Dear Colleagues,
This message is to clarify the process for managing Graduate Student Researchers’ (GSRs’) legacy vacation accruals.
Prior to unionization, GSRs were eligible for vacation accrual under the University of California’s policy-covered employee guidelines, APM – 730(0)(b). Under the collective bargaining agreement, GSRs receive a bank of Paid Time Off (PTO) rather than accruing vacation.
The University shall honor legacy vacation accruals, and GSRs with vacation balances will be able to continue to draw down their vacation leave balances during their current/next GSR appointment; however, no GSR shall accrue new vacation leave.
Key Action Items:
- Usage Prior to Separation: Departments should make every effort to allow GSRs to use any legacy vacation accruals prior to the end of their current/next GSR appointment.
- Payout Upon Separation or Transfer to a Non-Accruing Title: Unused legacy vacation balances must be paid out at separation (end of current/next GSR appointment) or the effective date of transfer to a non-accruing title.
- Accrued vacation shall be paid out at the employee’s pay rate at the time of separation. Payout of vacation accruals is not charged to the grant/funding sources currently paying the GSR at the time of payout.
- Payout is charged to the accrual accounts that are held centrally from when the accrual was generated.
- Please inform GSRs with legacy vacation accruals of their vacation balances and encourage them to plan accordingly if they anticipate separating from their position. Please also share this information with supervisors of the impacted GSRs.
For questions regarding legacy vacation accrual balances or processing payouts, please contact your finance officers in your school, department, and/or ORU.
Thank you for your attention to this matter and for supporting our graduate student researchers. Sincerely,
Office of Academic Personnel