Paid Time Off

All regular, benefits-eligible staff earn time off on a per-pay-period basis based on time worked or paid leave. Accruals are prorated for part-time employees. Employees can view their balances any time in Workday via the Time and Absence applications.

For Benefits Eligible Staff Time Off Categories click here. 

Vacation Leave

Regular, Full-time Nonunion, Nonexempt and Exempt Staff

35 hours/week, 52 weeks/year


Paid Time off Benefit 

Maximum Accrued in 12 Month Period
Per Hour Accrual Rate multiplied by # of Hours Worked and/or Paid
up to 5 years  15 days (105 hours) 0.057692
5 + years 20 days (140 hours) 0.076923
Vacation Carryover Policy

Vacation carryover is based upon years of service and applies to all employees. The carryover cutoff is Dec. 31 of each year. Carryover amounts are prorated for part-time employees.

Years of Service Carryover Limit
Up to 5 years 10 days
5 to 10 years 15 days
More than 10 years 20 days

Bonus Vacation Days

Bonus Vacation Days are awarded to benefits eligible employees for not using sick time during for one year period tied to one’s anniversary date. If one day is used during this one year measurement period (calculated using the “Shadow Sick Plan” category in WorkDay), then one extra day of vacation is awarded. If no sick time is used during the measurement period, then two extra vacation days are awarded. The bonus vacation days must be used within one year of the award date or they expire.

 

Sick Days

Full-time, benefits-eligible staff: Accrues the equivalent of one sick day per month, on a per-pay-period basis, for a total of 12 days (84 hours) per calendar year. Accruals are prorated for part-time, benefits-eligible staff.

Non-benefits-eligible staff: Accrues one hour of sick time for every 30 hours worked, up to a maximum of 40 hours per year. Non-benefits-eligible staff may use accrued sick time 90 days following their first day of work.

Benefits-eligible staff: Exempt and Nonexempt staff sick leave balances may never exceed 12 days (84 hours). Nonexempt employees who had time above 12 days (84 hours) moved to the Long Term Sick bank in WorkDay, as part of the transition to Brandeis’s new medical leave program, will be able to access this time to address medical leave elimination periods and portions of approved medical leaves that pay less than 100% of salary.

To receive sick pay, an employee must report the absence to his/her immediate supervisor before the start of the regular workday and record the date on the time sheet. Supervisors may request documentation for any leave exceeding three days. Any medical documentation requested should be submitted to our leave management vendor, Standard for review. For more information on medical leaves, please visit the MAPFML website.

Up to 40 hours of accrued sick time per calendar year may be used in the case of illness of members of an employee's immediate family. Immediate family is defined as a spouse, domestic partner, parent, grandparent, child, brother, sister, father-in-law, mother-in-law, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law or member of the household.

No unused accrued sick leave will be paid at the time of termination.

When Sick Time May Be Used

Accrued sick time may be used for the following purposes:

  1. To care for the employee’s immediate family member, who is suffering from a physical or mental illness, injury or medical condition that requires home care; professional medical diagnosis or care; or preventative medical care.
  2. To care for the employee’s own physical or mental illness, injury, or medical condition that requires home care; professional medical diagnosis or care; or preventative medical care.
  3. To attend the employee’s routine medical appointment or a routine medical appointment for the employee’s child, spouse, parent, or parent of spouse.
  4. To address the psychological, physical or legal effects of domestic violence (as defined in the university’s domestic violence leave policy).

Earned sick time includes time necessary to travel to and from an appointment, a pharmacy or other location related to the purpose for which the time was taken.

Personal Days

All full-time, benefits-eligible staff accrue the equivalent of one personal day every three months, for a total of four days per calendar year. Personal day balances may never exceed more than four days.

Generally, new staff members must complete their introductory period before being granted a personal day. Personal days may be used for religious observances or for personal business. All requests for personal days are subject to the approval of an employee's supervisor.

No unused accrued personal days will be paid at time of termination. Once notice of termination is given, the use of personal days is not allowed.

Staff Holidays

See the 2024 staff holiday schedule.

Floating Holiday

A Floating Holiday is provided for those who must work on Patriot’s Day. Exempt employees do not need to log the floating holiday but must arrange with their manager to use within 90 days. Nonexempt employees do need to log the floating holiday within 90 days if they worked on Patriot’s Day. In order to be credited the floating holiday, they need to do a negative 7 or 8 hour adjustment (depending on standard schedule) and then enter the floating holiday later when time is utilized.

Termination Provisions Reminder

Only allowable accrued and carryover vacation time will be paid out at the end of employment. Vacation time may not be used to extend the date of termination.*

No unused accrued personal days will be paid at the end of employment. Once notice of termination is given, the use of personal days is not allowed.

No unused accrued sick leave will be paid at the end of employment. Unused discretionary days granted by the President will not be paid out at termination of employment.

*Once notice of termination is given, the use of vacation days must have manager approval.  

Union Staff

Union employees should refer to their union contracts for information regarding paid time off accruals.