Personal Observance Leave
I. Purpose
Personal Observance Leave may be used by eligible employees on any day of significance to the employee, including days of cultural, religious, or personal importance.
II. Eligibility
All full-time employees in leave earning status will receive Personal Observance Leave. Temporary and interim employees are not eligible to receive this leave.
Newly hired employees are eligible for Personal Observance leave effective January 1 after the initial hire date.
III. Amount of Leave
- Full-time employees will receive seven and one half (7.5) hours of Leave each calendar year. The Leave will be credited to employees on January 1 each year.
- All Leave must be used on the same day.
- The Leave has no cash value and does not carry over each year. Leave unused within a calendar year is forfeited.
- This leave may not be transferred to other employees.
- If an employee separates from the College and moves to another State agency within the calendar year, unused leave may be transferred if the new agency accepts the leave.
IV. Use of Leave
- This leave may be used on any single day of significance to the employee, including but not limited to days of cultural and/or religious importance. The day on which leave is taken does not have to be a day from the employee’s own religious or cultural background.
- Employees may use this leave prior to exhausting any accumulated compensatory leave or other leave available to the employee.
- This leave may not be used as sick leave or on days already scheduled as vacation or a holiday in the College calendar.
- This leave will not be applied to existing negative leave balances. This leave cannot be donated under the Voluntary Shared Leave policy.
V. Approval of Leave
- Employees must receive approval from their immediate supervisor prior to using this leave. Requests for the use of leave should be made at least two (2) weeks prior to the expected day of leave.
- Supervisors will honor all leave requests unless the use of the leave will create a disruption in the College’s operation, in which case the supervisor may require the leave be taken at a time other than the time requested.
- Supervisors may not require a justification of the employee’s request to use the leave.
- It is the responsibility of an employee and their supervisor to ensure all leave is reported accurately.
