Annual and Sick Leave

 

Annual and Sick Leave

Annual leave is granted to an employee for rest and relaxation and to attend to personal matters.  Annual leave should be requested in advance, if possible, and must be approved by the employee's supervisor. A former state employee re-employed in state service within five years from the date of termination will have all unused/unpaid sick and annual leave reinstated. An employee will not be charged sick or annual leave if a paid holiday occurs on the day the employee is on sick or annual leave. Sick leave with pay is granted to employees suffering with a temporary disability which prevents them from performing their duties and responsibilities or for medical, dental, or optical consultation and/or treatment. As of June 11, 2020, Louisiana Act 241 also allows sick leave for caring for an immediate family member (spouse, parent, or child) who is ill or injured, or to accompany them to medical appointments. Sick leave cannot be advanced.

Full-time faculty and unclassified employees earn  sick and annual leave, however, full-time faculty and unclassified employees have an option of choosing between the LSU System  or Civil Service leave schedule (Leave Accumulation Table, see below).  Appointments must be greater than 50% of full time to be eligible to earn leave.  Period of Appointment (POA) employees are not eligible to earn leave, unless their appointment is for greater than 180 days, or is extended without a break in service to a period greater than 180 days.

Eligible part-time employees will earn a pro-rated amount of annual and sick leave based on the employee's percent of effort.

Eligible academic and unclassified employees on a fiscal year appointment have the choice of accruing leave under either the LSU System Leave Policy or the Civil Service Schedule.   Below is a chart that compares the two systems

LSU System Schedule

Civil Service Schedule

Years of Service

Accrual Rate/month

Maximum Leave Balance

Accrual Rate/Month

Maximum Leave Balance

0-3

14 hours

176 hrs./22 days

8 hours

No limit

3-5

14 hours

176 hrs./22 days

 10 hours

No limit

5-10

14 hours

176 hrs./22 days

 12 hours

No limit

10-15

14 hours

No Limit

 14 hours

No limit

15 and over

16 hours

No Limit

 16 hours

No limit

Things to Consider:

  • Accrual rate is higher under the LSU Leave System, but the maximum accrual of annual leave is limited to 176 hours (22 days) during the first 10 years of service.
  • There is no limit on the amount of annual leave you are allowed to accrue under the Civil Service System.
  • The two systems are identical after 10 years of service.
  • Your choice of leave accrual plan is irrevocable and must be made within your first 30 days of employment.
  • Both systems allow for unlimited accrual of sick leave.

All probationary and permanent Civil Service employees earn sick and annual leave.  Part-time Civil Service employees earn a pro-rated amount based on their percent of effort.  Below is the Civil Service Sick and Annual Leave Accrual Schedule.

Years of Service

Sick & Annual Hrs/Pay Period

 Approximate Days/Yr

0-3

3.688 hours

12 days annual/12 days sick

3-5

4.608 hours

15 days annual/15 days sick

5-10

5.536 hours

18 days annual/18 days sick

10-15

6.456 hours

21 days annual/21 days sick

15 and over

7.384 hours

24  days annual/24 days sick

The accrual rate for sick leave is identical under the LSU System and the Civil Service System. Sick leave is accrued based on the equivalent years of full-time service and is credited at the end of each regular pay period in accordance with the schedule below.  As of June 11, 2020, Louisiana Act 241 also allows sick leave for caring for an immediate family member (spouse, parent, or child) who is ill or injured, or to accompany them to medical appointments.

Years of Service

Accrual Rate/Month

Accrual Rate

Maximum Leave Balance

0-3

8 hours

12 days year

No limit

3-5

10 hours

15 days year

No limit

5-10

12 hours

18 days year

No limit

10-15

14 hours

21 days year

No limit

15 and over

16 hours

24 days year

No limit

Leave Without Pay (LWOP) is an approved temporary absence from duty in nonpaid status which is typically requested by the employee.

 

Supervisor/Department Administration Responsibilities:

Timely notification is business critical and the responsibility of both the employee and the Supervisor/Department Administration. Timely notifications mitigate the University’s risk of overpayments and inflated accruals to the employee.

  • Send an email to HRMLWOP@lsuhsc.edu using the following format when LWOP is taken for fifteen (15) consecutive working days or more for classified or unclassified non-exempt employees.
    • Employee Name
    • EMPLID
    • Job Title
    • Work Schedule (especially important for part-time employees)
    • LWOP Date(s)
  • Send an email to HRMLWOP@lsuhsc.edu using the following format on day 1 of LWOP being taken for academic and unclassified exempt employees.
    • Employee Name
    • EMPLID
    • Job Title
    • Work Schedule (especially important for part-time employees)
    • LWOP Date(s)

 

Leave Accrual Implications for Academic and Unclassified Exempt Employees:

The presence of LWOP during a given month will impact leave accrual as follows:

  • Full/partial day (as little as one hour) of LWOP = 50% accrual
  • LWOP for more than half of a given month or for the entire month = No accrual

 

For any questions regarding LWOP, please email HRMFMLA@lsuhsc.edu