The UNC Policy Manual

300.2.22.1[R]

Adopted 06/05/24

Regulation on Personal Leave Program for EHRA Employees

I. Personal Leave Program

A. Effective Date. The Personal Leave Program for EHRA leave-earning employees becomes effective on January 1, 2025.

B. Leave Year Defined. Personal leave shall accrue on a calendar-year basis (January 1 – December 31).

C. Eligibility for Personal Leave Program.

1. New Employees. All permanent Senior Academic and Administrative Officers (SAAO), Exempt Professional Staff (EPS), and faculty with 12-month appointments hired on or after January 1, 2025, shall accrue Personal Leave.

2. Current EHRA Employees. All permanent Senior Academic and Administrative Officers (SAAO), Exempt Professional Staff (EPS), and faculty with 12-month appointments eligible to receive Annual Leave under UNC Policy 300.2.22 whose effective date of employment at the institution is prior to January 1, 2025, are eligible to transfer from the Annual Leave Program to the Personal Leave Program.

3. Current SHRA Employees. Permanent SHRA employees of the institution who were employed at the institution prior to January 1, 2025, and take an EHRA appointment at their institution, or who otherwise convert to an EHRA position at their institution, are eligible to receive Annual Leave under UNC Policy 300.2.22 and are eligible to transfer from the Annual Leave Program to the Personal Leave Program.

4. To transfer from the Annual Leave Program to the Personal Leave Program, employees must make an irrevocable election where they:

a. Receive a payout of their accrued Annual Leave, up to a maximum of thirty (30) workdays (pro-rated for part-time employees), either at the time of, or any time subsequent to, their irrevocable election, with approval from their employing institution (the institution may adopt procedures for periodically offering Annual Leave payouts); or

b. Retain a maximum of thirty (30) workdays (pro-rated for part-time employees) of Annual Leave. Upon the employee’s discontinuation from employment, transfer to another institution, or transfer to a position not subject to UNC Policy 300.2.22, the employee shall receive a payout of the retained accrued Annual Leave at the pay rate as of the time of the discontinuation or transfer.

c. Any Annual Leave in excess of thirty (30) workdays at the time of election shall be forfeited. Any retained accrued Annual Leave must be tracked separately from Personal Leave. No employee may accrue both Personal Leave and Annual Leave simultaneously.

D. Annual Accrual. A permanent full-time employee (1.00 FTE) in a position covered by this regulation shall be entitled to accrue twenty-six (26) workdays of Personal Leave per year.

E. Accrual Rate. Personal Leave is accrued at a monthly rate and is adjusted proportionately for permanent part-time employees who work halftime or more (0.50 – 0.99 FTE) or are on contract for fewer than twelve months. The monthly earnings amount is equal to one-twelfth of the annual rate. Personal leave is earned monthly when an employee works or is on approved paid status at least half the working days of a month.

F. Scheduling Leave. The scheduling of an employee’s Personal Leave shall be subject to the approval of the employee’s supervisor.

G. Advancement of Personal Leave. Subject to institutional policy and approval by the employee’s supervisor, an employee may be advanced the amount of Personal Leave that can be accrued during the remainder of the defined leave year. If an employee separates from the employing institution and has taken more Personal Leave than has been accrued, the employing institution must determine the amount of Personal Leave that the employee must repay to the institution and make deductions from the employee’s final paycheck accordingly or may arrange for other allowable repayment if the necessary deductions cannot be made from the employee’s final paycheck.

H. Transfer of accrued Personal Leave.

1. If an employee receives a new appointment to a position subject to this regulation, and within the same employing institution, then all Personal Leave will transfer to the new appointment. Any Annual Leave retained pursuant to Section I.C.2 of this regulation will transfer to the new appointment.

2. If an employee transfers to another UNC constituent institution in a position subject to this regulation, then up to a maximum of twenty (20) days of Personal Leave shall transfer to the new institution, and any excess leave shall be forfeited. Any Annual Leave retained pursuant to Section I.C.2 of this regulation shall be paid out.

3. If an employee is otherwise separated from the University either voluntarily or involuntarily, all Personal Leave shall be forfeited. Any Annual Leave retained pursuant to Section I.C.2 of this regulation shall be paid out.

II. Other Matters

A. Effective Date. The requirements of this regulation shall be effective on the date of adoption of this regulation by the president.

B. Relation to State Laws. The foregoing regulation as adopted by the president is meant to supplement, and does not purport to supplant or modify, those statutory enactments, regulations, and policies which may govern the activities of public officials.

C. Relation to Other University Regulations and Policies. The foregoing regulation as adopted by the president is meant to supplement, and does not purport to supplant or modify, other University policies, regulations, and guidelines related to equal opportunity, free speech, and free expression.