Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Policies and Procedures Manual issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Human Resource Management (DHRM).

Authority

Code of Virginia Section 23.1-1301, as amended, grants authority to the Board of Visitors to make rules and policies concerning the institution. Section 7.01(a)(6) of the Board of Visitors Bylaws grants authority to the President to implement the policies and procedures of the Board relating to University operations.

Code of Virginia Section 2.2-804, as amended

The University has authority to create policies and procedures to supplement DHRM policies. This policy establishes the procedures to be followed in order to comply with numerous DHRM leave policies.

Definitions

Banner Administrative Information System - The term used to reference the information technology system, Banner® Digital Campus. Banner is the administrative software system used to manage student information, financial aid, finance, and human resources at Old Dominion University.

Classified Employee - A salaried employee whose terms and conditions of employment are subject to the Virginia Personnel Act, Code of Virginia Section 2.2-2900 et seq., as amended, and who is employed in a classified position.

Department of Human Resource Management (DHRM) - State agency tasked with providing policies that govern the management of the State's workforce.

Web Time Entry (WTE) - A web-based system designed to enable employees to submit hours worked and leave information electronically, eliminating the paper submission of time slips, time and attendance forms, leave activity forms, and leave reports.

Scope

This policy applies to all classified employees and their supervisors.

Policy Statement

The leave policies allow classified employees to take paid and unpaid leave for several reasons, such as vacation, personal illness, or family-related matters. The University's leave reporting procedures promote consistent and accurate record keeping to ensure compliance with Federal and State requirements.

Provision of Leave for Full-Time Classified Employees

Classified employees accrue annual leave, which allows them to continue to receive full pay when they take time off from work. Classified employees have two different sick leave programs. Under the accrual system, sick leave is earned each pay period, and under the Virginia Sickness and Disability Program (VSDP), classified employees are allotted a certain amount of sick leave and family/personal leave on January 10 of each year. Both types of sick leave allow employees to continue to receive full pay when they take time off from work. Under certain conditions, classified employees may earn other paid leave, such as compensatory or overtime leave, for extra hours worked. These leave balances also may be used to take time off from work with full pay.

Employees who do not have adequate leave balances to cover necessary absences are placed on leave without pay. All leave taken and overtime or compensatory leave earned must be recorded via WTE or submitted to the Payroll Office on a Classified Exempt Manual Timesheet or a Classified Non-Exempt Manual Timesheet per their requirements. These manual timesheets are available on the Office of Finance forms web page.

All leave time must be earned or allotted before it can be used by the employee. Employees are credited with annual leave at the end of each completed pay period of service. Employees in the accrued sick leave program are also credited with sick leave at the end of each completed pay period of service. Pay periods are the 10th through the 24th and the 25th through the 9th of each month.

Annual leave and sick leave that is accrued is not available for use until the first day of the following pay period. No leave of absence with pay shall be granted in anticipation of future leave accruals or allotments.

As far as practicable, a leave of absence with pay will be granted at the time requested by the employee. Leave shall be requested in advance and approval is subject to the needs of the department. When the need for or time of an absence cannot be anticipated (i.e., illness) and when conditions warrant, the supervisor may approve leave after an absence.

Payment for leave is an expenditure of State funds and employee leave records are subject to audit. No classified employee shall receive pay for any leave taken in any pay period in which there was not sufficient accumulated leave to cover the absence. Failure to properly report and/or authorize leave may result in a financial obligation to the employee and/or the supervisor approving the leave. Disciplinary action may also be taken.

Provision of Leave for Part-Time Classified Employees

Part-time classified employees accrue annual leave on a prorated basis for each pay period of service. Part-time classified employees in the accrual sick leave program also receive sick leave on a prorated basis for each pay period of service. Part-time classified employees in the VSDP sick leave program receive the appropriate allotments of family/personal leave and sick leave based on each pay period of service. Part-time classified employees are also eligible for prorated community service leave, administrative leave and workers' compensation leave. The same policy and record keeping requirements apply for part-time classified employees.

Procedures

Leave Record Keeping

The leave records are maintained in the WTE system. Non-exempt employees enter the hours worked and any leave taken each pay period. Exempt employees enter any leave taken - or a statement that no leave was taken - each pay period. Hours should be reported to the nearest tenth of an hour as follows:

Required Approval

The employee submits the timesheet via WTE to the supervisor who can return it for correction, if necessary. When the timesheet is correct, the supervisor approves it through WTE and it is submitted to the Payroll Office. These submissions are considered electronic signatures of both the employee and the supervisor. Failure to properly report and/or authorize leave may result in a financial obligation to the employee and/or the supervisor approving the leave.

Certain types of leave require back-up documentation. Any required supporting documentation such as subpoenas or summons for the use of administrative leave, or military orders for military leave usage, are retained in the department files by the supervisor and are subject to audit.

A copy of military orders and/or form DD214 must be provided to the Department of Human Resources.

Employee Responsibilities

Employees are responsible for entering complete and accurate time and leave information via WTE by established deadlines each pay period.

Employees are also expected to:

• Comply with department procedures for requesting the use of leave including advance notification.
• Maintain sufficient leave balances for requested leave.
• Provide documentation to support use of leave when requested.
• Comply with policies governing specific leave benefits.

Supervisor Responsibilities

The accurate accounting of employee work hours is no less important than the accurate accounting of cash. The supervisor is responsible for assuring that complete and accurate leave information is submitted via WTE by established deadlines. Supervisors have the authority to disapprove annual, family/personal, compensatory or overtime leave requests.

The supervisor should:

• Monitor employee use of leave and leave balances in Banner WTE.
• Resolve discrepancies between departmental records and Banner WTE records.
• Request documentation to support leave when appropriate.
• Identify patterns of leave abuse and take corrective action;
• Deny leave requests, unless an emergency, when employees do not have sufficient balances to cover the absences;
• Notify the Department of Human Resources immediately for the following situations as unique reporting methods may be required to ensure accurate reporting:
  • Leave without pay
  • Short-term disability
  • Workers' Compensation absences
  • Employee requested leave without pay
  • Military Leave

Records Retention

Applicable records must be retained and then destroyed in accordance with the Commonwealth's Records Retention Schedules.

Responsible Officer

Recruitment and Employment Manager, Department of Human Resources

Related Information

Family and Medical Leave Act

Virginia Department of Human Resource Management Leave Policies

Old Dominion University's Office of Finance Web Time Entry Procedures

Department of Human Resources Leave Sharing Program