I. Policy

A. Vacation Leave: All full-time employees, other than instructors (instructors do not accrue vacation leave), earn vacation leave in accordance with the following schedule:

A full month of credit is given for total state service, if the appointment is regular, full-time and the employee is in pay status for one-half or more of the regularly scheduled workdays and holidays in the pay period, or if the employee is on authorized military leave. Employees may also transfer credit for state service as provided for through the Office of State Personnel. 

The total vacation leave accumulated over any number of years may not exceed 240 hours (30 days). At the conclusion of each College leave year, a full-time employee who has accumulated in excess of 240 hours will have the excess leave converted to sick leave.

B. Personal Leave: Because the College employs a robust and diverse workforce, reflecting multiple cultural and religious communities, there are many different days of cultural, religious, or personal significance that employees may want to observe.  Therefore, the purpose of personal leave is to allow for personal observance time on a day of significance including days of cultural, religious, or personal observation.  Personal leave does not have to be a day from the employee’s own religious or cultural background.

Full-time instructors are entitled to a maximum of four personal leave days during the 9-month contract period.  Full-time instructors starting on or after January 1 will receive two personal leave days to use through the end of the fiscal year (June 30).

Full-time staff are entitled to a maximum of two personal leave days per fiscal year.  Full-time staff starting on or after January 1 will receive one personal leave day to use through the end of the fiscal year (June 30).

Part-time staff working at least half-time (minimum of 20 hours on average per week) are entitled to two personal leave days per fiscal year on a prorated amount based on their number of hours compared to a full-time schedule.  Eligible part-time staff starting on or after January 1 will receive one prorated personal leave day to use through the end of the fiscal year (June 30).   

Staff working less than half-time (less than 20 hours) and adjunct faculty are not eligible for personal leave.

II. Regulations

A. Each employee's vacation and/or personal leave shall be tracked and approved in advance by their supervisor.

B. Ordinarily, full-time instructors will take leave during the periods designated for that purpose in the instructional calendar. Deviations from that schedule must be requested in advance of the planned leave and have the written authorization of the immediate administrator.

C. The following restrictions apply to employee vacation leaves:

1. Vacation leave accrues at the end of the month and is not available for use until the following month or later.
2. Upon termination of full-time employment, reimbursement for any accrued, but unused vacation leave, but not to exceed a maximum of 240 hours, shall be added to the employee's final pay at the employee's regular rate of pay in effect upon the last day actually worked, and, in like manner, reimbursement to the College for any advance of leave not repaid shall be deducted from the employee's final paycheck. Vacation/bonus payout upon termination may be made in the following month.
3. Central Piedmont does not accept transfer of unused vacation/bonus leave earned at another North Carolina agency for previous employment. At the employee's request, Central Piedmont will transfer an unused vacation/bonus leave balance to the new employing agency in accordance with the agency's policies and procedures. A written notification of acceptance from the agency is required.
4. Vacation leave should not be advanced; however, with the approval of the supervisor and Human Resources, a full-time employee may be advanced up to 80 hours of vacation leave. Such an advance will be repaid by vacation leave earned by the employee upon his/her return.

D. The following restrictions apply to personal leave:

1. Management should, to the greatest extent possible, allow employees to use the leave at the time requested and should not question whether an employee’s use of personal leave is sincere and legitimate. However, the supervisor or other manager may require that the personal leave be taken at a time other than the one requested, based on the needs of the College.
2. The total amount of personal leave awarded to an employee must be utilized in one work shift (i.e. employees may not split up the allotted two days of leave into hours or partial days as may be done with vacation or sick leave).
3. Personal leave not taken by the end of the fiscal year is forfeited and shall not carry into the next fiscal year.
4. Personal leave has no cash value and cannot be converted into retirement credit. Employees shall not be paid for unused personal leave at separation or payable upon death of an employee during state service.
5. Personal leave shall not be applied to existing negative leave balances nor shall it be donated under the Voluntary Shared Leave policy.
6. This leave may not be used for the same purposes as sick leave unless the employee has exhausted all sick leave.
7. Personal leave will ordinarily not be approved for full-time instructors during the academic year when the employee's classes are scheduled or on the work day immediately prior to the instructor's first day of classes. In exceptional circumstances, the immediate administrator may waive these restrictions.

E. An employee earns sick leave and vacation leave while absent during a paid vacation leave, during an education leave with pay, and while absent on accrued (paid) sick leave. An employee does not earn sick leave or vacation leave during any unpaid leave or while receiving salary continuation or disability pay after accrued sick leave is exhausted.

F.  When a designated holiday falls outside of the 9-month faculty contract period, a faculty member is not entitled to any pay or other time off for the designated holiday.

Changes

Approved by the Board of Trustees on November 11, 1994; January 8, 2003; May 6, 2020; July 13, 2022

Approved by Cabinet on June 17, 2002; April 28, 2003; January 7, 2008