1.0 Policy Purpose
Brown University provides a variety of paid time off options for staff to address care for themselves, their families, and civic duties. Brown staff are eligible for time off for vacation, sick, jury duty, bereavement, military reserve duty, and religious observance.
2.0 To Whom the Policy Applies
Full-time and part-time staff who work at least fifty percent of their time are eligible for time off for vacation and sick leave. Full-time and part-time staff are eligible for time off for jury duty, bereavement, military reserve duty, and religious observance.
3.0 Policy Statement
University employees accrue paid time off that is determined by full-time or part-time employment and their completed years of service. Employees paid hourly (non-exempt) accrue time off in hours. Employees paid monthly (exempt) accrue time off in days.
3.1 Vacation
Full-time employees paid hourly (non-exempt) accrue ten vacation days (seventy-five hours) starting on their first day of work during their first two years of employment. After two years, the accrual increases to twenty-four days (one hundred eighty hours) annually. Full-time employees paid monthly (exempt) accrue twenty-four days annually starting on their first day of work. Part-time employees who work at least fifty Percent Time receive a prorated vacation accrual. Time off is accrued in equal increments at the end of each pay period.
3.1.1 Vacation Bonus
Full-time employees who have completed twenty five years of service will receive an additional ten days (seventy-five hours) of vacation time. Part-time employees who work at least fifty Percent Time receive a prorated vacation accrual.
3.2 Sick
Full-time employees accrue one paid sick day per month, up to twelve days (ninety hours) annually starting on their first day of work. Sick time may be used for an employee’s own illness or injury or those of certain family members (see 3.2.1) and may be used in instances of abuse, assault or stalking.* Part-time employees who work at least fifty Percent Time receive a prorated sick time accrual. Time off is accrued in equal increments at the end of each pay period. Unused sick time will carryover each calendar year up to a maximum of 60 days (450 hours).
3.2.1 Family Sick
In addition to using paid sick days to care for themselves, full-time employees can request up to twelve days of paid sick time (ninety hours) to care for a sick family or household member. Examples of family members include: child (biological, adopted or foster), spouse, domestic partner, parent, sibling, in-law, grandparent.* Part-time employees who work at least fifty Percent Time may use a prorated amount of time. New birth or adoptive parents can request all available time to care for or bond with their child within the child’s first year.
*Some states allow sick time to be used for additional reasons not referenced in this policy. Sick time used according to this policy will run concurrent with all local state leave laws. Please contact University Human Resources for more information.
3.3 Jury Duty
All staff employees can request time off for jury duty. An employee who serves jury duty will receive full pay and benefits for the duration of jury duty. It is expected that employees will report to work when jury duty is not required for a full workday.
3.4 Bereavement
All staff employees can request up to three working days (twenty two and a half hours) with pay for the death of a parent, stepparent, child, stepchild, son or daughter-in-law, spouse, domestic partner, grandchild, grandparent, grandparent-in-law¹, mother-in-law¹, father-in-law¹ and sibling¹. Up to one day (seven and a half hours) of paid bereavement time can be taken to attend a funeral or memorial service of relatives not listed above.
¹These relations include spouse or domestic partner.
3.5 Pay for Military Reserve Duty or Training
United States military reservists or members of the National Guard are permitted to spend up to ten working days (two weeks) per calendar year away from their position at Brown to assist with a national, state or local emergency, or for military training duty. Employees must return to work on the first workday after completion of duty, allowing for reasonable travel and rest time. During the time staff members are on military reserve duty, they continue to receive their full pay and benefits but must remit compensation received for military duty (excluding payments for room and board) to Brown University.
3.6 Religious Observance
All staff employees can request time off to observe holidays or practices for religious purposes. Supervisors will approve requests for religious observance unless an employee’s absence creates an undue hardship to University operations or an alternative work assignment cannot be established. While time off for Religious Observance is unpaid, employees absent for this reason can request vacation time to receive pay.
4.0 Definitions
For the purpose of this policy, the terms below have the following definitions:
- Percent Time
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Employee’s scheduled hours and months divided by the employer’s standard hours and months for a full-time work schedule. For example, employees who work 12 months annually and 37.5 hours weekly are considered 100 Percent Time. Employees who work 9 months annually and 37.5 hours weekly are considered 75 Percent Time. Employees who work 12 months annually and 12.5 hours weekly are considered 33 Percent Time.
- Religious Observance
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A religious holiday that falls on a day not observed as a University holiday.
5.0 Responsibilities
All individuals to whom this policy applies are responsible for becoming familiar with and following this policy. University supervisors and employees with student oversight duties are responsible for promoting the understanding of this policy and for taking appropriate steps to help ensure and enforce compliance with it.
- Employee
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Request time off and add required documentation (for jury duty, sick time, bereavement, military duty, or religious observance) in Workday to request approval from their Supervisor.
- Supervisor
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Approve or deny a time off request from an Employee.
6.0 Consequences for Violating this Policy
Failure to comply with this and related policies is subject to disciplinary action, up to and including suspension without pay, or termination of employment or association with the University, in accordance with applicable (e.g., staff, faculty, student) disciplinary procedures.
7.0 Related Information
This policy is not a legal document. This policy does not confer a term of employment, nor is the language intended to establish a contract of employment, express or implied, between any employee and Brown University. The University reserves the right to change, amend or terminate any of its human resources policies at any time for any reason.
Brown University is a community in which employees are encouraged to share workplace concerns with University leadership. Additionally, Brown’s Anonymous Reporting Hotline allows anonymous and confidential reporting on matters of concern online or by phone (877-318-9184).
The following information complements and supplements this document. The information is intended to help explain this policy and is not an all-inclusive list of policies, procedures, laws and requirements.
7.1 Related Policies:
7.2 Related Procedures:
N/A
7.3 Related Forms:
N/A
7.4 Frequently Asked Questions:
No. You can keep any pay received from jury duty in addition to receiving your pay from Brown.
No, employees are not permitted to borrow time off.
7.5 Other Related Information:
- Employees using accrued time off to receive pay while on an approved leave of absence are not allowed to request the time off sporadically. The time off must be used consecutively from the start date of the approved leave.
Policy Owner and Contact(s)
Policy Owner: Vice President for University Human Resources
Policy Approved by: Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration
Contact Information:
Policy History
Policy Issue Date:
Policy Effective Date:
Policy Update/Review Summary:
Updated to be more specific on using sick time, to clearly define family and household members, and to update language regarding sick and safe leave for concurrency.
Previous policy versions superseded by this policy:
- Paid Time Off Policy, Effective Date: November 19, 2020
- Excused Absences (30.023), Revision Date: June 14, 2018
- Parental Leave (30.026), Revision Date: January 2, 2019
- Sick Time (30.022), Revision Date: January 2, 2019
- Vacation Time (30.021), Revision Date: June 14, 2018
- Jury Duty, Revision Date: May 5, 2019