March 25 People, Belonging, & Culture Memo

Information regarding vacation carryover.

Good morning,

Under MICA’s standard leave policy, unused vacation that exceeds the carryover limits, expires on September 1 annually. In 2020 and 2021, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, temporary extensions of the carryover deadline for all unused vacation leave were announced. With the most recent extension, employees were expected to exhaust all unused vacation, accrued between July 1, 2019, and June 30, 2021, by May 31, 2022.  

We recognize that it may be challenging for many of you to use well-earned vacation time while fulfilling your respective MICA responsibilities. The College wants to support and encourage all employees to exercise self-care and taking respite away from work is important and necessary. 

This year the College is offering staff a one-time vacation leave extension, usage, and or payout option. Employees will have until May 31, 2023, to exhaust all unused vacation leave accrued between July 1, 2019, and June 30, 2022 that exceeds the carryover limit and would have expired on September 1, 2020, 2021 or 2022.

This will allow the College to resume its standard vacation balance rollover practice beginning July 1, 2023.

The options available for all unused vacation leave, accrued between July 1, 2019, and June 30, 2021, are:

Option 1: Final extension to carryover deadline

  • Carryover all unused accrued vacation earned between July 1, 2019, and June 30, 2021 must be used by May 31, 2023.

  • Ineligible for further extensions.

  • Ineligible for a payout upon separation.

  • Planned absences must be requested and approved in Workday by July 31, 2022.

  • The deadline to request the extension is April 29, 2022.

Example: Employee A works 35 hours per week and has 120 hours of unused vacation leave that was accrued between July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2021. This employee can elect to carryover all 120 hours over but must use all 120 hours by May 31, 2023.

Option 2: One-time payout of up to 10 days (equivalent to 70 hours for 35 hr/week employees OR 80 hours for 40 hr/week employees

  • Payout of up to 10 days of unused accrued vacation earned between July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2021.

  • Payout will be valued at the employee’s hourly rate on April 29, 2022.

  • The deadline to request the payout is April 29, 2022. Request form is available here.

  • Payout will be processed by May 20, 2022.

Example: Employee B works 40 hours per week and has 75 hours of unused vacation leave that was accrued between July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2021. This employee can elect to receive a one-time payout of all 75 hours. 

Option 3: Combination of Option 1 and Option 2

  • Conditions above for Option 1 and Option 2 remain unchanged.

Example: Employee C works 35 hours per week and has 140 hours of unused vacation leave that was accrued between July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2021. This employee can elect to receive a one-time payout for 70 hours of vacation AND carryover the remaining 70 hours to be used by May 31, 2023.

All staff employees will receive a separate email providing the number of available vacation leave hours. Staff who are eligible to elect a one-time payout, an extension or a combination will receive the number of eligible hours and the link to the request form as well. You are required to make a selection by April 29, 2022. If you do not make a selection by April 29, 2022, and have over 10 eligible days, Option 3 will be selected for you. If you have 10 or less eligible days Option 2 will be selected for you.

Sick leave and personal days will follow the normal cut-off dates outlined here.

If you have any questions or concerns about your vacation accruals, please contact your PB&C partner or our office at pbc@mica.edu. Thank you.
 
MICA People, Belonging & Culture
Bunting Room 310