Leave Updates

August 2024

July 2024

February 2024

APS 5062-Leave (Section 10: Military Leave) The revisions incorporate changes from House Bill 23-1045 to the military leave section by allowing up to twenty-one calendar days of paid leave per fiscal year.

January 2024

  • FAMLI is LIVE (1/4/24). Employees shall submit a leave application to Employee Services to utilize FAMLI, FMLA, and Parental Leave through the employee portal..

Who to Contact:

Contact Employee Relations

Leave Questions:

ucbleavequestions@colorado.edu


FAMLI

FAMLI Information

As of January 2024 FAMLI is live.Employees shall submit a leave application to Employee Services to utilize FAMLI, FMLA, and Parental Leave through the employee portal. Visit the .

As review the following sites and documents for more information:


Leave Overview by Employee Group

Leave Policy

The State of Colorado, Department of Personnel's.

Administrative Leave

Must be granted in certain situations per state personnel board rules and may be granted at the discretion of the appointing authority in other situations. Please refer to for classified employees.

Bereavement Leave

Up to 40 hours (prorated for part-time work or unpaid leave in the month) of paid leave for the death of a family member or other person at the discretion of the appointing authority.

Holiday Leave

Permanent, full-time employees are provided with eight (8) hours of paid holiday leave (prorated for part-time employees) to observe 10 designated holidays per the University calendar.

Jury Leave

Provides permanent (non-temporary) employees with paid leave for the term of the jury duty. Temporary employees receive paid leave for a maximum of three days.

Military Leave

Provides up to 120 hours in a fiscal year to permanent employees. Unpaid leave is granted in accordance with USERRA after the exhaustion of the 120 hours. Employees may request use of annual leave before unpaid leave.

On-the-Job Injury (OJI) Leave

Provides up to 90 occurrences of paid leave for an employee who suffers an injury or illness compensable under the Workers’ Compensation Act.

Parental Academic Leave

Departments may provide up to 18 hours (prorated for part-time) in an academic year for parents or legal guardians to participate in academic-related activities. Paid vs. unpaid leave is at the discretion of the department.

Unpaid Leave/ Leave Without Pay

May be approved at the discretion of the appointing authority unless otherwise prohibited. Probationary and trial service periods are extended by the number of days on unpaid leave.

Victim Protection Leave

Refer to the Paid Family Medical Leave section (see “safe leave”).

Short Term Disability Leave

Provides up to six months of unpaid, job-protected leave, while STD benefit payments are being made. Job protection is only applicable for employees with one (1) year of service. For questions regarding how to submit and/or complete an application, or if you have questions about disability benefits, please contact Employee Services at 303-860-4200.

Annual/ Vacation Leave

Annual Leave is intended to be used for an employee’s personal needs and use is subject to the approval of the appointing authority. The appointing authority may establish periods when annual leave will not be allowed, or must be taken, based on business necessity. These periods cannot create a situation where the employee does not have a reasonable opportunity to use requested leave that will be subject to forfeiture. If the department cancels approved leave that results in forfeiture, the forfeited hours must be paid before the end of the fiscal year. Leave accrual rates are based on length of service.

Sick Leave

Sick leave was updated August 2023. Theact allows an employee to use accrued paid sick leave when the employee needs to:

  • Care for a family member whose school or place of care has been closed due to inclement weather, loss of power, loss of heating, loss of water, or any other unexpected occurrence or event that results in the closure of the family member's school or place of care;
  • Grieve, attend funeral services or a memorial, or deal with financial and legal matters that arise after the death of a family member;
  • Evacuate the employee's place of residence due to inclement weather, loss of power, loss of heating, loss of water, or any other unexpected occurrence or event that results in the need to evacuate the employee's residence.
  • Accrued sick leave may be used for the health needs of the employee, the employee’s family member, or a person whose association with the employee is similar to a family member.
  • Please see Campus APS 5062 for more details and information

Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

  • Provides eligible employees with up to 12 weeks of FMLA-protected leave during a rolling 12 month period, measured backwards from the date they use FMLA leave for the following reasons: (1) the birth and care of a newborn child*; (2) the placement and care of a child from adoption or foster care; (3) to care for a spouse, civil union partner or domestic partner, child, or parent with a serious health condition; (4) an employee’s own serious health condition; (5) active duty family leave for qualifying exigency directly related to, being called to, or on active duty for a contingency operation, or (6) up to 26 weeks in a single 12-month period for military caregiver leave for a service member who is seriously ill or injured in the line of duty while on active duty.
  • Employees are also eligible for one additional week of state medical leave for reasons that would qualify under the FMLA.
  • For an employee who has pregnancy status and is not eligible for FMLA or Parental Leave, the employee may be entitled to leave as an under the Colorado pregnancy law.

Paid Family Medical Leave

Effective January 1, 2021, state classified employees who meet FMLA eligibility requirements are also eligible for Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML). Full-time employees are eligible to receive up to 160 hours of paid leave per rolling 12-month period which will run concurrently with the 12 weeks of FMLA-protected leave and one week of State Medical Leave (prorated for the employee’s percent of time). This form of leave can be used for any FMLA qualifying event.

PFML may also be used when an employee is a victim of domestic abuse, stalking, sexual assault, or any other crime related to domestic violence and needs to seek medical attention, mental health care or other counseling, or victim services including legal services or relocation.

Parental Leave

In addition to FMLA-protected leave, classified staff are entitled to take up to six months of Parental Leave, per Regent Administrative Policy Statement 5062, within 12 months of the birth, adoption, foster care placement or guardianship of a child. Parental Leave runs concurrently with FMLA-protected leave. The university paid parental leave program grants classified staff 80 hoursof paid parental leave, prorated for percent of time. Employees are eligible for an additional 160 hoursof paid family medical leave, prorated for percent of time, as outlined above. All leave benefits run concurrently.

Parental Leave Eligibility:

  • Regular 12-month faculty members, university staff and classified staff are eligible for parental leave as of their first day of employment. This is a recent change as of October 1, 2022. Any newly eligible employees who would have qualified between January1, 2022 and September 30, 2022 for parental leave under this new change are encouraged to reach out to FMLA@colorado.edu to explore their options.

Volunteer Leave

Departments may adopt and communicate a policy regarding the allowance of administrative leave for volunteering in community or school activities. The policy should state the amount of leave available, employee eligibility, and process for requesting and approving leave.

Leave Policy

Administrative Leave

Is authorized according to .Such leave may be granted at the discretion of the supervisor and cannot exceed 10 working days over a 12-month period. Extended paid administrative leave may be granted as a result of disciplinary action or investigative purposes.​

Bereavement Leave

Up to five working days of paid leave for the death of a family member or other person to arrange for and attend the funeral and other affairs.​

Holiday Leave

Permanent, full-time employees are provided with eight (8) hours of paid holiday leave (prorated for part-time employees) to observe 10 designated holidays per the University calendar.

Jury Leave

Provides paid leave for the full period of jury duty or when appearing as a witness under subpoena or direction of the proper authority. Temporary employees receive paid leave for a maximum of three days.

Military Leave

Provides paid leave for up to 21calendar days to attend training and/or active duty service ordered. This leave is not charged to vacation leave. If military service continues beyond 21calendar days, the employee will be placed on military leave without pay for any remaining period of required service. Employees on military leave continue to accrue sick and vacation leave.

On-the-Job Injury (OJI) Leave

Provides up to 90 occurences of paid leave for an employee who suffers an injury or illness compensable under the Workers’ Compensation Act.

Parental Academic Leave

May be granted in accordance with the Administrative Leave policy statement contained in .

Unpaid Leave/ Leave Without Pay

May be granted at the department’s discretion for a period not to exceed 12 months. All vacation leave must be exhausted first, except when authorized by the supervisor.​

Victim Protection Leave

Provides employees who are victims of stalking, sexual assault, domestic abuse or violence and have exhausted sick and annual leave with up to three working days of unpaid leave in any 12 month period.

Short Term Disability Leave

When approved for a claim after the mandatory 29-day waiting period, Short Term Disability for university staff does not provide job protection beyond what is provided through FMLA. For questions regarding how to submit and or complete an application, or if you have questions regarding eligibility, contact Employee Services at 303-860-4200.

Annual/ Vacation Leave

Vacation Leave provides full-time university staff and 12-month faculty with twenty-two (22) working days of paid vacation annually (14.67 hoursper month), prorated for part-time employees. Vacation use is subject to supervisor approval. The maximum number of days an employee may accrue is 44, except as indicated in Regent Policy.

Sick Leave

Sick leave was updated August 2023.Theact allows an employee to use accrued paid sick leave when the employee needs to:

  • Care for a family member whose school or place of care has been closed due to inclement weather, loss of power, loss of heating, loss of water, or any other unexpected occurrence or event that results in the closure of the family member's school or place of care;
  • Grieve, attend funeral services or a memorial, or deal with financial and legal matters that arise after the death of a family member;
  • Evacuate the employee's place of residence due to inclement weather, loss of power, loss of heating, loss of water, or any other unexpected occurrence or event that results in the need to evacuate the employee's residence.
  • Accrued sick leave may be used for the health needs of the employee, the employee’s family member, or a person whose association with the employee is similar to a family member.
  • Please see

Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

  • Provides eligible employees with up to 12 weeks of FMLA-protected during a rolling 12 month period, measured backward from the date they use FMLA leave for the following reasons: (1) the birth and care of a newborn child*; (2) the placement and care of a child from adoption or foster care; (3) to care for a spouse, civil union partner or domestic partner, child, or parent a serious health condition; (4) an employee’s own serious health condition; (5) active duty family leave for qualifying exigency directly related to, being called to, or on active duty for a contingency operation, or (6) up to 26 weeks (1,040 hours) in a single 12-month period for military caregiver leave for a service member who is seriously ill or injured in the line of duty while on active duty.
  • For an employee who has pregnancy status and is not eligible for FMLA or Parental Leave, the employee may be entitled to leave as an under the Colorado pregnancy law.

Parental Leave

In addition to FMLA-protected leave, employees are entitled to take up to six months of Parental Leave, per Regent Administrative Policy Statement 5062, within 12 months of the birth, adoption, foster care placement or guardianship of a child. Parental Leave runs concurrently with FMLA-protected leave. The university paid parental leave program grants employees 240 hours (6 weeks) of paid parental leave, prorated for percent of time.

Parental Leave Eligibility:

  • Regular 12-month faculty members, university staff and classified staff are eligible for parental leave as of their first day of employment. This is a recent change as of October 1, 2022. Any newly eligible employees who would have qualified between January1, 2022 and September 30, 2022 for parental leave under this new change are encouraged to reach out to FMLA@colorado.edu to explore their options.

Volunteer Leave

Administrative leave for volunteering in community or school activities may be authorized according to APS 5062. Such leave may be granted at the discretion of the supervisor and cannot exceed 10 working days over a 12-month period.

Sick Leave

Temporary Employees, Nine-Month Faculty, All Other Faculty on Contracts and All Other Employees Paid Hourly may be eligible for sick leave. Viewsick leaveeligibility.


Comprehensive Leave Information

Administrative leave is an administratively authorized absence from duty without loss of pay or charge to leave. This form of leave is covered under Colorado state law for permanent employees who take time away from work to volunteer as firefighters or first responders to help with fire mitigation and suppression.

Administrative Leave for Campus Closures

When the Chancellor decides to close or not open the campus, administrative leave is granted to regular employees for their scheduled work hours during the period of closure.

  • Regular part-time employees or those paid on an hourly basis (such as variable percent employees) who are normally scheduled to work when a closure occurs are given paid administrative leave for the scheduled work hours.
  • Regular employees who are eligible for overtime (non-FLSA exempt) shall not count the period of closure as hours worked for the purposes of calculating overtime.
  • Temporary (including retirees hired into temporary positions) and student employees are not eligible for administrative leave.
  • Employees who are already on approved annual, sick, or other type of leave when a closure occurs will not be given paid administrative leave for their scheduled work hours during the period of closure.

For more information, please see.

Administrative Leave by Employee Group

All classified employees are eligible for administrative leave. In all cases, the appointing authority is responsible and accountable for leave approval decisions made within his/her department(s).

Employees with questions may be referred to:

As an incentive or supplement for extraordinary or exemplary performance to an employee.​

  • ​Rܾ?
    • Discretionary
  • Benefit Amount
    • Appointing authority discretion​
  • ​Eٲ
    • ​Classified employees
  • ​E油
    • An employee does an outstanding job implementing a new project.

For periods of investigation into an employee's alleged misconduct.​

  • ​Rܾ?
    • ‸پDzԲ
  • Benefit Amount
    • ​No limit
  • ​Eٲ
    • Classified employees, for reasons determined to be for the good of the state
  • ​E油
    • When an employee is being investigated for theft, time card fraud, or violence.

​To participate in tests and interviews for state positions.

  • Required?
    • ‸پDzԲ
  • ​Benefit Amount
    • No limit
  • ​Eٲ
    • Classified employees
  • ​E油
    • Participation in an exam process. Interview for transfer to another department or agency. May also apply to interviews for unclassified positions.​

​To participate in school or community volunteer activity.

  • Required?
    • ‸پDzԲ
  • ​Benefit Amount
    • Up to 16 hours per employee, per fiscal year
  • ​Eٲ
    • Classified employees
  • ​E油
    • Attendance at parent/teacher conferences. Volunteer work for Habitat for Humanity.​​

​Parental Academic Leave​

  • Required?
    • Mandatory
  • ​Benefit Amount
    • Up to 18 hours Unpaid leave. May requestup to 16 hours of paid school/volunteeradmin leave (row above) in order to receive pay during unpaid leave
  • ​Eٲ
    • Classified employees
  • ​E油
    • Parent-teacher conferences or meetings related to special education services, response to interventions, dropout prevention, attendance, truancy, and disciplinary issues.​

To participate in official activities as elected officers of employee organizations​

  • Required?
    • Discretionary
  • ​Benefit Amount
    • No limit
  • ​Eٲ
    • Officers of employee organizations such as CAPE or COWINS
  • ​E油
    • Attendance as an elected officer at annualCAPE or COWINSmeeting.

To respond to local emergencies​

  • Required?
    • Discretionary
  • ​Benefit Amount
    • Up to 5 days per fiscal year
  • ​Eٲ
    • Classified employees who are certified disaster service volunteers of the American Red Cross
  • ​E油
    • Windsor tornado,Fort Collinsflood, Four Mile Canyon fire.

To respond to nationalemergencies​​

  • Required?
    • Discretionary
  • ​Benefit Amount
    • Up to 15 days per fiscal year
  • ​Eٲ
    • Classified employees who are certified disaster service volunteers of the American Red Cross
  • ​E油
    • Hurricane Katrina, Oklahoma-Kansas tornadoes

To participate in general elections​

  • Required?
    • Mandatory
  • ​Benefit Amount
    • 2 hours
  • ​Eٲ
    • Classified employees who do not have 3 hours of unscheduled work time during the hours the polls are open
  • ​E油
    • Police Officer whose 10 hour shift begins at 7:00 a.m. and ends at 5:00 p.m. (with no scheduled lunch break). Example assumes the polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

For organ, tissue, or bone donation transplants​

  • ܾ?​
    • Mandatory
  • ​Benefit Amount
    • Up to 2 days per fiscal year
  • ​Eٲ
    • Classified employees
  • ​E油
    • Bone marrow or kidney donation

To serve as an unpaid election judge​

  • ܾ?​
    • Mandatory, except when supervisor determine attendance on election day is essential
  • ​Benefit Amount
    • No limit
  • ​Eٲ
    • Classified employees not receiving compensation for service as an election judge
  • ​E油
    • Primary and General Elections

For any other reason deemed by the appointing authority to be in the best interest of the state

  • ܾ?​
    • Discretionary
  • ​Benefit Amount
    • No limit
  • ​Eٲ
    • Classified employees
  • ​E油
    • Please call human resources for examples and guidance​

Discretionary Administrative Leave: Appointing authorities may grant paid time to employees for reasons determined to be for the good of the state.

State rule 5-15. Administrative leave may be used to grant paid time when the appointing authority wishes to release employees from their official duties for the good of the state. In determining what is for the good of the state, an appointing authority must consider prudent use of taxpayer and personal services dollars and the business needs of the department.

  • Administrative leave that exceeds 20 consecutive working days must be reported to the department head and the Director.
  • Activities performed in an official employment capacity are work time and not administrative leave.
  • Administrative leave is not intended to be a substitute for corrective or disciplinary action or other benefits and leave.
  • An appointing authority may grant administrative leave up to five days for local or 15 days for national emergencies per fiscal year to employees who are certified disaster service volunteers of the American Red Cross.
  • If a department head adopts a policy granting one period of administrative leave for the initial call up to active military service in the war against terrorism, it shall not exceed 90 days and applies after exhaustion of paid military leave.
  • Departments may adopt a policy to address whether or not to grant administrative leave for employee participation in community or school volunteer activities.
  • Appointing authorities must work with Human Resources before granting an employee administrative leave in excess of 20 consecutive working days.

Required Administrative Leave (5-16): Appointing authorities are required to grant paid time to employees in the instances described below:

Administrative leave must be granted for the following:

  • Two hours to participate in general elections if the employee does not have three hours of unscheduled work time during the hours the polls are open.
  • Up to two days per fiscal year for organ, tissue, or bone donation for transplants.
  • To serve as an uncompensated election judge unless a supervisor determines that the employee’s attendance on Election Day is essential. The employee must provide evidence of service.
  • Up to 15 days in a fiscal year when qualified volunteers or members of the Civil Air Patrol are directed to serve during a declared local disaster, provided the employee returns the next scheduled workday once relieved from the volunteer service.

Additional Uses for Administrative Leave

Administrative Leave for State Tests and Interviews

The granting of administrative leave for participation in tests and interviews for state positions is a long-standing practice that has benefited employees and appointing authorities alike. Although granting leave for participation in tests and interviews is no longer required, the Boulder Campus continues to support the granting of administrative leave for these purposes.

  • Tests and interviews for state positions are not limited to the Boulder Campus.
  • Employees who seek employment through transfer, demotion or promotional opportunities at other state agencies are eligible for administrative leave.
  • In cases where a state agency is in another part of the state requiring extensive travel time (e.g. Durango or Grand Junction), the appointing authority shall use discretion in the amount of administrative leave to be granted. In these cases, the use of a combination of administrative leave and annual leave would be appropriate.
  • Administrative leave for the purpose of participating in state tests and interviews should be requested and approved in advance. Notice of at least 24 hours is preferred unless special circumstances prevent such notice.

Administrative Leave for School or Volunteer Activities

The Colorado Department of Personnel and Administration believes that school and volunteer leave sends a message of support for the education of our children and for building better communities. Although granting leave for school or volunteer activities is discretionary, the Boulder campus continues to support the granting of administrative leave for these purposes as long as the business needs of the department are not compromised.

  • School/volunteer leave does not accrue, cannot be carried over from one year to the next, and cannot be "given" to another employee. (An appointing authority may grant additional hours of school/volunteer leave in special, documented circumstances.)

Parental Academic Leave (5-18):Provides up to 18 hours (pro-rated for part time) in an academic year for parents or legal guardians to participate in academic-related activities.

  • Those activities are parent-teacher conferences or meetings related to special education services, response to interventions, dropout prevention, attendance, truancy, and disciplinary issues.
  • Pursuant to State Personnel Board Rule 5-18, employees may request to use up to 16 hours of school/volunteer administrative leave in order to receive pay while on unpaid parental academic leave.
  • The remaining two hours of parental academic leave are leave without pay unless the employee chooses to use annual leave.
Your Role
  • Requesting administrative leave for school/volunteer activity must be mutually agreed upon by the supervisor and employee.
  • Discretionary administrative leave requests will be treated like personal leave. A leave request form and supervisor approval is required, with leave permitted based upon the needs of the work unit.
  • You must ensure adequate coverage of the work unit prior to granting approval of administrative leave. If an unforeseen event prevents the completion of regular job duties, then approval can be retracted at your discretion.
  • Supervisors and appointing authorities must track the hours of school/volunteer leave used by employees.
  • You may require documentation of the event for which leave is requested.

    Administrative Leaveis authorized according toRegent Administrative Policy Statement 5062. Such leave may be granted at the discretion of the supervisor, not to exceed 10 working days over a 12-month period. Extended paid administrative leave may be granted as a result of disciplinary action or investigative purposes.​

    Temporary employees are not eligible for benefits or leave except as provided by law, such as workers’ compensation and potentially Family and Medical Leave.

    • University staff and faculty on 12-month appointments may receive up to five working days of paid leave for each death to arrange for and attend the funeral and other affairs of a member of the employee's immediate family when they would otherwise have to work.
    • Bereavement leave is not intended to be used for end-of-life care. For purposes of bereavement leave, immediate family members include: spouse, children, parents, grandparents, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, mothers-in-law, fathers-in-law, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, sons-in-law, and daughters in-law, and any other person who is a member of the employee’s established household. A supervisor may allow an employee to receive up to five paid working days of bereavement leave for an equally significant other person not included in this definition.
    • Supervisors have the discretion to ask for documentation when leave abuse is suspected. Please work with Human Resources.

    • Bereavement leave is for an employee’s personal needs and use is subject to the approval of the appointing authority. The appointing authority may provide up to forty (40) hours (prorated for part-time work or unpaid leave in the month) of paid leave to permanent employees for the death of a family member or other person. Employees are responsible for requesting the amount of leave needed. Documentation may be required when deemed necessary by the appointing authority.

    Leave Guidance in the Event of a Natural Disaster or Local Emergency

    The University of Colorado Boulder provides the following leave guidelines for Classified, University Staff and Research Faculty.Administrative leave granted pursuant to these guidelines should be tracked in HCM.

    Pre-evacuees

    In the event an employee’s primary residence is included in an official pre-evacuation area (voluntary or mandatory) as determined by public safety officials due to a fire, flood or other local emergency, the employee should be provided with up to1 day of administrative leave and then may use annual leave.

    Evacuees

    In the event an employee’s primary residence is included in an official mandatory evacuation area as determined by public safety officials due to a local emergency the employee should be provided with up to 2 days of administrative leave and then may use annual leave.

    Loss of Primary Residence

    In the event an employee suffers the loss of her/his primary residence due to a fire, flood or local emergency, the employee should be provided with up to 5 days of administrative leave and then may use annual leave.

    Definitions

    Pre-evacuation Notification: A notification provide by public safety officials to residents within a specific geographic area that encourages residentsto be prepared to leavetheir property at a moment’s notice should a Mandatory Evacuation notification become necessary.

    Voluntary Evacuation: A notification provided by public safety officials to residents within a specific geographic area that encourages residents toleavethe area due to a potential life-safety threat.

    Mandatory Evacuation Notification: A notification provided by public safety officials to residents within a specific geographic area thatinstructs them to leavetheir property because of imminent or occurring life safety threats. Residents are not allowed to re-enter areas that are under mandatory evacuation until permission to re-enter is provided by public safety officials.

    Local Emergency: An emergency situation that is not an isolated incident affecting only one employee and/or is recognized by the local jurisdiction as a significant emergency (e.g. natural disasters, large hazardous chemical spill).

    Employees may also be granted administrative leave to assist with emergency efforts.
    • Classified employees may receive up to 16 hours of volunteer administrative leave in a fiscal year at the appointing authority’s discretion. An appointing authority may grant administrative leave up to five days for local or 15 days for national emergencies per fiscal year to classified employees who are certified disaster service volunteers of the American Red Cross.
    • University staff may receive up to 10 days of short-term administrative leave in a 12 month period at the appointing authority’s discretion.

    Learn More about Administrative Leave

    Employees experiencing respiratory issues as a result from the wildfires may use sick leave. Appointing authorities are encouraged to be flexible in allowing these employees to work from alternate locations (work from home) if possible.

    Please also support and refer employees affected by fires or floods to take advantage of CU Boulder confidential Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FSAP), which provides confidential counseling services to our faculty and staff. FSAP can be reached at 303-492-3020.

    Employees that are affected by emergency situations that do not clearly fall into one on the scenarios listed above should contact their supervisor and/or Human Resources for assistance.

    For questions related to this document, please contact Human Resources at 303-492-6475.

    An employee who experiences a catastrophic event or emergency affecting his/her primary residence, such as a wildfire or flood, that results in a loss of life or substantial loss or complete destruction of the employee’s residence may be eligible to participate in the Leave Sharing Program. Leave sharing hours are also available to an eligible employee who is serving as a first responder (e.g. fire fighter, paramedic, National Guard volunteer, etc.) called to respond to such catastrophic events. Leave sharing hours are only available after the employee has exhausted all annual leave and compensatory time, sick leave, if applicable, and any administrative leave he/she may be granted.

    Visit the Leave Sharing page.

    What is the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)?

    The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal employment law that requires eligible employers to provide eligible employees the right to take job-protected, unpaid leave for specified family and medical reasons with continuation of health insurance coverage under the same terms and conditions as if the employee had not taken leave.

    • Eligible employees may take up to 12 workweeks (480 hours) of leave in a 12-month period for a qualifying reason.
    • Eligible employees may take up to 26 workweeks (1,040 hours) of leave during a 12-month period to care for a covered servicemember with a serious injury or illness.
    • The number of hours an employee is eligible for is based on the employee’s full-time equivalency (FTE). For example, if an employee is a 0.5 FTE working 20 hours per week, they are eligible for up to 240 hours of Family Medical Leave in a 12-month period.
    • In addition to 12 weeks of FMLA, classified employees are eligible for up to an additional 40 hours of state family medical leave, subsequent to Family Medical Leave.

    Employees may refer to the Department of Labor’s FMLA Poster for additional information.

    View the CU Boulder FMLA Guidelines

    Who at CU is Eligible for FMLA Leave?

    University Staff, Faculty, and Research Faculty: Employees are eligible if they have worked at CU for 12 months or more AND they have worked at least 1,250 hours in the 12 months preceding the anticipated start date of their leave.

    • The university uses a 7-year lookback period to determine if an employee meets the 12-month service requirement.

    Classified Staff: Employees are eligible if they have 12 months of state service.

    • Permanent, full-time classified staff are also eligible for up to 160 hours of Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML), prorated based on the employee’s percent of time per rolling 12-month period.
    • PFML runs concurrently with FMLA and must be used prior to an employee’s accrued sick or annual leave.
    • Qualifying reasons an employee may use PFML include:
      • All reasons listed under the “What is a Qualifying Event/Condition?” section below.
      • When an employee or an employee's family member (parent, child under the age of eighteen (18), an adult child who is disabled at the time of leave, spouse, partner in a civil union, or registered domestic partner) is a victim of domestic abuse, stalking, sexual assault, or any other crime related to domestic violence and needs to seek medical attention, mental health care or other counseling, or victim services including legal services or relocation.
        • An employee must meet the eligibility requirements for Family Medical Leave to qualify for PFML for domestic violence related reasons. However, the use of PFML for domestic violence related reasons does not automatically qualify an employee for FML.
      • Employees on OJI leave are excluded from using PFML.
    • For additional information, employees can view theState of Colorado PFML FAQ document.
    • HR Liaisons can view the “Administrator FAQ”for additional information.
      • Please note that while the FAQ pages abovestatethat employees are eligible for up to 80 hours of PFML, the Colorado Wins Partnership Agreement states employees are eligible for up to 160 hours of PFML for qualifying reasons and the have been updated accordingly effective 1/1/21

    Family Medical Leave can be taken in a block or on an intermittent or reduced schedule basis, depending on the needs outlined in the necessary medical or related paperwork.

    • Block Leave: Employee needs to be on leave for a consecutive number of days. May require a Fitness to Return Certification.
    • Intermittent Leave: Employee needs to be out on an intermittent basis.
    • Reduced Schedule: Employee needs a consistently reduced schedule. For example, they need every Thursday off and will be switching to a 4-day workweek.

    • The birth and care of a newborn child. Leave must be taken and completed within one year of the date of birth.
    • The placement and care of a child from adoption or foster care. Leave must be taken and completed within one year of placement.
    • A serious health condition that makes an employee unable to perform the essential functions of their job.
    • Care for an employee’s spouse, child, parent, domestic partner, or civil union partner who has a serious health condition.
    • A qualifying exigency arising from the employee’s spouse, domestic partner, civil union partner, child, or parent getting called up for active military duty.
    • Military caregiver leave for a spouse, child, parent, or next of kin who is a covered servicemember or veteran with a serious injury or illness (26 weeks).

    • If the need for leave is foreseeable, the employee should apply for FMLA at least 30 days prior to the start of leave.
    • Ways an employee may request leave include:
      • Make a direct request via department procedure.
      • Make a direct request by submitting a Leave Request Form to fmla@colorado.edu.
      • Communicate a serious health condition or a need for leave to a supervisor.
      • The employee is absent from the office for 3 or more consecutive days due to a serious health condition.
    • A Medical Certification will be required for Family Medical Leave when the employee is requesting leave for the birth of a child, their own serious health condition, or to care for a family member with a serious health condition. When leave has been requested, an FMLA Administrator will provide all related paperwork and information, as well as a deadline for submission of any required documents.

    • FMLA leave runs concurrently with all types of paid leave at the university. This includes sick leave, annual leave, Short Term Disability leave, OJI leave, and paid parental leave.
      • Employees do not need to exhaust all of their sick leave before applying for Family Medical Leave.
    • While on FMLA, CU Boulder employees are required to use their available sick leave to remain in a paid status. Once sick leave has been exhausted, they must use their annual leave. After annual leave exhausts, the leave will be unpaid, if no other applicable forms of paid leave apply.
    • Block Leave: While on leave, employees should not be working in any capacity. They should report their FMLA time in MyLeave (or the department specific time keeping system) and submit timesheets on a monthly basis. If the employee is unable to report their time and submit timesheets, the employee’s supervisor will be responsible for doing so. Employees should plan to check in with their FMLA Administrator and their supervisor at least one week prior to their return to work date.
    • Intermittent Leave: Employees should follow departmental procedures for requesting time off/calling in sick/calling in late/leaving early when they need to use their FMLA leave, and should report the leave accordingly in MyLeave (or the department specific time keeping system) and submit timesheets on a monthly basis.
    • Upon returning from FMLA-protected leave, employees will be returned to the same position they held when their leave began, or to an equivalent position with equivalent benefits, pay, and other terms and conditions of employment.
    • The university administers FMLA leave on a rolling 12-month calendar year. This means that FMLA leave is tracked on a rolling 12-month period, measuring backward from the date of any Family Medical Leave usage.

    CU employees enjoy ten (10) paid holidays per year. Each holiday is defined as an eight (8) hour day.

    When CU recognizes a holiday, eligible employees are not expected to work unless they are designated as essential services personnel and/or there are extenuating circumstances.

    • If the employee is required to work the holiday, an arrangement should be approved and documented in advance of the holiday. The holiday can be made-up within an agreed-upon timeframe, not to exceed the fiscal year.
    • For a full-time employee to receive a full day of holiday leave, theymust work or be on paid leave status for either the last scheduled work day before the holiday or the first scheduled workday after the holiday (both are not required). The employee may be on unpaid leave status for the other days of the month without affecting his/her holiday leave eligibility. Contact your campus human resources department for specific examples.
    • Holiday leave for part-time employees is pro-rated based on the number of hours an employee works or is on paid leave, in the month the holiday occurs.
      • Example: If an employee is normally scheduled for 20 hours/week (4 hours/day), the employee will receive 4 hours of holiday pay on the day in which the holiday falls and should ensure they are either working 16 hours that week or using a combination of sick/vacation/annual leave and working time to amount to 16 hours.

    View the CU Boulder Holiday Schedule

    The Leave Sharing Program manages a pool of donated vacation hours for the benefit of University of Colorado Boulder and System Administration classified employees, university staff and faculty members (including research faculty) on 12 month appointments.

    Qualified applicants include employees who:

    • Are experiencing a catastrophic or life-threatening medical hardship, either personally or as a primary caregiver.
    • Have suffered loss from a catastrophic natural or accidental disaster at their residence.
    • Are first responders to such catastrophes
    • Are on active duty in the military and are experiencing a financial hardship.

    Employees must submit their application 90 days after the start of the leave, OR 30 days after the employee returns to work in a regular schedule (absent extenuating circumstances).

    Learn More About Leave Sharing

    What is On-the-Job Injury (OJI) Leave?

    OJI leave may be grated to eligible employees as a result of a work-related injury or illness, after an employee files a Workers' Compensation claim. The University of Colorado provides workers' compensation coverage, as required by State regulation, for employees who are injured during the course and scope of employment.

    University Risk Management (URM) manages the workers' compensation process at the University of Colorado. For complete guidance and information, please view the website.

    Who at CU is Eligible for Workers' Compensation?

    If you meet any of the criteria below and are injured while working on the job, you must file a workers' compensation claim with University Risk Management.

    Employee Eligibility

    • You are paid wages by the University of Colorado.
    • At the time of the incident (injury), you were performing activities that the university pays you to do. This includes medical residents and healthcare students (Dental, Medical and Nursing) in university sponsored trainee programs.

    Student Interns Eligibility

    • Credit and noncredit University of Colorado sponsored internships must meet their campus Experiental Learning internship requirements.

    The Procedure Following an Incident

    • Employee is injured and instructed to seek medical care.
      • Employee is given a list of if injury does not require emergency room visit.
      • If urgent medical care is needed, the employee should call 911 or proceed to the nearest urgent care facility.
    • Employee provides written notice to employer as soon as possible.
      • Employees should complete the as soon as possible.
      • Employees should ensure that their supervisor and the Central HR Leave Team or department FMLA administrator receive a copy of the completed Injury Report Form.
      • Central HR Leave Team Email Address: Leave@colorado.edu
      • Supervisor will complete form for employee to the best of their ability if the employee has reported an injury and cannot complete the form themselves.
    • URM receives the claim and communicates with the employee within 24-48 hours regarding next steps.
    • Supervisors and employees should ensure they stay in contact with URM and the Central HR Leave
    • Employees should report any lost time related to their workers’ compensation claim to their supervisor and FMLA administrator in accordance with URM instructions. The employee should provide all applicable parties with copies of the initial and subsequent physicians’ reports from the DMP.
    • The Central HR Leave Team or department FMLA administrator will work with the employee’s supervisor to assess work restrictions the employee’s ability to return to work.
    • University practice is to run Family Medical Leave (FMLA) concurrently with OJI leave. Your FMLA administrator will alert you when you are eligible for FMLA and will track your eligible time in accordance with the leave you report as lost work time due to your workers’ compensation claim.
    • Employees should follow instructions from the DMP regarding medications, restrictions and treatment as well as attend all medical appointments.
    • Employees should check in with the Central HR Leave Team or department FMLA administrator and their supervisor after follow-up appointments to inform of any changes in work restrictions.

    • A Designated Medical Provider (DMP) is a university-authorized medical provider that can be sought out for medical treatment for workers' compensation. For non-emergency or any follow-up medical care, you must seek treatment with a DMP.

    Supervisors

    • Supervisors of injured employees have responsibilities that include but are not limited to:
    • Verify that the employee's work-related injury is reported to URM in a timely manner.
    • Provide the employee with the list for your campus so the employee may choose a DMP.
    • After every DMP exam, confirm the employee is giving you their "Physicians Report of Workers' Compensation Injury."
    • If there are any restrictions given, determine if your department can accommodate.
    • Immediately communicate with URM if the injured employee is unable to return to work within restrictions or is taken off work by a DMP.
    • Track and report ANY lost time the employee has because of their workers' compensation claim to URM.
    • The assigned adjuster may or may not contact you directly with additional questions they have regarding the workers' compensation claim. Please contact to discuss any questions.

    Human Resources Liaisons

    • Human Resources Liaisons (HRL) may share some of the same responsibilities of the supervisor depending on the campus and the specific department. Either the department or the supervisor must report ANY lost time for a work-related injury directly to URM. Contact Human Resources for any Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) questions or Employee Services for any time coding questions.

    Lost Time Worksheet Submission Process

    • Supervisors and Payroll Liaisons are responsible for reporting lost time to University Risk Management per the following instructions:
      • Lost time worksheets must be completed in full (All dates and hours for workers' compensation time and non-workers' compensation time).
      • Worksheets must be submitted every two weeks, until the employee reaches maximum medical improvement, or the handling adjuster advises otherwise.
      • When an employee is not OJI eligible or has reached make whole, lost time worksheets must be submitted weekly. ?
      • To submit lost time, utilize the which will submit electronically to URM. You may also print the form and fax lost time to URM at 303-860-5680.

    What is the Parental Leave Benefit?

    The University Parental Leave Policy is intended to be interpreted in conjunction with the FMLA. Parental leave and FMLA shall run concurrently. Parental leave grants eligible employees leave to provide care for an employee’s child within 12 months of the birth, adoption, foster care placement or guardianship of the child.

    • University Staff, Classified Staff, Research Faculty:
      • Eligible for up to six months of unpaid parental leave
      • Of the six months available, employees may be eligible for up to 240 hours of paid parental leave, prorated based on the employee’s percent of time. Please note that Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) runs concurrently with Parental Leave, and is not intended to stack on top of Parental Leave for Classified employees. Classified employees are eligible for up to a total of 240 hours of paid leave, prorated based on the employee's percent of time.
      • Structure of leave is based on supervisor discretion
    • Instructional 9-month Faculty: Eligible for 18 weeks of parental leave
      • Tenure/Tenure Track Faculty: may be eligible for up to 18 weeks at full pay
      • Other 9-month Faculty: may be eligible for up to 6 weeks at full pay, followed by the use of sick leave accruals
        • Any remaining portion of the 18 weeks will be paid at 50% with full benefits

    In order to qualify for parental leave, an employee must meet the following eligibility requirements:

    • A regular 12-month faculty member, university staff or classified staff member must have an active regular appointment of 50% or greater on the date of birth, adoption, foster care placement or guardianship of a child to be eligible for paid parental leave.
      • Please note: Regular 12-month faculty members, university staff and classified staff are eligible for parental leave as of their first day of employment. This is a recent change as of October 1, 2022. Any newly eligible employees who would have qualified between January1, 2022 and September 30, 2022 for parental leave under this new change are encouraged to reach out toFMLA@colorado.eduto explore their options.

    • If the need for leave is foreseeable, the employee should apply for FMLA at least 30 days prior to the start of leave.
    • Ways an employee may request leave include:
      • Make a direct request via department procedure.
      • Make a direct request by sending an email to fmla@colorado.edu.
    • Proof of the qualifying event will be required when an employee is requesting FMLA and parental leave. Employees should plan to submit documentation outlining proof of the birth, adoption, foster care placement or guardianship no later than 15 calendar days after the qualifying event occurs.
      • Birthing Mothers: All birthing mothers will be required to submit an FMLA Medical Certification.
      • Non-birthing Parents, Adoption/Foster Care Placement/Guardianship Cases: All other cases will be required to submit one form of documentation outlining proof of the qualifying event. Documentation may include a birth or hospital certificate, court paperwork, adoption agency paperwork, placement letter, etc. Please contact Central HR if you are unsure of what documentation is needed for your parental leave case.
      • Faculty: In addition to the documents outlined above, faculty members will work with their college’s designated HR Liaison to complete and submit the OFA Parental Leave Request Form.

    View the CU Boulder Paid Parental Leave Policy

    FMLA and Parental Leave Benefit Map

    For all employment classifications, sick leave is earned when employment begins. If the employee has sick leave available, it may be used in the following circumstances:

    • When the employee has a mental illness or a physical illness or injury (not covered by workers’ compensation), or health condition; needs a medical diagnosis, care, or treatment related to such illness, injury, or condition; or needs to obtain preventive medical care.
    • When the employee needs to care for a family member who has a mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition; needs a medical diagnosis, care, or treatment related to such illness, injury, or condition; or needs to obtain preventive medical care.
    • When an employee or family member has been the victim of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or harassment and needs to be absent from work for purposes related to such crime.
    • When due to a public health emergency, a public official has ordered the closure of the employee’s place of business or the school or place of care of the employee's child and the employee needs to be absent from work to care for the employee’s child.
    • When an employee is on Parental Leave
    • When an employee is on Family Medical Leave

    As of August 2023, sick leave has been expanded. Accrued paid sick leave can be used for various health and safety needs as stated below. Per , an employee may require documentation if their leave for these reasons goes beyond four consecutive work days. For any time over those four days, a referral to the System Leave Team will be required so they can begin the FMLA/FAMLI process.

    • Care for a family member whose school or place of care has been closed due to inclement weather, loss of power, loss of heating, loss of water, or any other unexpected occurrence or event that results in the closure of the family member's school or place of care;
    • Grieve, attend funeral services or a memorial, or deal with financial and legal matters that arise after the death of a family member;
    • Evacuate the employee's place of residence due to inclement weather, loss of power, loss of heating, loss of water, or any other unexpected occurrence or event that results in the need to evacuate the employee's residence.
    • Accrued sick leave may be used for the health needs of the employee, the employee’s family member, or a person whose association with the employee is similar to a family member.
    • Please see the following documents for more information:

    Sick Leave

    Leave administration for classified employees is governed by the.

    Accrual

    Full-time employees accrue leave at 6.66 hrs./month, for a maximum accrual of 360 hours (45 days).​

    Documentation

    The appointing authority may require documentation of the familial relationship.

    State of Colorado Medical Information Form- for use of non-FMLA qualifying sick leave in excess of three work days.

    Compensation

    Upon termination of employment or upon retirement, a classified staff employee’s vacation leave will be paid out, subject to the maximum and ¼ sick leave, subject to the maximum allowed, will be paid out if eligible to retire (see ).

    • If a classified employee transfers within the CU system, and there is no break in service, leave will not be paid out and will be transferred to the new department. If a classified staff employee wishes to take time off, such as a vacation between appointments, he/she must be on an approved leave from his/her former or new department. The request for leave should be made and approved in advance.

    Transfers

    • Balances are transferred, when there is no break in service, as follows:
      • Classified staff to classified staff within the CU system- All vacation and sick leave balances will be transferred.
      • Classified staff from outside the CU System to university staff- Leave should not be transferred to the new university staff position.
      • Classified staff to classified within the CU system- All vacation and sick leave balances will be transferred. Any leave balances over the classified staff maximum accrual levels will be forfeited the following July 1st.
      • Classified staff from a state agency outside of the CU system to classified- Leave will be transferred. Any leave balances over the classified staff maximum accrual levels will be forfeited July 1st following the date of hire.

    Rehires

    If a classified staff employee terminates and is rehired as university staff employee after a six-month break, his/her sick leave balance should not be restored.

    If a classified staff employee terminates and is rehired into a classified position, his/her sick leave balance will not be restoredunlessthe employee was previously certified in a classified position and is eligible for reemployment/reinstatement. If the employee was previously certified in a classified position, any remaining sick leave from the previous appointment will be restored subject to the classified staff maximum (see State Personnel Board Rule 5-7).

    • University staff employees must obtain approval from their supervisors prior to using leave, when possible.
    • University staff employees must complete a monthly leave record to document the amount and type of leave taken. The employee and supervisor must sign the leave record form annually, at a minimum, to verify leave balances.

    Sick Leave

    Accrual

    Per Regent Policy 11.E. full-time university staff and faculty on twelve-month appointments are eligible to receive fifteen (15) working days (120 hours) of paid sick leave annually, earned as 10 hours per month. Part-time employees will accrue sick leave on a pro-rated basis. Accrual begins on the date that employment begins. There is no limit on how much sick leave an employee may accrue. Sick leave will be earned upon hire date and accrued at the end of each payroll cycle.

    Documentation

    University staff employees should be provided with Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) paper work if they are out of the office for more than 3 consecutive sick days for their own or an eligible family members serious health condition.

    Compensation

    • An employee may be eligible for sick leave compensation based on meeting retirement eligibility, per Regent Policy 11.F Benefits.
    • Upon payout due to CU retirement eligibility, the employee’s remaining sick leave balance will be removed, leaving the accrued sick balance at zero (0) hours.
    • If an employee has multiple appointments, the compensation rate for the payout upon retirement may be the average of the hourly rates on all active, leave eligible appointments, unless the leave balances were tracked and maintained separately for each appointment.

    Transfers

    • Employees in university staff and 12-month faculty appointments who transfer or return to a nine-month faculty or other appointment that does not allow sick leave payouts are eligible to receive payment for earned, unused sick leave if eligible for early or full CU retirement at the time of transfer according to the maximums in .
    • If the employee transferring from a university staff or 12-month faculty appointment to another university appointment that does not allow sick leave payouts is not eligible for early or full CU retirement, the sick leave balance, beyond 48 hours of retained sick leave, is forfeited upon transfer to the other appointment.
    • Employees transferring into a university staff, classified staff or 12-month faculty appointment are entitled to transfer the existing sick leave balance into the appointment and would not be subject to reduction of these hours when calculating retirement payout.
    • If a university staff employee transfers within the CU system, and there is no break in service, leave will not be paid out and will be transferred to the new department. If a university staff employee wishes to take time off, such as a vacation between appointments, he/she must be on an approved leave from his/her former or new department. The request for leave should be made and approved in advance.

    Reinstating

    • Balances are transferred, when there is no break in service, as follows:
      • University staff to classified within the CU system- All vacation and sick leave balances will be transferred. Any leave balances over the classified staff maximum accrual levels will be forfeited the following July 1st.
      • University staff from a state agency outside of the CU system to classified- Leave will be transferred. Any leave balances over the classified staff maximum accrual levels will be forfeited July 1st following the date of hire.
      • Classified from outside the CU System to university staff- Leave will not be transferred to the new university staff position.
    • University staff to university staff - If a university staff employee terminates and is rehired as an university staff employee, his/her sick leave balance should not be restored if the break is greater than 6 months.
    • University staff to classified - If a university staff employee terminates and is rehired into a classified position, his/her sick leave balance will not be restoredunlessthe employee was previously certified in a classified position. If the employee was previously certified in a classified position, any remaining sick leave from the previous appointment will be restored subject to the classified staff maximum (see State Personnel Board Rule 5-7).
    • Classified to university staff - If a classified employee terminates and is rehired as a university staff employee, his/her sick leave should not be restored if the break is greater than 6 months.

    Sick Leave

    Accrual

    Per Regent Policy 11.E, nine-month faculty on 100% appointment are eligible to receive eleven (11) days (88 hours) of paid sick leave annually. Faculty who are on less than a 100% appointment will accrue sick leave on a pro-rated basis. Accrual begins on the date that the appointment begins. There is no limit on how much sick leave a nine-month faculty member may accrue.

    Usage

    Sick leave may be required to be used when the University must replace the eligible faculty member in the classroom, or when the dean or other administrative superior, after consultation with the department concerned, shall so decide. Although nine-month faculty members do not accrue sick leave during summer appointments, they may use accrued sick leave during summer appointments.

    Compensation

    No compensation for unused sick leave shall be paid upon separation from employment with the university.

    Sick Leave

    Accrual

    Per Regent Policy 11.E, Faculty on a 100% appointment in this category, are eligible to receive three (3) days (24 hours) of sick leave per semester but no more than nine(9) days (72 hours) annually. Accrual begins on the date the appointment begins. Faculty who are on less than a 100% appointment, will accrue sick leave on a pro-rated basis. Accrual may not exceed six (6) days (48 hours) on July 1 of every year. Up to six (6) days (48 hours) of accrued sick leave may carryover from year to year.

    Usage

    Sick leave will be granted on the dates noted and may be used immediately.

    Compensation

    No compensation for unused sick leave shall be paid upon termination from the university.

    Process

    • Submit usage through the .
    • HR Service Center Coordinators will follow up on requests to confirm usage.
    • Employees need to record sick hours for the entire absence for tracking purposes. Employees will only be paid for hours accrued. Leave taken without sufficient sick leave will be unpaid.

    Sick Leave

    Accrual

    Per Regent Policy 11.E, employees paid monthly or hourly are eligible to accrue 0.034 hour of sick leave for every hour worked. Accrual begins on the first day of eligible appointment. An eligible employee who works part-time earns sick leave on a prorated basis. Accrual may not exceed six (6) days (48 hours) on July 1 of every year. Up to six (6) days (48 hours) of accrued sick leave may carryover from year to year.

    Usage

    Sick leave will be earned upon hire date and accrued at the end of each payroll cycle. An employee is not entitled to use more than six (6) days (48 hours) of sick annually.

    Compensation

    No compensation for unused sick leave shall be paid upon termination from the university.

    Accrual Mechanism

    • Monthly. Accrual will be accrued after each monthly payroll process.
    • Biweekly. Accrual will be calculated after each biweekly payroll process.
    Secondary Appointments

    Secondary appointments are primarily used to compensate employees for additional duties over and above their full-time appointment. If an employee has a full-time or 100%, appointment and a secondary appointment, no additional sick leave shall accrue under the secondary appointment. If an employee has a less than full-time or 100% appointment and a secondary appointment, sick leave may accrue under the secondary appointment, but the total sick leave accruals under both appointments is limited to the maximum annual accrual for the primary appointment. No employee shall be eligible for more than fifteen (15) working days of paid sick leave annually, earned as 10 hours per month.

    Annual Leave

    Annual leave is for an employee’s personal needs and use is subject to the approval of the appointing authority.

    • The appointing authority may establish periods when annual leave will not be allowed, or must be taken, based on business necessity.
    • These periods cannot create a situation where the employee does not have a reasonable opportunity to use requested leave that will be subject to forfeiture.
    • If the department cancels approved leave that results in forfeiture, the forfeited hours must be paid before the end of the fiscal year.

    For the 2022 leave sweep, any excess vacation leave on July 1, 2022 will be swept according to the June 30, 2022 maximums, not the increased vacation maximums.

    Years of Service Hours/Month Maximum
    Classified employees accrue annual leave based on length of service before July 1, 2022:
    1-5 8 192
    6-10 10 240
    11-15 12 288
    16+ 14 336
    Months of Service Hours/Month Maximum
    Classified employees accrue annual leave based on length of service starting July 1, 2022:
    1-36 8 192
    37-60 9 216
    61-120 11 264
    121-180 13 312
    180+ 16 384

    Note: Part-time employees who work regular, non-fluctuating schedules earn a pro-rated amount of leave based on their regular work schedules. Employees with fluctuating or irregular schedules or on unpaid leave should contact the Office of Employee Relations, and their department to determine appropriate accrual rate based on total hours worked in a 12 month period.

    Leave Balances When Terminating, Transferring or Reinstating

    • Upon termination of employment or upon retirement, a classified staff employee’s vacation leave will be paid out, subject to the maximum and ¼ sick leave, subject to the maximum allowed, will be paid out if eligible to retire (see ).
    • If a classified employee transfers within the CU system, and there is no break in service, leave will not be paid out and will be transferred to the new department. If a classified staff employee wishes to take time off, such as a vacation between appointments, he/she must be on an approved leave from his/her former or new department. The request for leave should be made and approved in advance.
    • Balances are transferred, when there is no break in service, as follows:
      • Classified staff to classified staff within the CU system- All vacation and sick leave balances will be transferred.
      • Universitystaff from outside the CU System to university staff- Leave should not be transferred to the new classified staff position.
      • Classified staff to classified within the CU system- All vacation and sick leave balances will be transferred. Any leave balances over the classified staff maximum accrual levels will be forfeited the following July 1st.
      • Classified staff from a state agency outside of the CU system to classified- Leave will be transferred. Any leave balances over the classified staff maximum accrual levels will be forfeited July 1st following the date of hire.

    If a classified staff employee terminates and is rehired as university staff employee, his/her sick leave balance should not be restored.

    If a classified staff employee terminates and is rehired into a classified position, his/her sick leave balance will not be restoredunlessthe employee was previously certified in a classified position and is eligible for reemployment/reinstatement. If the employee was previously certified in a classified position, any remaining sick leave from the previous appointment will be restored subject to the classified staff maximum (see State Personnel Board Rule 5-7).

    • University staff employees must obtain approval from their supervisors prior to using leave, when possible.
    • University staff employees should submit a leave request form to their supervisor when requesting time off. The University of Colorado Boulder version of the State’s Leave/Absence Request and Authorization form may be used for this purpose.
    • University staff employees must complete a monthly leave record to document the amount and type of leave taken. The employee and supervisor must sign the leave record form annually, at a minimum, to verify leave balances.

    Vacation Leave

    Full-time university staff and faculty on twelve-month appointments are eligible to receive twenty-two (22) working days of paid vacation annually, earned as 14.67 hours per month.

    • Part-time university staff and faculty earn vacation on a prorated basis.
    • Upon approval by the supervisor, vacation may​​ be taken as earned.
    • The maximum number of hours an employee may accrue is forty-four (44) days, except as indicated in Regent Policy.

    Leave Balances When Terminating, Transferring or Reinstating

    • Upon termination of employment, a university staff employee’s vacation leave will be paid out, subject to the maximum (44 days) and ¼ sick leave, subject to the maximum allowed, will be paid out if eligible to retire (see Regent Policy 11-E).
    • If a university staff employee transfers within the CU system, and there is no break in service, leave will not be paid out and will be transferred to the new department. If a university staff employee wishes to take time off, such as a vacation between appointments, he/she must be on an approved leave from his/her former or new department. The request for leave should be made and approved in advance.
    • Balances are transferred, when there is no break in service, as follows:
      • University staff to university staff within the CU system- All vacation and sick leave balances will be transferred.
      • University staff from outside the CU System to university staff- Leave should not be transferred to the new university staff position.
      • University staff to classified within the CU system- All vacation and sick leave balances will be transferred. Any leave balances over the classified staff maximum accrual levels will be forfeited the following July 1st.
      • University staff from a state agency outside of the CU system to classified- Leave will be transferred. Any leave balances over the classified staff maximum accrual levels will be forfeited July 1st following the date of hire.
      • Classified to university staff within the CU system- All leave balances will be transferred. Any vacation leave above the university staff accrual maximum will be forfeited the following July 1st.
      • Classified from outside the CU System to university staff- Leave will not be transferred to the new university staff position.
    • University staff to university staff - If a university staff employee terminates and is rehired as an university staff employee, his/her sick leave balance should not be restored.
    • University staff to classified - If a university staff employee terminates and is rehired into a classified position, his/her sick leave balance will not be restoredunlessthe employee was previously certified in a classified position. If the employee was previously certified in a classified position, any remaining sick leave from the previous appointment will be restored subject to the classified staff maximum (see State Personnel Board Rule 5-7).
    • Classified to university staff - If a classified employee terminates and is rehired as a university staff employee, his/her sick leave should not be restored.

    Classified Staff:Departments may adopt and communicate a policy regarding the allowance of administrative leave for volunteering in community or school activities. The policy should state the amount of leave available, employee eligibility, and the process for requesting and approving leave.

    University Staff/Research Faculty/12-Month Faculty:Administrative leave for volunteering in community or school activities may be authorized according to APS 5062. Such leave may be granted at the discretion of the supervisor and cannot exceed 10 working days over 12 months.