5.28 - P&S Policies and Procedures -- Holidays and Leaves
Review Deadline
Wednesday, December 10, 2025
Purpose
To outline designated holidays and leaves applicable to university Professional and Scientific (P&S) employees.
Policy Statement
The University provides for continued earnings with designated holidays and in connection with the use of approved time off accruals. Other authorized leaves with continued full or partial earnings are under designated circumstances authorized by the University.
A. Authorized Reasons for Absence
With the exception of scheduled paid holidays, time off or leave requests require submission of an Absence Request through the UNI Works system.
1. Paid Holidays
Refer to Vacations and Holidays Policy 4.63
The University provides eleven (11) holidays with continued earnings during a calendar year period. Nine (9) holidays are scheduled as noted below while the two (2) remaining days are designated unscheduled (personal) holidays. Unscheduled (personal) holidays are accrued on a monthly basis and are added to the employee's vacation account. (See Paid Vacation )
Scheduled Holidays
- New Year's Day/January 1
- Martin Luther King's Birthday/The Third Monday in January
- Memorial Day/The Last Monday in May
- Independence Day/July 4
- Labor Day/The First Monday in September
- Thanksgiving Day/The Fourth Thursday in November
- Friday after Thanksgiving
- Christmas Day/December 25
- One (1) other holiday is designated annually by the University.
Employees with non-temporary appointments and at least a half-time schedule are eligible for paid holidays. Paid holidays for employees with part-time schedules are pro-rated from the full-time equivalent as it relates to the employee's weekly schedule. Employees with less than a 12 month appointment are eligible for paid holidays falling during periods when work is normally scheduled. Employees with a temporary, on-call, or seasonal appointment are not entitled to paid holidays.
When a holiday is observed during the Monday through Friday work week and an employee is excused from work on the holiday, earnings are continued, provided compensation for the scheduled workdays immediately preceding and following the holiday period is qualified. For employees on a Monday through Friday work week, Monday is observed as the holiday when a scheduled holiday occurs on Sunday, while Friday is recognized as the holiday when the scheduled holiday falls on Saturday. For all other employees, the holiday shall be deemed to fall on the day on which the holiday occurs.
2. Sick Time Off
Refer to Sick Time Off Policy 4.57.
Full-time Professional and Scientific (P&S) employees accrue paid sick time off at the rate of twelve (12) hours for each full month of service. P&S employees with a non-temporary appointment of half-time or more for no less than an academic year will accrue that fractional portion of the full-time entitlement. Sick time is cumulative and accrues to an unlimited maximum. Sick time accrues during absences in paid status, but does not accrue during approved leaves without pay.
If an employee is hospitalized while on approved vacation, sick time off may be used for the time period actually spent in the hospital. No other change of approved vacation to sick time off is allowed. Holidays falling during a period of qualified sick time use are paid as holidays and are not charged to employee sick balances.
Employees who become ill or injured at work and receive workers’ compensation temporary disability payments may elect to supplement that pay with their accrued sick time. The option to supplement sick time off is initiated and completed in UNI Works.
In the event the University administration has reason to believe an employee is abusing sick time usage or may not be physically fit to return to work, the administration may require documentation from the employee’s healthcare provider and/or the employee may be required to complete a fitness for duty evaluation.
Staff eligible to accrue vacation may elect to convert sick time earned to vacation. For further details, refer to Policy 4.57.
B. Accumulated Unused Sick Time Retirement Benefit
Refer to Sick Leave Policy 4.57.
C. Court and Jury Service Time Off
Refer to Court and Jury Service Leave Policy 4.59
Eligible employees are excused from duty while appearing as a subpoenaed witness or serving as a member of a jury in public or private litigation are entitled to regular compensation provided any pay, other than reimbursement for travel or personal expense, is surrendered to the University.
D. Administrative Leave
P&S personnel may, upon application, be granted short-term leaves of absence with continued earnings to participate in meetings, conferences, programs or to otherwise engage in activities relating to University duty assignments. Such short-term leaves are normally for periods of a week or less yet may, at the discretion of the University administration, be granted for a period of up to twenty-two (22) consecutive days. Absences for purposes of consulting (see Consulting Services Policy) or for other professional activities for which earnings are continued may be granted with this leave provision.
E. Family Caregiving & Bereavement Time Off
A manager may grant a P&S employee time off with pay in accordance with usage reasons identified in Policy 4.57:
• Up to 24 hours of accrued sick time (or pro-rated part-time equivalent) per occurrence when a death in the employee's immediate family;
• Up to 8 hours of accrued sick time (or pro-rated part-time equivalent) per occurrence when serving as a pallbearer or funeral attendant for someone who is not a member of their immediate family;
• Up to 40 hours (or pro-rated part-time equivalent) of accrued sick time per work anniversary year for the care and necessary attention of ill or injured members of their immediate family, or for the birth of their child. Up to 40 hours (or pro-rated part-time equivalent) of unused family caregiving hours may be carried over to the next anniversary year for a maximum utilization of up to 80 hours (or pro-rated part-time equivalent) during that year.
All such time off is charged to the employee's accumulated sick time off. Such time will not be granted in excess of accrued balances. Immediate family is defined as and limited to spouse, children, parents, grandparents, grandchildren, foster children, stepchildren, legal wards, foster parents, foster siblings, stepparents, step-siblings, siblings (and their spouses); aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, first cousins, corresponding relatives of he employee’s spouse, and other relatives who are members of the employee's household.
F. Paid Vacation Time Off
Refer to Vacations and Holidays Policy 4.63
P&S personnel serving with other than a temporary appointment on a full-time basis accrue vacation time off at the rate of 1.8333 days per month or twenty-two (22) working days per anniversary year. [Two personal Holidays per calendar year together with twenty-two (22) vacation leave days per anniversary year causes the accrual to total two (2) days per month.] An employee's anniversary year extends from their employment date (month and day) and ends the day before the same date the following year. Vacation balances may be cumulative to twice the annual entitlement and is granted, upon the employee's request, at the discretion and convenience of the employing department.
G. Leaves of Absence
Refer to Leave of Absence Without Pay Policy 4.62
An extended leave of absence from active University service without continued earnings may be granted to P&S employees for a variety of personal and other compelling reasons. When such leave is granted, it is with the understanding that the employee plans to return to active service at the conclusion of the leave period specified. Failure to return to active service or to make arrangements for an extension of a leave normally will be considered as a voluntary resignation. For the purpose of this provision, an extended leave shall be for a period in excess of twenty-two (22) scheduled working days.
H. Long-Term Disability
The P&S employee may qualify for Long-Term Disability benefits if they become disabled and unable to work because of injury or illness. Benefits begin after a waiting period of the latter of 90 working days or the date their accrued sick time expires. The Long-Term Disability Insurance Plan carrier determines approval of benefits and establishes the beginning date of the total disability for such purpose. Refer to Fringe Benefits Policy 4.50.
I. Pregnancy and Maternity Leave
Refer to Fringe Benefits Policy 4.50
The time during which a P&S employee is medically unable to work because of pregnancy, miscarriage, abortion, childbirth, or related medical conditions will be granted a leave of absence as required by their healthcare provider. Leave for these reasons will be qualified under the Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA) for eligible employees. Employees who are not eligible for FMLA leave entitlement will be granted up to eight weeks of medically-indicated leave under Iowa Code 216.6(2) If the employee's total accruals balance is insufficient to cover the medically necessary leave, they will be granted a leave without pay or they may request catastrophic leave donations. Any donated time off received by the employee will only be applied to the medically necessary leave period. .
J. Medical Leave/Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Refer to FMLA Leave 4.49 Policy
K. Military Leave
Refer to Military Leave Policy 4.58
P&S employees, who are ordered by proper authority to state active duty, national guard duty, or federal active duty or when performing a civil air patrol mission shall be entitled to paid Military Leave for up to 30 days.
L. Adoption Leave
Refer to FMLA Leave 4.49 Policy
An employee going through the adoption process may use up to 40 hours (or pro-rated part-time equivalent) of sick time per occurrence during adoption. Employees eligible for FMLA leave entitlement may take up to 12 weeks of leave within 12 months from the date a child is placed in their home for adoption or foster care. Additional time off needed for the adoption process may be requested as vacation or unpaid time off.
M. Catastrophic Illness Contributions
Refer to Catastrophic Leave 4.48 Policy
Contact Human Resource Services for more information.
P&S Council, approved October 27, 2025
Human Resource Services, approved October 28, 2025
President’s Cabinet, approved , 20