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Changes to PTO and Vacation Usage for 2022

Changes Effective January 1, 2022

Several changes to PTO and Vacation policies took effect on January 1, 2022. The changes give staff employees more flexibility in using accrued time off and preventing forfeiture of excess time off balances. Below is a summary of the changes.

For questions related to PTO and Vacation usage or these changes, please contact .

NEW: PTO & PTO Sick Leave Half Days for Exempt Staff Employees

Effective January 1, 2022, exempt staff employees can use half-day PTO and PTO Sick Leave increments when needed, in addition to existing full-day increments. This new option offers more flexibility to use PTO and PTO Sick Leave in increments that more closely reflect actual usage. For example, half-day increments are ideal for personal errands and appointments that don’t require a full day of PTO or PTO Sick Leave.

NOTE: Holidays cannot be used in half-day increments.

Using Half-Day PTO & PTO Sick Leave

Below is important information about using half-day PTO & PTO Sick Leave:

  • For exempt staff, PTO & PTO Sick Leave accruals must be taken in half or full-day increments, not hourly.
  • You will enter half or full-day increments into ePTO when adding PTO or PTO Sick Leave to your calendar.
  • The ePTO system was updated on January 20, 2022 to allow for the entry of half days (to be applied to calendars January 1 and after).

Before requiring exempt staff to record a half-day of PTO or PTO Sick Leave, the supervisor should consider the employee’s work effort during the week and whether it exceeds the FTE status.

Here’s a quick guide on when to use half or full-day PTO or PTO Sick Leave:

  • Time off between ¼ and ¾ of a workday should be entered as a half day.
  • Time off for ¾ or more of a workday should be entered as a full day.
  • Time off for ¼ or less of a workday should NOT be entered as PTO or PTO Sick Leave.

The example below can help exempt employees working a typical eight-hour workday choose when to use half or full-day PTO or PTO Sick Leave increments.

Half-Day PTO or PTO Sick Leave Usage Based on an Eight-Hour Workday
Time Off 2 hours or less 2-6 hours 6+ hours
PTO / PTO Sick Leave Usage None Half day:
Enter 4 hours
Full day:
Enter 8 hours

Annual Usage Limits for PTO & Vacation Hours Eliminated

Effective January 1, 2022, usage limits for PTO and Vacation Hours are eliminated. With few exceptions, PTO and Vacation usage requires advance approval of supervisors. Be sure to talk to your supervisor about time off requests.

Carryover Limits Continue

For Exempt Staff and Non-Exempt Non-Union PAO and PAU Staff

There is no change to the amount of PTO that employees may carry over at the end of each year. The carryover limits are dependent upon service length, as follows:

  • Fewer than 60 months service = 240 hours carryover limit
  • More than 60 months service = 288 hours carryover limit

PTO Sick Leave Rollover Limit Waived for 2021, Increasing in 2022

For Exempt Staff and Non-Exempt Non-Union PAO and PAU Staff

Rolling unused year-end PTO into Sick Leave accounts can help staff employees manage larger PTO balances and ensure they have adequate time off to cover absences for personal and family medical needs.

2021 Calendar Year

For the 2021 rollover period that takes place in December 2021 through January 2022, there is no limit on PTO rollover to Sick Leave due to COVID-19. Rollover options and related instructions are available.

  • If staff have PTO in excess of the maximum carryover limit (240 for staff with fewer than 60 months service; 288 for staff with more than 60 months service), excess PTO hours will automatically roll over into their Sick Leave account in early January 2022. No action is required by the employee.
  • Staff may also choose to have additional PTO hours rolled over into Sick Leave or roll over PTO hours into Sick Leave even if they’re under the maximum PTO carryover amount. These two rollover options require action by the employee to determine the rollover amount to be moved during the appropriate rollover window. 

2022 Calendar Year

For the 2022 rollover period that takes place in December 2022 through January 2023, the amount of unused year-end PTO accruals that can be rolled over to Sick Leave is increasing to136 hours (announced 11/4/2022).