Leave

References:  CalHR Rule 599.752

Employees newly appointed to excluded classifications may enroll in the Annual Leave Program (ALP).  This applies to any person who is appointed, promoted, or transferred to a position that is excluded from collective bargaining, including managerial, supervisory, and confidential positions (non-seasonal).  Current excluded employees may elect to enroll into ALP at any time.  Once enrolled, they may not elect to enroll in sick/vacation until 24 months has elapsed from the date of enrollment.

 As of January 1 of each year, an employee's annual leave balance shall not exceed 640 hours (80 days), Managerial and Supervisory Unit 5 shall not exceed 816 hours (102 days), except under specific situations (CalHR Rule 599.752).  If excess hours have accrued, there must be a plan in place to reduce the leave balance to the maximum allowed by January 1 of the following year (CalHR Rule 599.742.1).

Existing vacation balances shall be converted to annual leave credits on an hour-for-hour basis for eligible employees who enroll in annual leave.  Any sick leave balance at the time of enrollment will be maintained for use by the employee for approved sick leave purposes or Non-industrial Disability Insurance (NDI) supplementation.  Annual leave credits accrue on the first day following a qualifying monthly pay period according to the schedule below.  Employees are not required to serve a six month waiting period (CalHR Rule 599.752(c)).

Note:  Managerial and Supervisory Unit 5 earn an additional hour each month.

 For part-time employees, accrual is determined by their timebase on a pro-rata basis according to the schedule above.

Permanent-Intermittent (PI) employees accrue the equivalent of one month's service for each increment of 160 hours worked and receive annual leave credit according to the schedule above.  Hours worked in excess of 160 hours in a monthly pay period are not counted toward leave accumulation nor are they carried forward to the next qualifying pay period.

Annual leave may be used for valid sick leave purposes, as well as other approved absences. Upon retirement or separation, annual leave balances may be cashed out. Sick leave credits on the books at the time of retirement will be converted to service credit.

For non-work related illness or injury, employees enrolled in Annual Leave are eligible for Enhanced Non-industrial Disability Insurance (ENDI) benefits. For additional information, see NDI with Annual Leave.

References:  Govt. Code 19859.3; CalHR Rule 599.923

A permanent employee receives up to three eight-hour days (24 hours) of bereavement leave (per occurrence) upon the death of a person related by blood, marriage, or adoption, or of any person residing in the employee’s immediate household at the time of death.  Upon approval of the supervisor, if additional leave is necessary, an employee may use accrued/earned leave credits or take leave without pay.  When bereavement leave is necessary, the employee must notify his or her supervisor as soon as possible.

If the death occurred outside the State, a request for two additional days of bereavement leave shall be granted.  At the option of the employee, these two additional days can be taken without pay or charged against accrued/earned leave credits.

References:  CalHR Rule 599.925 - 599.925.1

If a department has approved a catastrophic leave request, an excluded employee may transfer vacation, annual leave, or compensating time off, or holiday leave credits to another employee who has suffered a catastrophic illness or injury or is unable to work due to the effect of a natural disaster on the employee's principal residence.  An excluded employee may also receive catastrophic leave donations from other employees.  The recipient employee must have exhausted all of his/her available leave to be eligible.

Leave Buy Back

References:  CalHR Rule 599.744

Upon determination of CalHR, departments may approve a leave buy back for excluded employees.  If approved, managerial employees may elect to be paid annually for unused leave credits for an amount determined by the department (up to 80 hours), paid in 8 hour increments.  Other excluded employees may elect to be paid annually for unused leave credits for an amount determined by the department (up to 40 hours).

References:  Executive Order W-132-96

Eligible excluded employees may receive up to 40 hours of paid mentoring leave per calendar year to participate in mentoring activities once they have used an equal amount of their personal time for this activity.  Mentoring leave may only be used by an employee to mentor.  Mentoring activities include structured, one-to-one relationships which are focused on the needs of at-risk children or youth (Grades K-12) organized through a bonafide mentoring organization.

To be eligible for mentoring leave, employees must 1) have a permanent full-time, permanent part-time, or permanent-intermittent appointment;  2) have successfully completed the probationary period for their current position; and 3) have committed to mentor a child or youth through a bonafide mentoring organization for a minimum of one school year.

For additional information, contact your Personnel Office.

References:   CalHR Rules 599.745.1 - 599.747

Following one month of continuous service, eligible full-time employees earn eight hours of sick leave per month.  Part-time employees earn sick leave on a pro-rated basis according to their timebase.  Employees who enroll in Annual Leave are not eligible to earn sick leave.

 Permanent-Intermittent employees earn eight hours of sick leave after completing each period of 160 paid hours.  Hours worked in excess of 160 hours in a monthly pay period are not counted or accumulated.

References:  CalHR Rule 599.738; 599.739; 599.742.1

Following six months of continuous full-time service, permanent full-time employees who don’t choose annual leave will have 42 hours of vacation credit available.  Thereafter, vacation accrues as follows:

Note:  Managerial and Supervisory Unit 5 earn an additional hour each month.

Part-time employees earn a pro-rated fraction of 42 hours of vacation after completing six months of continuous service.  Thereafter, the part-time employee accrues vacation after each month of service.  Credit is determined on a pro-rata basis according to the schedule above and the employee's timebase.

 Permanent-Intermittent (PI) employees earn 42 hours of vacation credit after completing six qualifying months (160 hours) for a total of 960 hours of paid employment.  After that, the PI employee earns vacation according to the preceding schedule for each increment of 160 hours worked.  Hours worked in excess of 160 hours in a monthly pay period are not counted or accumulated. 

Employees may accumulate a maximum of 640 hours of vacation credits.  Managerial and Supervisory Unit 5 may accumulate a maximum of 816 hours (102 days).  Time off should be coordinated between employees and the supervisor to assure that excess balances are reduced before January 1 of the next year.  If the employee can’t reduce the balance by January 1, he/she must develop a plan to reduce the balance during the following year.