I. General Policy
Rice University grants benefits-eligible staff members an amount of paid time off (PTO) during which an employee may be absent from work for any reason, including vacation, personal business, illness, or religious holidays. The University encourages employees to use their PTO regularly to increase productivity, job satisfaction, and work-life balance.
PTO must be scheduled in advance with supervisors, who approve requests according to departmental workload and available staffing levels. In the event of sudden illness or emergency when advance scheduling is not possible, the employee's supervisor should be notified as soon as possible, preferably before the normal time the employee would begin work.
II. Roles and Responsibilities
Exempt, benefits-eligible employees submit PTO in half-day increments and track PTO in the current Human Capital Management (HCM) system. Staff members should plan and request PTO in advance when foreseeable. Supervisors will review and approve or reject PTO requests.
Non-exempt, benefits-eligible employees take PTO in hour or half-hour increments. Staff members should plan and request PTO in advance when foreseeable in the HCM system. Supervisors will review and approve or reject PTO requests.
Part-time, benefits-eligible employees accumulate PTO according to the percentage of a full week they regularly work. For example, a benefits-eligible staff member who works 20 hours a week all year (50 percent of full time based on a 40-hour work week) accumulates 84 hours a year if they have worked at Rice for less than ten years. A benefits-eligible staff member who works 20 hours a week all year (50 percent of full time based on a 40-hour work week) accumulates 104 hours if they have worked at Rice for more than ten years.
New benefits-eligible employees accumulate PTO beginning with the first pay period worked. However, PTO accumulated during an employee’s probationary period is not payable upon termination. To accumulate paid time off for any given pay cycle, the employee must work or be on PTO. With supervisor approval, accumulated PTO may be taken during the probationary period. Once an employee is no longer in their probationary period, the accumulated PTO may continue to be used as approved by the supervisor and any unused PTO balance (to the limits noted below) will be payable upon termination of employment.
Supervisors are responsible for approving and monitoring the appropriate use of PTO.
Human Resources is responsible for keeping records of time used, and periodically reviewing the administration of this benefit.
III. Elaboration of Policy
A. Basis of PTO Accumulation
An employee accumulates PTO in hours per pay period in the HCM system. The accumulation rate also depends on the employee’s seniority date, which credits all full years of prior benefits-eligible service at Rice University.
To accumulate paid time off for any given pay cycle, the employee must work or be on PTO (other than short-term disability leave or Worker’s Compensation) at some point during that pay cycle (semi-monthly for exempt staff, bi-weekly for non-exempt staff).
On a staff member's employment anniversary, except where prohibited by state law, they may carry forward a maximum of one year's accumulated PTO. They then begin accumulating additional days or hours of PTO.
Postdoctoral research associates (postdocs), must exhaust all PTO prior to the end date of the appointment specified in the current appointment letter. No unused PTO will be paid to any postdoc at termination. If a postdoctoral research associate's current appointment letter specifies a term beyond one year, the postdoc may carry forward a maximum of one year's accumulated PTO.
B. Pay Cycle Accrual
The schedule of PTO accumulation for full-time employees is as follows:
| All Staff | ||
|---|---|---|
| Length of continuous benefits-eligible service | Paid time off days accumulated per employment year | |
| 0 – 10 years | 168 hours | |
| 10 + years | 208 hours |
C. Coordination with Short-Term Disability Program
In the case of major illness or injury (not work related), the elimination period (first five days of leave) is covered with available PTO or a combination of PTO and unpaid leave. If the individual has no PTO, the first five days will be unpaid. Thereafter, short-term disability coverage, if available, may be used according to the provisions of that program (see Policy No. 423). If a holiday or recess occurs during the first five days, it is counted as PTO, not as holiday or recess pay. Staff members do not get extra holiday or recess time for missed holidays or recess time while on leave (even if using PTO during the elimination period). Staff cannot use PTO to supplement their pay while on short-term disability.
D. Payout of PTO at Termination
The payout of unused PTO to a staff member (other than a postdoctoral research associate as described in Section III.A, above) who is no longer in their probationary period with continuous benefits-eligible service who terminates from Rice for any reason will be paid out no more than one year’s accumulation of PTO based on FTE and years of service at the time of termination (e.g., a maximum of 26 days, or 208 hours, for a full-time staff member with fifteen years of service), unless a different amount is required by state law. Staff members on research grants are eligible for the payout of unused PTO. However, if the grants from which they are paid do not allow the payout of terminal PTO, principal investigators and departments must identify another appropriate source of funds for the payout.
E. Policy Implementation
This revised policy is effective January 1, 2025. Staff members will accumulate at the new rate of PTO on and after January 1, 2025.
Staff members who had 20 or more years of service on January 1, 1993, or were in the 20th year of Rice employment on that date are entitled to an accumulation rate of 31 PTO days each year. Upon termination of employment, these staff members may receive a maximum payout of 31 days of unused PTO.
V. Cross References to Related Policies
Rice University Policy 403, Benefits Eligibility
Rice University Policy 415, Time Reporting (for Non-exempt Employees)
Rice University Policy 421, Probationary Period
Rice University Policy 423, Short-Term Disability Pay Continuation
Rice University Policy 438, Research Positions
VI. Responsible Official and Key Offices to Contact Regarding the Policy and its Implementation
Responsible Official: Executive Vice President for Operations, Finance, & Support; Associate Vice President for Human Resources
Key Offices: Human Resources, Payroll Office
VII. Links to Additional Information
Signatures
Reginald DesRoches, President
Policy History
Revised
Revised: December 19, 2024 (effective January 1, 2025); January 10, 2017; February 17, 2011
Clerical Changes
September 30, 2022
January 31, 2023
February 6, 2023
August 15, 2023
March 4, 2024