REG 05.30.02 Holiday and Leave Entitlement for SAAO, EPS and Faculty (12-month) Employees

Authority: Chancellor

History:  First Issued: January 7, 2025

Contact Info: Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resources (919) 515-3443

Related Policies:
UNC Policy Manual 300.1.1 – Employees Exempt from the North Carolina Human Resources Act 
UNC Policy Manual 300.2.22 – Leave Programs for Faculty and Staff Exempt from the North Carolina Human Resources Act
UNC Policy Manual 300.2.11[R] – Serious Illness and Disability Leave for Faculty
UNC Policy Manual 300.2.22.1[R] – Personal Leave Program for EHRA Employees
NCSU POL 05.15.01 – Exempt Professional Staff (EPS) Employees Policy
NCSU POL 05.30.01 – Medical and Parental Leave for 9-Month Faculty
NCSU POL 05.30.02 – Sick Leave Policy for Faculty Employees who Change from 12 Month to 9 Month Employment Status
NCSU REG 02.15.08 – Parental Leave for Graduate Students
Office of State Human Resources (OSHR) Leave Policies

Additional References:

Bonus and Special Bonus Leave
Community Service, Literacy & Tutoring/Mentoring Leave
Family and Medical Leave
Family Illness Leave
Military Leave
Paid Parental Leave
Personal Observance Leave
Voluntary Shared Leave
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  1.   Introduction 

This regulation outlines the leave entitlements and holiday provisions applicable to employees classified as Senior Academic and Administrative Officers (SAAO), Exempt Professional Staff (EPS) and 12-month Faculty at NC State (collectively “Covered Employees”).  The regulation includes provisions for Annual Leave, Personal Leave, Sick Leave, and other types of leave consistent with state and university regulations. The regulation applies to permanent SAAO and EPS employees, with specific distinctions based on their appointment date relative to the implementation of the Personal Leave Program.

  1. Holidays

Covered Employees shall be subject to the same number of paid holidays as given to employees subject to the State Human Resources Act.

  1. Annual Leave

3.1 Annual Leave Eligibility
3.1.1 Covered Employees with appointments at NC State beginning before the effective date of the Personal Leave Program (January 1, 2025) are eligible for Annual Leave under this regulation.

3.1.2 Employees who were in a position subject to the State Human Resources Act (SHRA)  and who subsequently transfer or convert to an SAAO or EPS appointment within NC State, provided the employee’s original hire date at the institution was before the effective date of the Personal Leave program, are also eligible for Annual Leave.

3.2 Accrual Rate  

SAAO Employees shall be entitled to accrue twenty-six (26) Annual Leave days per year.

Permanent full-time (1.00 FTE) EPS and 12-month Faculty employees shall be entitled to accrue twenty-four (24) Annual Leave days per year.

3.3 Annual Leave Accrual

Annual Leave is accrued at a monthly rate and is adjusted proportionately for a part-time employee who works halftime or more (0.50 – 0.99 FTE).  The monthly earnings amount is equal to one-twelfth of the annual rate for each month the employee works or is on approved leave with pay.  Monthly leave is earned when an employee works or is on approved leave with pay at least half the working days of a month.

3.4 Leave Carry Forward and Conversion  

The maximum number of unused days of Annual Leave that a covered employee may accrue and carry forward from one calendar year to the next shall be thirty (30) days adjusted proportionately for a part-time employee who works half-time or more (0.50 – 0.99 FTE). Annual Leave in excess of 30 days will be automatically converted to Sick Leave at the end of the calendar year.

3.5  Transfer of Accrued Annual Leave

For new appointments of a covered employee within NC State that are subject to this regulation, all Annual Leave will transfer to the new appointment.

3.6 Payout of Accrued Annual Leave

3.6.1 When a covered employee who has accrued unused annual leave separates from employment at NC State, the annual leave balance shall be paid out up to a maximum of thirty (30) working days (pro-rated for part-time employees).

3.6.2  If a 12-Month faculty member changes appointment status from 12 months (fiscal year) to 9 months (academic year), then the employee’s annual leave balance as of the effective date of the appointment change will be paid out at the time of the appointment conversion.  An EPS employee who transfers within NC State to an SHRA position shall have the Annual and Sick Leave balances transferred to the SHRA position.

  1. Personal Leave

4.1 Personal Leave Applicability

4.1.1 Covered employees with permanent appointments at NC State made after the effective date of the Personal Leave Program (January 1, 2025) are subject to Personal Leave under this regulation.

4.1.2 SAAO, EPS, or 12-Month Faculty employees subject to Annual Leave are eligible to voluntarily transfer from the Annual Leave Program to the Personal Leave Program.  This is an irrevocable election.

4.1.3 SHRA employees employed by NC State prior to January 1, 2025 who take an EPS, SAAO, or 12- month faculty appointment, or who otherwise convert to an covered position at NC State on or after January 1, 2025 are eligible to voluntarily transfer from the Annual Leave Program to the Personal Leave Program.   

4.2 Accrual Rate 
Permanent full-time (1.00 FTE) EPS or SAAO employees shall be entitled to accrue twenty-six (26)  Personal Leave days per year.

4.3 Personal Leave Accrual

Personal Leave is accrued at a monthly rate and is adjusted proportionately for a part-time employee who works halftime or more (0.50 – 0.99 FTE).  The monthly earnings amount is equal to one-twelfth of the annual rate for each month the employee works or is on approved leave with pay.  Monthly leave is earned when an employee works or is on approved leave with pay at least half the working days of a month.

 4.4 No employee may accrue both Personal Leave and Annual Leave simultaneously.

4.5 Leave Carry Forward

The maximum number of unused days of personal leave that an EPS employee may accrue and carry forward from one calendar year to the next shall be twenty (20) days. Personal leave in excess of 20 days will expire at the end of the leave year and does not convert to sick leave.

4.6 Election to join the Personal Leave Program

4.6.1 Upon electing to convert from the Annual Leave Program to the Personal Leave Program, an employee may retain up to thirty (30) workdays (pro-rated for part-time employees) of accrued Annual Leave while they remain employed at NC State in a position subject to this regulation.  Any Annual Leave in excess of thirty (30) days at the time of the election to join the Personal Leave Program is forfeited.

4.7  Transfer of Accrued Personal Leave

4.7.1 If an employee is appointed to a new position subject to this regulation at NC State, then all Personal Leave will transfer. Any Annual Leave retained pursuant to section 3 of this regulation will transfer to the new appointment.

4.7.2 If an employee transfers to another UNC constituent institution in a position subject to this regulation, up to a maximum of twenty (20) days of Personal Leave shall transfer to the new institution. Any excess Personal Leave is forfeited upon transfer. Any Annual Leave pursuant to section 3.7 of this regulation shall be paid out.

4.7.3 If an employee otherwise separates from employment from NC State, all Personal Leave is forfeited and is not compensable.Any Annual Leave retained pursuant to section 3.7 of this regulation shall be paid out.

  1. Definition of Year and Scheduling of Leave

NC State defines a year as the “calendar year” (January 1 – December 31). The scheduling of an employee’s leave shall be subject to the approval of the employee’s supervisor. 

  1. Advancement of Annual/Personal/Sick Leave

6.1 Subject to approval by the employee’s supervisor, a covered employee may be advanced an amount of Annual Leave and/or Sick Leave up to a combined maximum deficit balance of twenty (20) days. Advancement of Personal Leave must not exceed the maximum amount of Personal Leave an employee can accumulate during the remainder of the current calendar year. 

6.2 A supervisor may approve a deficit balance of Annual, Personal, and/or Sick leave, for extenuating circumstances or exceptional need.  The permissible negative balance is adjusted proportionately for a permanent part-time employee who works halftime or more (0.50 – 0.99 FTE). 

6.3 If an employee separates from NC State and has taken more Annual, Personal and/or Sick leave than has been accrued, then NC State will determine the amount of Annual, Personal and/or Sick Leave the employee must repay to NC State, and shall make deductions from the employee’s final salary check accordingly.  However, if the employee has been advanced more leave than can be repaid in the employee’s final paycheck, the employee will owe the university an amount equivalent to the payment of salary for overdrawn leave and will be billed accordingly.

  1. Sick Leave and Other Leave Entitlements

7.1 Sick Leave

7.1.2 A permanent SAAO, EPS, or 12-Month Faculty employee shall be subject to the same policies concerning Sick Leave as prescribed for employees subject to the State Human Resources Act.

7.2 Other Leave

7.2.1 A permanent SAAO, EPS, or 12-Month Faculty employee shall be subject to the same policies concerning other leave (e.g., family and medical leave, family illness leave, civil leave, military leave, and community service leave) and any other applicable leave as prescribed for employees subject to the State Human Resources Act.

  1. Leave Without Pay

8.1 A permanent SAAO, EPS, or 12-Month Faculty employee may request leave without pay, subject to approval of such leave by the department head or division leadership, as applicable.  Employees should consult with the Benefits Office prior to requesting leave without pay due to the potential effect of taking leave without pay on employee benefits. 

9  Voluntary Shared Leave

9.1 A permanent SAAO, EPS, or 12-Month Faculty employee shall be subject to the same provisions concerning shared leave as are applicable to employees subject to the State Human Resources Act with the exception that the donation and acceptance of such leave shall be computed on the basis of days rather than hours.