees are not eligible for vacation leave.
Vacation leave use cannot be mandated by the University. If an employee has exhausted all other forms of paid leave, the University must confirm with the employee that the employee wishes to use vacation leave, rather than leave without pay.
Employees are not to be on-call or on stand-by during approved vacation leave. Units must make alternate arrangements for stand-by or on-call responsibilities to ensure the employee approved for vacation can fully be on leave. If an employee is on-call or on stand-by during a requested vacation time frame, the vacation may be denied.
Eligibility for some forms of leave does require the exhaustion of all forms of paid leave.
CONSEQUENCES:
Unauthorized use of vacation leave may result in restrictions of leave usage and/or disciplinary action.
CONTACT:
Human Resources
103 Carruth-O’Leary Hall
1246 W. Campus Road
Lawrence, KS 66045
785-864-4946
hrdept@ku.edu
APPROVED BY:
Vice Provost for Human Resources
APPROVED ON:
2016-06-05
EFFECTIVE ON:
2016-06-05
REVIEW CYCLE:
Annual (As Needed)
RELATED STATUTES, REGULATIONS, AND/OR POLICIES:
Kansas Board of Regents Policy Manual for Unclassified Employees (II.C.10.g)
Shared Leave
Leave Advancement Policy
RELATED OTHER:
Vacation Leave Information for Faculty & Staff
DEFINITIONS:
In pay status refers to the work periods for which an employee is receiving pay by virtue of working or being on paid leave.
CHANGE HISTORY:
03/26/2025: Migration to TeamDynamix from Drupal.
10/04/2024: Updated Human Resource Management (HRM) to Human Resources (HR).
07/01/2024: Added stand-by or on-call responsibilities to Exclusions and Special Circumstances secion.
03/08/2017: Updated Date Last Reviewed field.
02/22/2017: Fixed broken link to Kansas Board of Regents Policy Manual.
07/13/2016: Updated DLR to 10/21/2015 per HR request.
07/11/2016: Updated to remove gendered pronouns.
06/09/2016: Updated policy statement for clarity on 06/05/2016 changes
06/05/2016: Updated with change in Kansas Board of Regents policy effective 6/5/16 for vacation leave to equalize accrual rates for unclassified employees.
10/21/2015: Updated HRM, State and KBOR web links; updated name from HR to HRM; changed to current Policy Library format.
01/21/2015: Added link to new Vacation Leave Overview page on HRM website.
10/16/2014: Policy formatting cleanup (e.g., bolding, spacing)
07/01/2013: Added updated link to vacation chart.
06/12/2013: Removed “& Equal Opportunity” from department title and updated link to Handbook for Faculty & Other Unclassified Staff.
03/03/2008: Added to Policy Library.