Paid Time Off (CA)
Paid Time Off (PTO) is provided for rest, relaxation, and a planned interruption from the workplace or to attend to personal affairs. It is recommended that PTO be taken within the year accrued in order to receive the personal replenishment value intended. Supervisors and staff have the responsibility to plan schedules that meet the operating requirements of departments and time off needs of staff. To balance the University’s support of staff using PTO with service and staffing requirements, staff members and supervisors should plan time off schedules well in advance.
607.1 Eligibility
All regular full-time and regular part-time staff members whose salaries are based on service for 12 months become eligible to request the use of accrued PTO upon their hire date. The hours equivalent of 5 days will be available in their PTO balance on their hire date.
607.2 Accrual
Staff members accrue PTO based on their years of service in regular full-time and regular part-time University positions and the date when they began continuous employment with the University. Time served in temporary or occasional positions is not counted in calculating a staff member’s PTO accrual rate.
When staff members are hired on or before the 15th of the month, a full month’s accrual will be credited for the first partial month of employment. When they are hired after the 15th of the month, no accrual will be credited for the first partial month of employment.
A. Accrual Of Paid Time Off (PTO)
Regular full-time and regular part-time staff members who have completed the Introductory Period and whose salaries are based on service for 12 months accrue PTO in accordance with the following rates:
| Accrual Overview | ||||
| Completed Period of Service | Upon Hire Date | 0-2 Years of Service completed | 2-3 Years of Service Completed | 3 or More Years of Service Completed |
| Accrual Rate | 5 days | 1.25 days/month | 1.83 days/month | 2 days/month |
| Annual Accrual (not to exceed 36 days) | 20 days | 22 days | 36 days | |
| Monthly Accrual Rates in Hours* | ||||
| Scheduled Hours | 0-2 Years of Service Completed | 2-3 Years of Service Completed | 3 or More Years of Service Completed | Maximum Annual Accrual |
| 40 hours/week(8 hours/day) | 10 hours | 14.64 hours | 16 hours | Up to 192 hours |
| 37.5 hours (7.5 hours/day) | 9.375 hours | 13.725 hours | 15 hours | Up to 180 hours |
| 35 hours/week(7 hours/day) | 8.750 hours | 12.81 hours | 14 hours | Up to 168 hours |
| Accrual Rate in Days | 1.25 days | 1.83 days | 2 days | 36 days |
*Although exempt monthly-paid staff are paid on a salary basis, PTO accrues and is used in hourly increments. For purposes of PTO accrual and usage, full-time exempt monthly paid staff are treated as working 40 hours per week (8 hours per day, 5 days per week). This is for tracking purposes only and is not intended to reflect actual hours worked.
Paid Time Off is accrued on a pro rata basis for work performed.
Years of service are determined based on the staff member’s most recent employment date in a regular full-time or regular part-time University position. If the anniversary date is on or before the 15th of the month, the staff member will accrue PTO at the new rate for the month.
California staff members accrue Paid Time Off (PTO) at the same rate as described in the University of Pennsylvania Paid Time Off Policy (Policy Number 607).
Staff members who terminate are credited with a prorated accrual based on termination date as set forth more fully below.
B. Maximum Accrual
A staff member may not have a balance of more than thirty-six (36) Paid Time Off days at any time. If a staff member’s balance is at thirty-six (36) days, the staff member will not accrue any additional days until the Paid Time Off balance drops below 36 days. Days will not be retroactively accrued and credited to the staff member’s Paid Time Off balance for any period of time in which the staff member does not accrue Paid Time Off because the staff member was at the maximum.
C. Introductory Period
In California, staff members begin accruing Paid Time Off upon hire. However, staff members are not allowed to use Paid Time Off during the Introductory Period. Upon completion of the Introductory Period, a staff member may request Paid Time Off. A staff member whose employment is terminated during the Introductory Period will receive payment for accrued Paid Time Off.
607.3 Part-Time Staff Members
Regular part-time staff members accrue PTO on a prorated basis, based on the percentage of a full-time schedule worked.
607.4 Use Of Paid Time Off (PTO)
Exempt monthly-paid staff members may take PTO in either full-day (i.e., 8-hour) or half-day (i.e., 4-hour) increments. Non-exempt weekly-paid staff members may take PTO in 15-minute increments.
Each fiscal year staff members and supervisors should plan and schedule to allow staff members to take PTO. All scheduled PTO should be requested and approved in advance by the staff member’s immediate supervisor. Supervisors should determine and communicate to staff how much advance notice they require. All scheduled PTO requests must be entered into Workday. After the staff member enters the request into Workday, Workday automatically routes the request to the next approval level(s).
Unscheduled PTO must also be requested in Workday. Although the request cannot be entered into Workday in advance, the staff member should enter it as soon as possible. If the staff member is unable to do so, his/her supervisor may enter the PTO request into Workday on behalf of the staff member. The staff member’s immediate supervisor maintains the discretion to approve or deny PTO requests based on the business and operational needs of the unit.
For staff using Flexible Work Options, PTO usage will be governed by the Flexible Work Options Guidelines.
607.5 Payment of Unused Paid Time Off (PTO)
Upon an involuntary termination of employment, staff members will be paid all earned wages and all accrued and unused Paid Time Off on the date of separation. For staff members who voluntarily separate from employment and provide at least 72 hours advance notice, the payout of earned wages and PTO will be made on the date of separation. Staff members who voluntarily separate from employment without providing advance notice will be paid all of their wages, including accrued PTO, within 72 hours of resignation.
607.7 University Staff Who Are Covered By Collective Bargaining Agreements
University staff members covered by collective bargaining agreements should refer to the appropriate article in their contract.