Term

Definition

Scheduled time off

Time off that is requested and approved in advance by the employee's supervisor.

Approved absence

All time off approved prior to the leave date(s).

Unauthorized time off

Time off that has not been approved.

Immediate family

For the purposes of sick leave:

Any person living in the same household related to the employee by:

Kinship

Adoption Including: Certified foster children

Marriage

Minor children of the employee whether or not living in the same household

Family members of the employee not residing in the employee's household Strictly limited to: The time necessary to provide care and assistance as a result of a documented medical condition for:

Spouse

Child

Parent

Type

Description

Notes

Sick

Authorized paid absence caused by:

Personal illness, injury, or pregnancy

Illness or injury of the employee's immediate family

Parent-teacher conferences for parents of prekindergarten-12th grade children (up to 8 hours per calendar year) Providing: Reasonable advance notice to supervisor

Eligibility: Employed by UT for at least 30 days

Caution: State appropriations prohibits the unauthorized use of sick leave. A supervisor suspecting an employee of using sick leave inappropriately may ask the employee to submit a statement from his/her physician. Employees abusing sick leave are subject to corrective action.

HOOP reference: 2.39A

Preventive health care

Authorized paid leave used for the following preventive health care appointments for the employee or his/her immediate family:

Immunizations

Physical examinations

Dental examinations

Vision check-ups

Amount of time: Employees may take preventive health care leave in increments up to eight hours.

Request for leave: Employees must request preventive health care leave at least two working days before the appointment.

Unused hours: Employees cannot carry unused hours into the next fiscal year.

HOOP reference: 2.39F

Vacation

Authorized paid leave for any personal reasons.

Eligibility: At least six months of continuous state service

Amount of time: Granted at the discretion of the supervisor based on department demands

HOOP reference: 2.38

Administrative service day

Full-time employees
Eight hours of paid administrative leave each fiscal year to be taken on or within one calendar year of their date-of-hire anniversary

Part-time employees
Paid administrative leave on a percentage basis proportional to their appointment.

Eligibility: Five or more years of service to UT-Houston

Amount of time: Employees may take this time in increments

HOOP reference: 2.39C

Compensatory time

Paid time off granted by the supervisor resulting from an employee working overtime

Non-exempt employees
Accrue compensatory time at a rate of time and one-half for each hour worked over 40 in a work week
Exception: Employees working less than 40 hours in a week accrue compensatory time at the straight-time rate.

Exempt employees
Supervisors may grant compensatory time off for hours worked in excess of 40 in a work week based on their discretion.
Note: UTHCPC is not legally required or obligated to grant compensatory time off to exempt employees.

Holiday

Paid time off granted by the state legislature to observe designated days during the fiscal year.

Eligibility requirements:

Employees eligible for benefits receive holiday leave on a percentage basis proportionate to the employee's appointment.

Employees can only receive holiday leave if they are on a paid status the day before and the day after the holiday

HOOP reference: 2.37

For information on taking religious holy days off, refer to policy Observing Religious Holy Days 2.37A

Stage

Description

1

Employee completes a Time and Attendance Request form using the instructions on the back of the form including the following information:

Type of time off requested Examples: Vacation, holiday, sick, preventive health

Dates of time off requested

Signature of staff covering responsibilities during the period of absence

2

Employee signs and dates the Time and Attendance Request form.

3

Employee uses this table to determine when to submit the Time and Attendance Request form to his/her supervisor:

4

Supervisor approves or denies the request for time off as soon as possible.

Reference: See Scheduled time off approval criteria.

5

Supervisor indicates his/her decision on the Time and Attendance Request form.

6

Supervisor forwards the approved request to Personnel Systems Management attached to the corresponding punch detail.

7

Supervisor notifies employee of his/her decision as soon as possible.