Annual Leave (Vacation)

WNMU provides annual leave for benefits-eligible employees as defined below:

Definition of Staff Earned Annual Leave:

1. Annual leave is earned during actual time worked and during paid sick leave, annual leave time taken, holidays and paid leaves of absence.

2. Annual leave is not earned during unpaid leave of absence.

Accrual Rate:

Regular, Full-time employees hired prior to August 1, 1992:

Employees hired prior to August 1, 1992 will accumulate annual leave at the rate of 12 hours (1 1/2 days) per month, effective on their date of hire.

Employee may accrue up to a maximum of 168 hours annual leave. Management is encouraged to enable employees to use annual leave prior to reaching maximum accrual allowed. Upon termination of employment, unused annual leave balance will be paid to the employee up to a maximum amount of 160 hours. Terminating employees still within their trial period will not be reimbursed for any accrued annual leave balance. Regular, full-time employees hired on or after August 1, 1992 will accrue hours as follows:

Bi-Weekly

• 0 up to 5 years of service: 3.7 hours per pay

• 5 up to 10 years of service: 4.62 hours per pay

• 10 or more years of service: 5.54 hours per pay

Semi-Monthly

• 0 up to 5 years of service: 4 hours per pay

• 5 up to 10 years of service: 5 hours per pay

• 10 or more years of service: 6 hours per pay

Monthly

• 0 up to 5 years of service: 8 hours per pay

• 5 up to 10 years of service: 10 hours per pay

• 10 or more years of service: 12 hours per pay

Note: For full policy and other information please refer to the Staff Handbook.

CBA Annual Leave (Vacation)

Regular full-time employees will accrue annual leave in accordance with the incremental schedule contained below. Accruals shall be based upon pay periods actually worked and no leave may be taken prior to the time it is accrued.

Years of Service            Annual Leave

0 up to 5 years              3.7 hours per pay (96.2 hrs. per year)

5 up to 10 years            4.62 hours per pay (120.12 hrs. per year)

10 or more years          5.54 hours per pay (144.04 hrs. per year)

• The maximum accrual for annual leave shall be 168 hours. Upon termination of employment, unused annual leave balance will be paid to the employee up to a maximum amount of 160 hours.
• Annual leave shall be scheduled in consideration of the employee’s wishes to the extent consistent with the needs of the University. The parties recognize that there are personal circumstances when advance notice is not possible when requesting annual leave. The department’s requirement for advance notice for requesting does not prohibit an employee from requesting leave without advance notice with the understanding that approval is at the discretion of the department. When two or more employees apply for the same annual leave slots, seniority will be the determining factor in granting the leave; only in a case where two or more requests are received from employees at the same date will seniority be a factor. All annual leave usage is subject to the approval of management, whose decision shall be final.
• When an employee’s vacation is interrupted by hospitalization, which has been verified by a physician, such interrupted vacation leave shall be rescheduled at a time mutually agreeable by the supervisor and the employee. Such period of illness shall be charged to available sick leave with written approval of the Vice President for Business Affairs.

Note: For full policy and other information please refer to the Collective Bargaining Unit Agreement.

Sick Leave

Paid sick leave is a privilege provided by WNMU so that employees will not be penalized for a temporary state of ill health. Sick leave is not to be considered as earned annual leave.During initial trial periods, sick leave taken is charged to leave without pay (Unused Sick Leave is not ‘paid out’ at the time of retirement.)

Accrual Rate:
Regular, full-time employees will earn sick leave at the rate of 12 hours per month, to a maximum of 1,040 working hours (26 weeks). Regular, part-time employees will earn sick leave pro-rated according to the number of hours worked, (i.e. 20 hours/week, 6 hours/month). No hours will be accrued beyond 1,040. No sick leave is earned while on Leave Without Pay (LWOP).

Regular, full-time employees will accumulate hours as follows:

Sick Leave
• Bi-Weekly: 5.54 hours per pay
• Semi-Monthly: 6 hours per pay
• Monthly: 12 hours per pay

 Note: For full policy and other information please refer to the Staff Handbook.

Sick Leave

A maximum of ten days sick leave with pay is allotted each year, cumulative to 30 school days. This policy is applicable to employees of Western New Mexico University holding academic rank and will include no pay-off or cash benefit provisions. The sick leave policy is effective as of November 1, 1964, and no equity is accumulated prior to this date.

Note: For full policy and other information please refer to the Faculty Handbook.

Sick Leave

Sick leave is regarded as an employee benefit and is intended to be used for relief in cases of personal illness, injury or quarantines.

Accrual Rate:
Full-time employees will accrue three and seven tenths (3. 7) hours of sick leave per pay. For the purposes of sick leave accrual, paid leave and time off due to holidays will be considered time worked. Sick leave hours may be accumulated not to exceed 1,040 hours and cannot be used prior to the time it is accrued.

Note: For full policy and other information please refer to the Collective Bargaining Unit Agreement.

Bereavement Leave

WNMU will allow up to five (5) workdays of paid excused absence for benefits-eligible employees to make arrangements and/or attend the funeral service of a member of the employee’s, or spouses, immediate family. The employee will have up to two weeks to take the leave (exceptions may be granted beyond two weeks).

Pay will be computed at the straight time rate of pay. In the event more than five days for travel to attend funeral services are needed, the supervisor shall grant additional days of unpaid absence for this purpose, unless a request is made for annual leave. If an employee is on a paid leave at the time of an immediate family member’s death, additional time off may be charged as bereavement leave.

Note: For full policy and other information please refer to the Staff Handbook.

Bereavement Leave

Three days of leave with pay will be granted to an employee for death in the immediate family of the employee. If additional leave is required, the employee may take annual leave or leave without pay. Bereavement leave is not cumulative, nor is it deducted from an employee’s sick leave.

Note: For full policy and other information please refer to the Collective Bargaining Unit Agreement.

Leave of Absence Without Pay

Personal leave of absence without pay (LWOP) may be granted on a case-by-case basis, depending on the nature and length of the absence and the employee’s length of service, performance, and work record. All personnel are required to exhaust their paid leave balances before applying for LWOP.

A letter requesting leave without pay must state the reasons for the request and the anticipated date of return. Such request must be submitted in writing to the department supervisor for processing. The request should not be considered as approved until the employee receives written approval from both the department supervisor and the president of WNMU in a letter which stipulates the conditions and terms of the leave and the employee’s return to work.

Note: For full policy and other information please refer to the Staff Handbook.

Leave of Absence Without Pay

A leave of absence, without pay, is available to any faculty member regardless of tenure or length of service.  A faculty member may apply for such leave to the chair of his/her department who will approve leaves on the basis of convenience to the University, and worthiness the faculty member’s plans for his/her leave time.  It is assumed that the faculty member on leave will retain all rights and privileges which are his/hers; however, time on leave will not count as time in rank towards promotion and tenure.

Note: For full policy and other information please refer to the Faculty Handbook.

Leave of Absence Without Pay

The University may grant leave without pay outside the Family and Medical Leave Act when the leave can be granted without detrimental effect on the University. This determination is solely at the discretion of the University.

Note: For full policy and other information please refer to the Collective Bargaining Unit Agreement.

Leave for Jury/Witness Duty or Mandatory Court Appearance

Benefits-eligible employees who are summoned for jury duty or for duty as a witness (other than as a plaintiff or defendant) are granted time off with pay.

Employees summoned as specified above are required to return to their work location while temporarily excused from attendance at court unless it is not practical because of the short period remaining between the time the employee is excused from court and the end of the scheduled working time.

Employees summoned to serve on jury duty need to provide the supervisor and Human Resources with a copy of the notice to serve. If subpoenaed to appear in court as a witness, an employee will be granted time off with pay provided the employee is not a party to the suit. A copy of the subpoena must be provided to the supervisor and then submitted to Human Resources.

Note: For full policy and other information please refer to the Staff Handbook.

Leave for Jury/Witness Duty or Mandatory Court Appearance

Leave with full pay shall be granted an employee for court legal process including jury duty, response to subpoena or other legal process which requires an absence from duty for other than personal matters. Leave with pay will not be granted to an employee pursuing a claim or called to testify against the University. Leave without pay may be granted to an employee to appear in court to assert or protect the employee’s own interests.

Note: For full policy and other information please refer to the Collective Bargaining Unit Agreement.

Administrative Leave

Benefits-eligible employees may be granted Administrative Leave at the discretion of the President.

Leave for Voting in an Election

Any employee whose work day begins less than two hours after the opening of the polls, or whose work day ends less than three hours prior to the closing of the polls, will be allowed to take up to two paid hours off on an election day for purpose of voting. Time taken for voting must be recorded as paid university leave and approved by the employee’s supervisor.