Wofford administers the following types of leaves: (1) holiday; (2) vacation and personal; (3) bereavement; (4) jury duty and court subpoena; (5) voting; (6) Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA); and (7) leave of absence (LOA).
Special Note: Leave types are not equal. Eligibility (contingent on position classification, FTE and duration of appointment) for any leave type does not guarantee qualification and/or entitlement, and any and all granted or entitled leave is prorated based on the position FTE and assigned regular work schedule. If supervisors are unsure whether an employee is eligible, they are to contact human resources to review and determine eligibility before granting or reporting. Altering an employee’s regular work schedule to enable paid leave and/or stating and providing paid leave when an employee is not eligible is misrepresentation of an employee’s true work time and can be evaluated as reporting false work time or leave time and grounds for disciplinary action.
In general, any and all granted or entitled leave (paid or unpaid) is not intended to increase the overall leave time (paid or unpaid) that an employee is (or would have been) eligible for. An employee is entitled to the leave day (and associated pay) if they would have normally been scheduled to work that day; however, that entitlement does not enable or create additional leave time or extend the duration of their leave. This becomes important to evaluate for employees on any prolonged leave or if and when an observed and paid leave or observed and paid holiday falls on a date (or dates) within the leave or the expected return date.
Wofford College observes the following holidays. Holiday observed dates can be found on the Human Resources observed holidays page.
Special Note: An eligible employee who is assigned to work on a regularly scheduled and observed holiday (i.e., to minimally staff the office while all other regularly scheduled employees take off to observe the holiday) may be granted a floating holiday (prorated per their position FTE and regular work schedule).
In general, any active employee is eligible for holiday pay (prorated based on their position FTE and regular work schedule) if and when the holiday falls within the employee’s regular work schedule. Eligibility for holiday pay does not guarantee or imply entitlement.
All full-time staff will receive vacation leave according to the following schedule:
| Consecutive Years of Employment | Annual Leave Days |
| Less than 1 year | 10 days |
| After years 1 and 2 | 15 days |
| After years 3 and 4 | 16 days |
| After years 5 and 6 | 17 days |
| After years 7 and 8 | 18 days |
| After year 9 | 19 days |
| After year 10 | 20 days |
Additional vacation days will be granted for the fiscal year following the year in which the employee completes a designated year of service.
Vacation leave renews each year on July 1. Employees may request leave for the time they have earned. New employees must wait 60 days to use vacation time. Employees moving to full-time status from part-time will be able to waive the 60-day waiting period.
Staff members are encouraged to use their vacation leave during each fiscal year. However, staff may carry over up to 5 unused vacation days each fiscal year (fiscal years runs July 1 through June 30). Staff may not accrue more than 5 days over their allotment at any given time. For example, the maximum accrual for an employee that has been with the college for 12 years is 25 days. Staff members cannot receive pay in lieu of using vacation time.
Vacation leave for exempt employees will be reported and recorded in half-day increments. For these employees, infrequent absences, Monday through Friday, of less than one-half day will be handled administratively by the department manager. Staff members are cautioned that abuse may cause loss of this privilege.
Vacation leave for all salaried nonexempt employees will be reported and recorded in 2-hour increments. For these employees, infrequent absences, Monday through Friday, of less than 2 hours will be handled administratively by the department manager. Staff members are cautioned that abuse may cause loss of this privilege. Additionally, managers can approve alternate schedules within the same week to make up for absences of more than 2 hours but less than 4.
Vacation leave for all hourly nonexempt employees will be reported and recorded in 30-minute increments. Additionally, managers can approve alternate schedules within the same week to make up for absences of more than 30 minutes.
Employees are expected to request vacation leave directly from their immediate manager and with as much advance notice as possible. Managers approving vacation leave will consider the department’s operational needs, including the schedules of others in the department.
Upon termination, employees will be paid for banked, unused vacation time up to a maximum of 5 days. To qualify for this payment, the employee must work a full 2-week notice. Employees not physically working a 2-week notice — 10 full workdays — will not receive a vacation payout.
All full-time staff receive a total of 12 days for sick leave and personal leave during a fiscal year. Sick/personal leave will be granted upon hire. Employees may carry over up to 6 days of sick/personal leave each fiscal year, which begins on July 1.
Examples of how staff may use sick/personal leave:
Employees who are unable to report because of illness or for personal reasons must notify their manager as soon as possible, but no later than one hour prior to their scheduled starting time. Employees who must leave work early for illness or personal reasons should notify their manager. When an employee knows of an upcoming need for sick/personal leave, the employee is required to notify their manager as soon as possible so that the manager can plan accordingly. The human resources manager must be notified immediately when an employee is absent for more than 3 consecutive days due to illness or for personal reasons.
Sick/personal leave for exempt employees will be reported and recorded in half-day increments. For these employees, infrequent absences, Monday through Friday, of less than one-half day will be handled administratively by the department manager. Staff members are cautioned that abuse may cause loss of this privilege.
Sick/personal leave for all salaried nonexempt employees will be reported and recorded in 2-hour increments. For these employees, infrequent absences, Monday through Friday, of less than 2 hours will be handled administratively by the department manager. Staff members are cautioned that abuse may cause loss of this privilege. Additionally, managers can approve alternate schedules within the same week to make up for absences of more than 2 hours, but less than four hours.
Sick/personal leave for all hourly nonexempt employees will be reported and recorded in 30-minute increments. Additionally, managers can approve alternate schedules within the same week to make up for absences of more than 30 minutes.
No payment for unused sick/personal leave will be made when a staff member leaves the employment of Wofford College.
Full-time employees who experience the death of a close family member are eligible for bereavement leave (paid at their regular rate of pay) for up to five days.
Loss of any family member can be a traumatic and sorrowful event. Supervisors are encouraged to be flexible, providing a temporary flexible work schedule or granting a leave of absence (supplementing with accrued vacation/personal time or unpaid) for extenuating circumstances.
Full-time employees summoned for jury duty or subpoenaed for court service are eligible for paid jury duty leave or court subpoena leave at the employee’s regular rate of pay, and pay is limited to two weeks per calendar year. A copy of the summons for jury duty or court subpoena is to be provided to the Office of Human Resources to document the leave.
Special Note: Employees appearing in court on their own behalf, or as a plaintiff or defendant, must use vacation/ personal leave or take unpaid leave.
Wofford supports and encourages all eligible employees to take advantage of their constitutional right to vote. Supervisors are encouraged to be flexible in coordinating the time off (with pay at the employee’s regular rate of pay) for full-time employees to vote. The college will not require proof of voting and trusts that employees will use their time to exercise their constitutional right.
Employees are eligible for Family and Medical Leave upon successfully completing one year of employment with Wofford and having worked at least 1,250 hours during the 12-month period immediately before the date FML leave would begin.
To qualify for FML leave under this policy, employees must be taking the leave for one of the following reasons:
Employees will not be granted leave to seek other employment or work for another employer or themselves.
A serious health condition is defined as an illness, injury, impairment or condition which requires:
Eligible employees with a spouse, son, daughter or parent on active duty or called to active duty status in the National Guard or reserves to support a contingency operation may use their 12- week leave entitlement to address certain qualifying exigencies. An exigency is an urgent emergency or demand requiring immediate attention. Qualifying exigencies may include attending certain military events, arranging alternative childcare, addressing certain financial and legal arrangements, attending certain counseling sessions and attending post- deployment reintegration briefings.
The FMLA also includes a special leave entitlement that permits eligible employees to take up to 26 weeks of leave to care for a covered service member during a single 12-month period. A covered service member is a current member of the United States Armed Forces, including a member of the National Guard or reserves, who has a serious injury or illness incurred in the line of duty on active duty that may render the service member medically unfit to perform the duties for which they are undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy; or is in outpatient status; or is on the temporary disability retired list.
In some cases, absences due to a work-related illness or injury may qualify as FML leave and will be designated as such.
Under this policy, eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of leave during any 12- month period. Wofford will measure the 12-month period as a rolling 12-month period measured backward from the date the employee uses any leave under this policy. Each time an employee takes leave, the college will compute the amount of leave the employee has taken under this policy and subtract it from the twelve weeks of available leave. The balance remaining is the amount the employee is allowed to take at that time.
The college may ask for certification of serious health conditions. The employee and physician must respond to such request within 15 days or provide a reasonable explanation for the delay. Failure to provide certification may result in the denial or discontinuation of leave.
Employees must provide 30 days advance notice of the need to take FML leave when the need is foreseeable. When 30 days notice is not possible, the employee must provide notice as soon as practicable and generally must comply with an employer’s normal call-in procedures.
Wofford has the right to ask for a second opinion if there is reason to doubt the certification. The college will pay for the employee to get a certification from a second doctor, which the college will select.
If necessary to resolve the conflict between the original certification and the second opinion, the college will require the opinion of a third physician. The college and the employee will jointly select a third physician, and the college will pay for the opinion. The third opinion will be considered final.
Wofford requires recertification for chronic conditions every six months. These conditions include asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, etc.
Continuous leave – Employees may take FML leave in one consecutive block. This means the employee may be out between three days and 12 weeks. This type of leave typically occurs after the birth of a baby, after surgery or due to a new or sudden disability affecting the employee or the employee's family member. If the employee is out due to their own serious health condition, a fitness for duty statement must be received before the employee can return to work.
Intermittent and reduced schedule leave – Employees may take FML leave intermittently or on a reduced work schedule if the leave is certified as medically necessary by a health care provider to care for a seriously ill family member or because of the employee's serious health condition. A schedule of medical appointments or leave days must be arranged with the manager when foreseeable. Intermittent FML leave does not absolve the employee of the responsibility to contact their manager when the leave is not foreseen. In all cases, the leave may not exceed a total of 12 weeks over a 12-month period. The college may temporarily transfer an employee to an available alternate position with equal pay and/or benefits if the alternate position would better accommodate the intermittent or reduced work schedule.
If the employee is taking intermittent leave because of a serious health condition of a family member, the employee should try to reach an agreement with the college before taking the leave or working reduced hours.
For the birth, adoption or foster care of a child – For the birth, adoption or foster care of a child, the college and the employee must mutually agree to the schedule before the employee may take the leave intermittently or work a reduced-hour schedule. Leave for birth, adoption or foster care of a child must be taken within one year of the birth or placement of the child.
If both spouses work for Wofford and each wishes to take leave for the birth of a child, adoption or placement of the child in foster care or to care for a parent but not a parent-in-law with a serious health condition, the spouse may only take a total of 12 weeks of leave.
While an employee is on FML leave, the college will continue the employee's health benefits during the leave period under the same conditions as if the employee had continued to work. The employee will be responsible for their portion of the health insurance benefits. Employees who choose not to return to work for reasons other than a continued serious health condition will be required by Wofford to reimburse the college the amount paid for the employee's health insurance premiums during the leave period. Under current college policy, employees who are on paid leave will have health insurance premiums and other benefit costs deducted from their payroll check.
While on unpaid leave, the employee must continue to make these payments, either in person or by mail. If payment is more than 30 days late, the employee's health insurance may be dropped for the duration of the leave.
Other payroll deductible benefits the employee uses will continue to be deducted during paid leave. Employees on unpaid leave will need to make arrangements to continue those payments when necessary. If the employee does not continue these payments, the college may discontinue coverage during the leave period, or will recover the payments at the end of the leave period in a manner consistent with state and federal law.
While FML leave is unpaid, Wofford offers up to six weeks of paid leave that runs concurrently with an approved FML leave. The approved leave must be for the employee’s own serious health condition, or for the birth, adoption or placement of a child. Paid leave can also be used with an approved intermittent leave. Once an employee has utilized all six weeks of available Wofford paid leave, the employee may, but is not required to, use any available vacation or sick/personal time to supplement any portion of their FML leave that is not paid.
Employees who have vacation and/or sick/personal leave in excess of 12 weeks and who have a serious medical condition requiring them to remain out of work after the expiration of their FML leave may use the remainder of their sick and/or vacation leave if necessary. However, the leave will no longer be designated as FML.
Employees who have exhausted all vacation, sick/personal leave and FML leave, and have a serious medical condition requiring them to remain out of work longer, must request leave without pay. Employees who are not eligible for FML leave, in accordance with the FMLA, may also request leave without pay for personal illness, injury, etc.
All leave, paid or unpaid, will be counted toward the total of 12 weeks during the 12-month period.
Only Human Resources can designate a leave as FMLA. Managers should refer all requests for leave that may qualify as FML leave to HR.
HR will give employees a Notice of Eligibility and Rights and Responsibilities form. If the notice indicates a preliminary designation as FML, contingent upon receipt of a completed health care provider's certification form, a final determination will be made upon receipt of the certification form. The employee and their manager will be notified in writing with a designation or denial notice.
Employees must provide 30 days advance notice when the need for the leave is "foreseeable." For instance, if the medical treatments are planned in advance. If the leave is not foreseeable, employees must provide advance notice as soon as possible. Employees who fail to provide notice 30 days prior to a foreseeable leave with no reasonable excuse for the delay may be denied the leave request until at least 30 days from the date HR receives the notice.
While on continuous FML leave, employees are required to contact HR and their manager periodically as determined by the manager and employee, but at least every 15 days, regarding the status of the medical condition and the intent to return to work. Employees on intermittent FML leave must report each absence within the department's reporting procedure no later than shift start and get the absence designated as FML. Failure to call in on intermittent FML leave and get the absence designated as such will result in corrective action.
Failure to report to work upon the expiration of the FML may result in termination.
Employees on FML leave due to a serious personal health condition, as defined in this policy, must present a fitness for duty report completed by the attending health care provider prior to their return to work. This report must state that the employee can return to full duty or work with no restrictions even if on a reduced schedule.
Upon return from FML leave, employees will be restored to their same or equivalent position with equivalent pay, benefits and other employment terms.
The maximum duration for any leave of absence that can be taken/granted at one time is 12 consecutive months.
A LOA may be provided to an employee who has completed one year of continuous full-time employment. The one-year requirement may be waived in “extraordinary” circumstances, during which each situation is evaluated on individual merits. Employees are required to submit a formal LOA request to their supervisor, minimally one month prior to the requested date of leave if possible. The supervisor and the chief financial officer will evaluate and provide specific terms, if approved. The terms of approval with employee acknowledgment must be forwarded to the Office of Human Resources for the personnel file (and all related payroll and benefit tracking).
For any approved LOA for minimally one month or longer duration, all accrued vacation/personal leave time must be exhausted (up to the length of the LOA). A LOA does not count toward leave accrual or time in service and may result in loss of benefits where reinstatement is dependent upon the individual requirements of each benefit plan. If eligible, reinstatement will occur on the first day of the month following the month in which the employee returns to work, or the first day of the month, if the employee returns on the first day of the month.
Special Note: Employees granted an approved LOA can (and may need to) apply for continued medical coverage and other related fringes under COBRA. Contact the benefits manager in the Office of Human Resources for information.