Leave Policy

Effective Date: June 5, 2019

Board Approval: November 2, 2022

Board Approved Amendments: June 18, 2025

1. Purpose

1.1. To outline the policy of Tooele Technical College (TTECH) regarding sick leave, vacation leave, personal leave, parental leave, and medical maternity leave.

2. Definitions

2.1. Negative Balances. Employees will only be paid for vacation, sick, or personal time accrued. Negative balances are not generally allowed; however, exceptions may be approved by a College Vice President or the President. Upon termination, any negative balance amount will be deducted from the final pay.

3. References

3.1. Board of Higher Education Policy R821, Employee Benefits

3.2. TTECH Employment At-Will Policy

3.3. TTECH Family Medical Leave Policy

4. Sick Leave

4.1. The following apply to permanent full-time employees:

4.1.1. General. The sick leave policy provides full pay to employees who have to remain away from work because of physical or mental illness, medical appointment, injury, infant delivery, or other disabling conditions. The Administration, however, reserves the right to require verification of illness or disability by a physician, to include one appointed by the Administration if necessary. Employees are expected to notify their supervisor that they are using sick leave as soon as possible. Employees are expected to return to work as soon as they have recovered from their condition.

4.1.2. Sick Leave Amount. Permanent full-time employees earn a maximum of twelve days of sick leave per year at the rate of four hours per pay period. Salaried employees on an appointment less than 1.0 FTE but equal to or greater than .75 FTE earn sick leave on a pro-rated basis according to their appointment.

4.1.3. Accumulation. Unused sick leave days will accumulate up to a maximum of 976 hours.

4.1.4. Sick Leave Conversion to Vacation. TTECH employees who are eligible for sick leave benefits and are scheduled to work 12 months are eligible for an annual conversion of up to 4 days (32 hours) of accrued sick leave to vacation. If eligible, the conversion will automatically be processed each January unless the employee notifies the Human Resources office in writing by January 5th. To be eligible for the annual conversion, the following limitations must be met:

4.1.4.1.1. The employee has accumulated a minimum of 192 hours (24 days) of sick leave by December 31.

4.1.4.1.2. In January, the conversion will be calculated based on the number of sick days used during the previous year:

4.1.4.1.3. If 0 days (0 hours) of sick leave were used, 4 days (32 hours) will be converted to vacation; the remaining 8 days (64 hours) of sick leave earned in this year will be retained in the employee’s sick leave balance.

4.1.4.1.4. If 1 day (8 hours) of sick leave was used, 3 days (24 hours) will be converted to vacation; the remaining 8 days (64 hours) of sick leave earned in this year will be retained in the employee’s sick leave balance.

4.1.4.1.5. If 2 days (16 hours) of sick leave were used, 2 days (16 hours) will be converted to vacation; the remaining 8 days (64 hours) of sick leave will be retained in the employee’s sick leave balance.

4.1.4.1.6. If 3 days (24 hours) of sick leave were used, 1 day (8 hours) will be converted to vacation; the remaining 8 days (64 hours) of sick leave earned in this year will be retained in the employee’s sick leave balance.

4.1.4.1.7. If 4 days (32 hours) or more of sick leave were used, the employee is not eligible for the sick leave conversion.

If only partial days are used for sick leave, the total number of hours up to 32 hours eligible for conversion will be converted.

4.1.5. Sick Leave Conversion for Retirement Health Insurance

4.1.5.1.1. On or after the age of 60, but before reaching Medicare eligibility age, and upon retirement from Tooele Technical College, employees may be eligible to convert accrued sick leave to a retirement account contribution and/or gross pay to cover the cost of health insurance.

4.1.5.1.2. Sick leave conversion for retirement health insurance is neither a right nor an automatic entitlement. Approval must be granted by the College President.

4.1.5.1.3. An employee requesting sick leave conversion for retirement health insurance must effectively retire and be eligible to withdraw funds from the Utah Retirement Systems (URS) or the alternate retirement plan.

4.1.5.1.4. An employee must notify the Human Resources office 3 months prior to the desired date of retirement.

4.1.5.1.5. Upon approval by the President, the amount of sick leave conversion will be based on the monthly COBRA rate for the employee’s tier of health and dental insurance at the time of retirement, multiplied by the number of months from the retirement date until reaching Medicare eligibility. The sick leave conversion amount will be the lower of the calculated COBRA value or the accrued sick leave balance multiplied by the employee’s hourly rate of pay at retirement.

4.2. Authorized Uses

4.2.1. Sick leave may be used for the following purposes:

4.2.1.1. Physical or mental illness, medical appointment, injury, infant delivery, or other disabling conditions of the employee.

4.2.1.2. Physical or mental illness, medical appointment, or injury of an immediate member of the family.

4.2.1.3. The phrase “an immediate member of the family” includes spouse, child, parents, brother, sister, in-laws, all levels of grandparents, and all levels of grandchildren (step-relatives in these categories are included). (Exceptions that may be considered by the administration are uncle, aunt, nephew, niece, first cousin, and those who have virtually held the position of an immediate member of the family.)

4.2.1.4. For any absence beyond 1 day, in the case of an immediate family member other than spouse, parent, or child, approval must be secured from the immediate supervisor.

4.2.1.5. For any absence beyond 5 days, the employee must notify the Human Resources office.

4.2.1.6. TTECH abides by the rules and regulations of the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). An application may also be made for certain types of leave under the Family Medical Leave Policy.

4.3. Unauthorized Use

4.3.1. Employees who use their sick leave for purposes other than authorized ones are subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination from employment.

5. Vacation Leave

5.1. Eligible Employees. Permanent full-time employees scheduled to work 12 months are entitled to vacation leave. Employees shall obtain supervisor approval prior to scheduling vacation leave. Vacation leave is a benefit to enable eligible employees to pursue personal interests while being paid when not at work. TTECH encourages all eligible employees to use available vacation leave.

5.2. Employee Vacation Leave Schedule

5.3. Anniversary Date. Employees’ anniversary dates will be established on the first day of the month in which the employee is hired, if hired between the first and fifteenth of the month, and on the sixteenth day of the month if hired between the sixteenth and the end of the month.

5.4. Vacation Leave Accrual. Vacation hours will be accrued on a per pay period basis.

5.5. Previous Employment. New TTECH employees may use previous full-time employment with the State of Utah, including employment with public and higher education entities, to establish their vacation rate. Previous service must be documented in writing by the relevant State of Utah employer(s) and submitted to the TTECH Human Resources within three months of beginning employment with the TTECH.

5.6. Vacation Scheduling. Vacation days may be taken on any regular work day with the approval of the employee’s immediate supervisor and in accordance with the employee’s workload. No more than 10 days of vacation may be taken consecutively except through special arrangement with the appropriate College Vice President or President.

5.7. Vacation Carryover. Vacation days may be carried forward from one fiscal year to the next in accordance with the “Maximum Carryover” in section 4.2 above. Unused hours in excess of the allowed maximum carryover are forfeited.

5.8. Vacation Cash-Out Option. Eligible employees may choose an annual election to cash out a portion of their vacation leave balance. This option may be chosen each year during November. Employees may convert up to 40 hours of vacation leave into either gross pay or retirement account contributions. The hours converted will be paid at 75% of the value at the employee’s current rate. In order to be eligible, the employee must have a current balance of at least 120 hours as of the last pay period ending in October and have used at least 40 hours during the past 12 months (November – October).

5.9. Termination of Employment. The maximum vacation paid upon termination cannot exceed 240 hours plus the current fiscal year’s accrued vacation time.

5.10. Hourly/Part-Time Employees. No provision.

6. Personal Leave

6.1. The following applies to full-time salaried faculty who primarily teach a secondary 187-day schedule. Full-time salaried faculty who primarily teach a secondary 187-day schedule do not accrue vacation days, but rather are awarded personal leave days at the beginning of the school year as follows:

6.1.1. Full-time salaried faculty who primarily teach a secondary 187-day schedule are allotted four (4) personal leave days (32 hours) per year without loss of pay.

6.1.2. Faculty who are awarded personal leave days have the following options at the end of each school year for unused days:

6.1.2.1. Unused personal leave days may be reimbursed $200 per day upon application to the Human Resources Office.

6.1.2.2. Unused personal leave days may be converted to sick leave with written notification to the Human Resources Office.

6.1.2.3. Four (4) personal leave days (32 hours) may be carried forward to the next year

6.1.2.4. Employees who are awarded personal leave days will be allowed to convert up to two (2) sick days (16 hours) each year to personal leave with written notification to the Human Resources Office. There will be no pay or carryover for these days at the end of the year. This leave requires prior administrative approval.

6.1.3. Personal leave may be used for any purpose at the discretion of the employee, subject to the provisions and conditions of this policy.

7. Parental Leave

7.1. Parental Leave. Parental leave is for bonding with or caring for a newborn or newly adopted child.

7.2. Amount of Parental Leave. Eligible employees shall receive 10 workdays of paid parental leave upon the adoption or birth of the employee’s child.

7.3. Eligibility for Parental Leave. Full-time, benefits-eligible employees, regardless of employee gender, are eligible for parental leave, regardless of the employee’s eligibility for FMLA leave.

7.4. Use of Parental Leave. When the need for parental leave is foreseeable, the employee shall notify their supervisor at least 14 days before the employee intends to take parental leave. Failure to provide 14 days’ notice may result in the employee’s request for parental leave being denied. Parental leave must be used within three months of the adoption or birth of the child. Parental leave may be used intermittently or in a block of 10 consecutive workdays. Upon termination, an employee will not be compensated for unused parental leave. Parental leave will run concurrently with job-protected leave, such as leave pursuant to FMLA.

FMLA-eligible employees may take a total of up to 12 weeks of job-protected medical leave in a rolling calendar year for pregnancy-related conditions, birth, and/or baby bonding. Employees who have medical maternity leave or accrued sick, personal, and/or vacation leave must apply such leave to any remaining FMLA leave taken beyond the 10-workday parental leave. While on parental leave, the employee is not required to perform work for Tooele Technical College.

8. Medical Maternity Leave

8.1. Medical Maternity Leave. Medical maternity leave is for medical reasons to recover from childbirth.

8.2. Amount of Medical Maternity Leave. Eligible employees shall receive 2 weeks of paid medical maternity leave. Medical maternity leave may be used only in a single block of two consecutive weeks, not intermittently.

8.3. Eligibility for Medical Maternity Leave. Full-time, benefits-eligible employees who give birth at 20 weeks or greater gestation are eligible for medical maternity leave, regardless of the employee’s eligibility for FMLA leave. This includes stillborn or miscarriage after 20 weeks or greater gestation.

8.4. Use of Medical Maternity Leave. This paid leave begins immediately upon the birth of the child. Medical maternity leave will run concurrently with job-protected FMLA leave. FMLA-eligible employees may take a total of up to 12 weeks of job-protected medical leave in a rolling calendar year for pregnancy-related conditions, birth, and/or baby bonding. If an FMLA-eligible employee requires more than two weeks for medical recovery from childbirth, the additional leave shall be charged to any remaining FMLA leave in the following order:

1. Medical Maternity leave (paid)

2. Parental leave (paid)

3. Accrued sick leave (paid)

4. Accrued vacation leave (paid)

5. Any remaining FMLA leave (unpaid)

Upon termination, an employee will not be compensated for any unused medical maternity leave. While on medical maternity leave, the employee is not required to perform work for Tooele Technical College. Medical maternity leave is separate from parental leave. An employee may take parental leave after taking medical maternity leave.