If you are unsure which leave time to use first, consider first if you have Comp Time Carryover, and how you want to use it. Housing HR recommends using leave in the following order:
- Vacation Carryover – This is the remaining Vacation from last year that was carried over into this year. Vacation Carryover is lost if not used by June 30, 2021 for Academic Staff and December 31, 2021 for University Staff. Housing policy encourages University Staff to use it up by June 30, 2021 and Academic staff to use it as soon as possible so that you have the second half of the leave year to use your current year’s Vacation.
- Personal Holiday – All employees, except Trades, receive 36 hours of Personal Holiday (prorated if part time) that they can use at any time – even while on probation. Any unused Personal Holiday does not carry over into the following leave year.
- Legal Holiday Earned –If you work on a legal holiday, or if it falls on your day off, you still bank 8 hours of time off that you can use later in the year. Remember that Legal Holiday hours should not be used before they are earned. Any unused Legal Holiday does not carry over into the following leave year.
- Legal Holiday Earned vs Legal Holiday Annual: The Legal Holiday Earned bank in Kronos represents Legal Holiday hours that were not used on a holiday that has already passed, and are available to use at any time. Legal Holiday Annual represents all Legal Holiday hours for the year, this will include the Legal Holiday Earned hours and any upcoming Legal Holiday hours that haven’t been earned yet.
- Vacation – The current year’s allocation of Vacation can only be used after Vacation Carryover is used up (Kronos will preference these automatically), and should be used after Personal Holiday and earned Legal Holiday are gone. Up to 40 hours of unused Vacation can roll-over into the following year without your supervisor’s approval and some employees are eligible to convert some unused Vacation to Banked Leave or ALRA.
- Comp Time Carryover/Comp Time – Comp Time Carryover that is not used by April 30th will pay out. The “LeaveTaken” paycode uses Comp Time after Vacation is used up since it cannot be lost.
- Some employees may want to use their Comp Time Carryover before their Vacation to use it up rather than have it pay out. In this case they should select the “CompUsed” paycode instead of “LeaveTaken” until the Comp Carryover is exhausted.
- Banked Leave/ALRA – Banked Leave and ALRA balances roll over every year and never expire, so it’s best to save them unless all other leave options are gone.
Remember that the “LeaveTaken” paycode in Kronos will use leave time in the order listed above, so if you don’t have a preference you can request the “Leave Taken” paycode. If you have Comp Time that you want to use prior to April 30th, choose the “CompUsed” paycode to use this leave time first. Watch for more information from your supervisor about the 2021 leave planning process for your unit. Remember to plan for days when your unit is closed and vacations, and to leave some cushion for unexpected time off needs such as inclement weather and family emergencies. Remember, you can always carry over 40 hours of Vacation if you don’t use it.