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
- For more information on leave policies for Academic, Unclassified, and Classified Employees, please review PM-20.
- Attendance and Leave Policy
- Holiday Schedule