TEAMS, USPS, and OPS Policies

NOTE

OPS employees do not accrue any leave vacation or sick leave time; therefore, they cannot be paid for any time that they are not working. OPS staff are required to enter their time worked into "punch time" in People Soft. Please exercise care in reporting time accurately, as falsified time is considered grounds for dismissal.

OPS employees have an obligation to follow other employment policies such as reporting in when they are going to be absent, inputting time into People Soft according to the payroll deadline e-mails, and only taking the break time to which they are entitled.

SICK LEAVE

Sick leave is earned by all Faculty, USPS, and TEAMS employees at the rate of 4.0 hours biweekly or at a rate proportionate to FTE. Leave is credited on the last day of each pay period. There is no time limit as to the amount of sick leave that may be earned. Sick leave can be used for the following reasons: exposure to a contagious disease, personal visits to doctors and dentists, and for personal illness which includes disability caused or contributed to by pregnancy. Pending supervisor approval, sick leave may be used for illness, injury, or death within the immediate family. Sick leave may be used only in the amount necessary to bring employee to their regular FTE, not to exceed 40 hours per workweek.

Medical certification for sick leave usage may be requested by the immediate supervisor if absences are excessive, a pattern is emerging, or when absent 3 times in a 30 day period.

Upon termination in good standing or retirement and completed at least 10 years of credible service, an employee may be paid for sick leave accrued in the amount of 1/8 of credits earned prior to Oct. 1, 1973, and 1/4 of credits earned after Oct. 1, 1973. This will not exceed 480 hours of payable leave. If the individual transfers to another area at the University, the sick leave accrued may transfer.

VACATION LEAVE

Vacation leave is earned and credited on the last day of each pay period. Vacation leave should be submitted and approved by the immediate supervisor as far in advance as possible. A supervisor may require that a portion of vacation leave be taken at a specified time. Leave is earned proportionate to FTE.

Full time Faculty & TEAMS employees accrue vacation leave at the rate of 6.769 hours biweekly. Vacation leave in excess of 480 hours at the end of the calendar year converts to sick leave on January 1. Upon separation from UF, Faculty & TEAMS employees may be paid up to a maximum of 352 hours of vacation leave.

Accrual for USPS employees is as follows: up to 5 years of service = 4 hours biweekly // 5 to 10 years of service = 5 hours biweekly // over 10 years of service = 6 hours biweekly. Vacation leave balance in excess of a 240 maximum of hours at the end of the calendar year will convert to sick leave hours on January 1. Upon separation from the University, you will be paid for any unused vacation leave up to 240 hours. If you transfer to another department within the University, vacation leave will transfer.

TEAMS members have the option of cashing out 16 hours of vacation leave during the month of December so long as there is a remaining balance of 40 hours.

TEAMS employees also receive 4 "Personal Holidays" to be used in December around the holidays.

USPS receives one "Personal Holiday" on July 1 to be used at anytime during the fiscal year, subject to their supervisor's approval.

Personal Holliday and Personal Leave days are explained after the Holiday section.

DOCUMENTATION

If you are unable to come into work, call your IMMEDIATE supervisor within 30 minutes of your start time (or as soon as is reasonably possible thereafter) so that other arrangements can be made for your work to be covered during your absence.

Documentation may be required for the following situations:

Jury Duty: Copy of summons. If you are chosen to serve you must provide a letter from the Clerk's office indicating the days you are serving on a jury.

Death in Family: Copy of obituary. The following persons are considered immediate family. USPS and TEAMS employees are entitled to 2 days paid leave in the even of a death of either their spouse's or their own: Spouse, Children, Parents, Brothers; Sisters, Grandparents, Great Grandparents, Grandchildren, Great Grandchildren.

ATTENDANCE

USPS and TEAMS who are absent from work without authorization for three or more days without calling in, may be considered to have abandoned their job and to have resigned from the University.

Lunch breaks are set by the supervisor based on the work scheduled; e.g. 8:00am to 5:00pm would take one hour for lunch; 8:00am to 4:30pm would take a half hour for lunch. Non-exempt employees are encouraged to leave their work station for lunch breaks.

For each 4 hours of work, employees are permitted a 15 minute rest period if workload permits. Time may not be accumulated and used at a later time or date, e.g. in conjunction with lunch break, nor may you combine breaks to make a 1/2 hour break, nor to leave work early.

Non-exempt employees must enter their work time into People Soft "Punch or Elapsed Time" as appropriate and account for all hours in a workweek as each starting and stopping occurs. Time is approved by People Soft by immediate supervisor. If the immediate supervisor is not available to approve, another faculty or designated backup approver will approve in People Soft.

Exempt USPS and TEAMS hours are automatically populated in People Soft. Use of annual or sick leave should be entered into "Elapsed Time." Work hours should be reduced accordingly.

Time off charged for any type of leave or holiday is not to be considered time worked for overtime purposes.

USPS and TEAMS may not take work home.
Falsification of time is subject to dismissal.

Time spent on interviews for UF positions, including travel time, is to be considered time worked if it is during the employee's normal work hours.

If an employee is required to attend a meeting or conference at an out of town location, such attendance including travel time is considered time worked whether or not it occurs during the employee's normal work hours. Non-exempt employees will receive overtime/comp if this meeting/travel time exceeds 40 hours.

PAID HOLIDAYS

USPS and TEAMS are eligible for eight paid holidays each year in addition to their personal holiday(s). They must be in pay status the day prior to the holiday in order to be eligible for holiday pay. The supervisor will determine what is reasonable. The holidays for 2008 & 2009 are as follows:

Employees receiving workers' compensation indemnification are not entitled to holiday pay or special compensation in conjunction with a holiday.

USPS employees receive one paid holiday each fiscal year, which must be taken in "full day" increments. If not used prior to June 30, it is forfeited. It is credited to USPS employees on July 1st.

PERSONAL LEAVE DAYS

Vacation-accruing faculty and TEAMS employees are eligible for four personal leave days per year (December 26 through December 31). They are credited to these employees on December of each year. Those employees who are required to work are considered essential. Those employees who are off will be considered non-essential. If the Faculty/TEAMS employee is required to work, his or her schedule will be adjusted so the 4 days of personal leave can be used at another date/s and may be used in increments. It will be the responsibility of the department to record this leave usage.

EXTENDED LEAVE OF ABSENCE

An extended leave of absence encompasses leave taken with or without pay that lasts longer than 15 consecutive days. May be provided for medical (self or family), parental, military, and person reasons. Employees may use their individually accrued leave or be in leave without pay status while on extended leave. Forms recording this leave are required to be completed by the employee and approved by the supervisor.

LEAVE WITHOUT PAY

Leave without pay may not be used in lieu of annual leave or sick leave. Leave without pay "may not" be granted if annual leave is depleted. Leave without pay is at the discretion of the immediate supervisor/department.

Any questions regarding leave should be directed to the departmental leave office, Angeline Sellung (8-5670), Ann Farmer (8-5693), or Christy Popp (8-5678).

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