Everett Community College

EVCC3090:  Administrative and Exempt Leave Policy

Original Date:    April 26, 1979
Policy Contact:    VP Administrative Services

Policy

Vacation Leave

1. Full-time administrative and exempt employees shall accrue 16 hours of vacation leave per calendar month of completed service.  Vacation leave shall be credited on a prorated basis for employees working less than full-time. Employees hired before the 16th of a month receive credit for the entire month. If hired on the 16th or later, the employee's leave accrual will start on the first of the following month. In any calendar month where the employee takes ten working days or more of unpaid leave, vacation leave shall not accrue.  Vacation leave accruals are credited on the first working day of the following month.
2. Paid vacation leave may not be taken before it is accrued.
3. Vacation requests should be submitted in writing on the form for leave requests and approved by the appropriate administrator prior to the date the leave is to begin.
4. The approved request shall be forwarded to the Payroll Office where all leave accrual and use records shall be maintained.
5. Vacation leave accumulated above 240 hours must be used by the employee’s anniversary date of state employment and in accordance with this policy. If such leave is not used before the employee's anniversary date, the excess leave is lost and considered to have never existed. However, if an employee's request for vacation leave is denied by the appropriate administrator, and the employee may lose leave because of the denial, the Vice President of Human Resources may grant an extension.
6. The employing department shall schedule vacations at a time most convenient to the work of the department. Insofar as possible, leave will be scheduled in accordance with the wishes of the employee.
7. Employees may donate vacation leave as shared leave in accordance with RCWs 41.04.650 thru 41.04.665.

Treatment of Accrued Vacation Leave upon Separation

An employee, upon separation from the College in good standing after six (6) months of continuous employment, shall be allowed one of the following options for the treatment of accrued, unused vacation leave:

a) Lump sum cash payment for accrued, unused vacation to the extent of the employee’s accrued vacation credits as shown by the records of the Payroll Office. (Payable vacation leave shall be computed and paid as prescribed by the Office of Financial Management. No contributions will be made to the Department of Retirement Systems or the State Board Retirement Plan for lump sum payment of excess vacation leave accumulated beyond 240 hours, nor shall such payment be reported to the Department of Retirement Systems or State Board Retirement Plan as compensation); or
b) Employees transferring within agencies or institutions of State government may transfer accrued vacation leave in accordance with RCW 43.01.040, or
c) Any combination of (a) and (b).

Sick Leave

1. Full-time administrative and exempt personnel shall accrue eight (8) hours of sick leave per calendar month of completed service. Sick leave will be credited on a prorata basis for employees working less than full time. If hired on the 16th or later, the employee's leave accrual will start on the first of the following month. In any calendar month where the employee takes ten working days or more of unpaid leave, sick leave shall not accrue. Sick leave accruals are credited on the first working day of the following month.
2. Paid sick leave may not be used in advance of accrual.
3. Sick leave may only be used for:
   a. A personal illness, medical disability or injury which prevents the performance of the employee's required duties.
   b. Care of family members as required by the Family Care Act (WAC 296-130).
   c. A death in the immediate family that requires the employee’s absence from work. For purposes of this policy “immediate family” shall be defined as a parent, a sibling, mother/father-in-law, spouse, domestic partner, grandparent, grandchild, son, daughter, stepchild, or any child living in the home of the employee.
   d. Childcare emergencies, limited to three (3) days per year.
   e. For the purpose of the employee’s own medical, dental or optical appointments, or family appointments when the employee’s presence is required.
4. Sick leave use shall be reported on the approved leave request form, approved by the appropriate administrator, and forwarded to the Payroll Office where all leave accrual and use records shall be maintained.
5. Employees may donate sick leave as shared leave in accordance with RCWs 41.04.650 thru 41.04.665.

Sick Leave Annual Cash Out

Each January employees are eligible to receive cash for a portion of their accrued sick leave subject to the following conditions:

a) Cash compensation for converted hours is paid at the rate of twenty-five percent and is based on the employee's current salary.
b) The maximum conversion is equal to ninety-six (96) hours less any sick leave usage in the prior year.
c) The employee’s sick leave balance at the end of the previous calendar year exceeds four hundred and eighty (480) hours;
d) The converted sick leave hours do not reduce their previous calendar year sick leave balance below four hundred and eighty (480) hours; and
e) They notify their payroll office by January 31st that they would like to convert sick leave to cash.
f) All converted hours will be deducted from the employee's sick leave balance.

Sick Leave Separation Cash Out

At the time of retirement from state service or at death, an eligible employee or the employee's estate will receive credit for his/her compensable sick leave balance on a one (1) hour for four (4) hours basis. If a VEBA Medical Benefits Plan is available and has been approved, the cash equivalent of such credits will be placed into a VEBA account on behalf of the employee in accordance with the College's VEBA procedure. If a VEBA Medical Benefits Plan is not available, the employee will receive a cashout of such credits. Any cashout amount will be subject to withholding for purposes of federal income tax, social security (OASI) and medicare. However, no contributions will be made to the Department of Retirement Systems or the State Board Retirement Plan for cashout of sick leave credits, nor shall such payment be reported to the Department of Retirement Systems or State Board Retirement Plan as compensation.

Other Leaves

1. One personal holiday per calendar year shall be granted to employees after four (4) months of continuous College employment. Leave shall be credited on a prorated basis for employees working less than full-time. Personal holidays not used by December 31 do not carry over to the next calendar year, and shall be lost.
2. Bereavement leave for not more than five days shall be granted for the death of an immediate family member. For purposes of this policy “immediate family” shall be defined as a parent, a sibling, mother/father-in-law, spouse, domestic partner, grandparent, grandchild, son, daughter, stepchild, or any child living in the home of the employee.
3. Military leave shall be granted to a maximum of fifteen (15) days in the calendar year for active duty in annual field training or otherwise discharging reserve obligations.
4. Civil duty leave shall be granted to serve on jury duty, or to exercise subpoenaed civil duties. Employees are allowed to retain any compensation paid to them for their civil duty service.
5. All leaves shall be reported on the approved leave request form, approved by the appropriate administrator, and forwarded to the Payroll Office where all leave accrual and use records shall be maintained. 

Approved by the Everett Community College Board of Trustees on the 16th day of October, 2006.

Thomas Gaffney, Board President

APPROVED BY
Board of Trustees

APPROVAL DATE
October 16, 2006