Vacation

Title: Vacation
Approved by
Date Approved:
Effective Date: 06/03/2019
Responsible Official: Vice President of Human Resources
Responsible University Office: HR Benefits Office
Revision History: 01/01/1995; 01/01/2002; 01/01/2005; 07/01/2017
Related Legislation and University policies:Employment Orientation Period; Internal Employment Promotional Opportunities Policy; Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Absences and Leave Policy; Additional Medical Leaves of Absences (Non-FMLA) Policy
Review Period: 5 years
Date of Last Review
Relates to: full-time and part-time executive staff, senior staff, and staff who work half-time or more
Exclusions: none

Policy Statement

The university recognizes the need of employees to have paid time off for recreational, religious, cultural, family, pet, and other personal reasons. The university promotes the idea that a reasonable period of time per fiscal year is allowable regardless of the nature and reason for using the time, and prefers to provide these days as vacation hours. 

Staff accrue vacation hours monthly and may use them after the time is earned at any point during the fiscal year. Unused earned vacation hours can be carried over to the next fiscal year as shown in the Calculating Vacation Days chart. The maximum amount of vacation hours that can be carried over cannot exceed an employee’s maximum annual allowance and must be used within the next fiscal year.

New hires to the university are eligible to use earned vacation hours after successful completion of their employment orientation period. 

Vacation hours may be used at the employee’s discretion and with the supervisor’s approval only after they are earned and provided the time off is used in whole or half-day increments (with the exception of intermittent FMLA leave).

Supervisors are responsible for maintaining annual records of earned vacation hours as of July 1 and of used vacation hours during the year. This should be done through HCM. These records will be necessary in the event that (1) the employee needs to draw upon this time before taking an unpaid leave, (2) the employee transfers to another department or (3) the employee terminates employment. If an employee transfers to a position that accrues time off on a different basis, the accrual will begin effective upon the transfer; the current year’s earned time remains unchanged. If an employee terminates, unused earned time to the date of termination will be paid. In the event of an employee's death, unused earned time will be paid to the employee's estate.

Calculating Vacation Hours (Days)

  0-5 years of employment 5-10 years of employment 10+ years of employment

Executive and Senior Staff

(Full time)

14 hours per month (21 days/year)

Maximum Fiscal Carry Over = 168 hours (21 days)

14 hours per month (21 days/year)

Maximum Fiscal Carry Over = 168 hours (21 days)

14 hours per month (21 days/year)

Maximum Fiscal Carry Over = 168 hours (21 days)

Staff Salary Grades 10 and above

(working 40 hours/week)

10.67 hours per month (16 days/year)

Maximum Fiscal Carry Over = 128 hours (16 days)

14 hours per month (21 days/year)

Maximum Fiscal Carry Over = 168 hours (21 days)

14 hours per month (21 days/year)

Maximum Fiscal Carry Over = 168 hours (21 days)

Staff Salary Grades 10 and above

(working 37.5 hours/week)   

10 hours per month (16 days/year)

Maximum Fiscal Carry Over = 120 hours (16 days)

13.125 hours per month (21 days/year)

Maximum Fiscal Carry Over = 157.5 hours (21 days)

13.125 hours per month (21 days/year)

Maximum Fiscal Carry Over = 157.5 hours (21 days)

Staff Salary Grades 9 and below

(working 37.5 hours/week)

6.875 hours per month (11 days/year)

Maximum Fiscal Carry Over = 82.5 hours (11 days)

10 hours per month (16 days/year)

Maximum Fiscal Carry Over = 120 hours (16 days)

13.125 hours per month (21 days/year)

Maximum Fiscal Carry Over = 157.5 hours (21 days)

Staff Salary Grades 9 and below

(working 40 hours/week)

7.334 hours per month (11 days/year)

Maximum Fiscal Carry Over = 88 hours (11 days)

10.67 hours per month (16 days/year)

Maximum Fiscal Carry Over = 128 hours (16 days)

14 hours per month (21 days/year)

Maximum Fiscal Carry Over = 168 hours (21 days)

An employee who is hired before and works over the 15th of the month receives credit for the month and will accrue the vacation hours for that month.

The vacation rate is based upon the percent of full-time employment. Therefore, part-time staff’s vacation hours are pro-rated. 

Vacation Buy Program

Staff employees with at least one (1) year of service and who are in good standing may request approval from their supervisor to purchase an additional five (5) to twenty (20) vacation days each fiscal year. Not all schools, departments, or supervisors participate in the vacation buy program. 

Purchased vacation days must be used within the fiscal year in which they were purchased. Payments for the additional vacation days will be evenly deducted from each paycheck during that fiscal year. If an employee receives their supervisor's approval, the employee must complete the Additional Vacation Day Purchase Request Form and submit it to the Human Resources Department by email at AskHR@case.edu or in person by visiting the HR Service Center located in Crawford Hall, Room 320 for processing. Requests must be submitted between May 1 and June 15 to process them for the upcoming fiscal year. 

Vacation Buy Form