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Vacation and Sick Leave

Vacation Leave

Benefits-eligible, non-faculty employees accrue vacation time on a monthly basis. The amount accrued is determined by the amount of state service and the number of hours appointed to work, whether full-time or part-time.

Part-time, benefits-eligible employees accrue vacation leave based on their amount of state service and proportional to the number of hours appointed to work.

There are limits regarding the balance of accrued vacation leave that an employee can carry over from one fiscal year to the next. See the vacation accrual rates section below for more information.

Leave balances are reviewed at the end of each fiscal year to ensure they do not exceed the maximum allowed leave. If a balance exceeds the maximum, the excess is converted to sick leave and the vacation balance is reduced to the maximum level.

To use vacation time, a benefits-eligible employee must have at least six months of continuous Texas State Service with any Texas State agency or institution. Employees with less than six months of continuous state service will continue to accrue vacation time but cannot use it until they reach the six-month mark.

Employees must have accrued leave before they can take it. Vacation balance at the time the leave is scheduled to start must be equal or greater than the hours of leave they are requesting.

An employee who is on paid leave on the first workday of a month may not take vacation leave accrued for that month until the employee has returned to duty.

All requests to use vacation time require management approval.

An employee who resigns, is dismissed or otherwise separates from state employment and who has been employed continuously for six months or more (including employees who have transferred from another state agency) shall be paid in lump sum for all accrued, unused vacation leave up to the maximum allowed.

Detailed information regarding the terms and conditions of vacation leave are located in the Handbook of Operating Procedures, Chapter 4, paragraph 4.20, section I.

Although all employees are encouraged to utilize their annual vacation hours (with the required supervisory approval) in the year accrued, employees may carry forward unused vacation hours from one fiscal year to the next. Any annual leave not used before the end of the fiscal year (August 31) will be carried over to the next fiscal year, according to the established limits.

The schedule below indicates the maximum hours authorized to carry forward. Any hours above this limit will transfer to sick leave balance.

Part-time, regular benefits-eligible employees will accrue annual vacation leave on a proportionate basis, and the maximum hours to carry forward will also be proportionate.

Vacation Leave Accrual Rate and Maximum Allowable Carryover

Total Months of State Service Hours Accrued per Month Allowable Accrued Hours to Carry Over
0 to 23
8.00
180.00
24 to 59
9.00
244.00
60 to 119
10.00
268.00
120 to 179
11.00
292.00
180 to 239
13.00
340.00
240 to 299
15.00
388.00
300 to 359
17.00
436.00
360 to 419
19.00
484.00
420 to 999
21.00
532.00

Sick Leave

UTSA provides paid sick leave to benefits-eligible employees in accordance with state law. Full-time, benefits-eligible employees accrue eight hours of sick leave for each month of employment. Part-time, benefits-eligible employees accrue sick leave on a basis proportional to the number of hours appointed to work.

Detailed information regarding the terms and conditions of Sick Leave are located in the Handbook of Operating Procedures, Chapter 4, paragraph 4.20, section II.

Sick Leave Pool

The sick leave pool is intended to help an employee who has exhausted their sick leave because of a catastrophic illness or injury, or if they previously donated time to the pool.

Detailed information regarding the terms and conditions of Sick Leave Pool are located in the Handbook of Operating Procedures, Chapter 4, paragraph 4.26.