The following summarizes guidelines for annual and bonus leave payout and transfer eligibility for faculty members.
Leave Payout Upon Separation From UNC-Chapel Hill
There is no payout of annual, bonus or sick leave for twelve-month faculty members when separating from employment from UNC-Chapel Hill. Nine-month faculty members earn no leave and therefore also have no eligibility for payout.
Twelve-month faculty members may negotiate the use of any remaining annual or bonus leave with their Department Chair prior to separation from the University. Department Chairs may set the final separation date taking into account the granting of such leave; however, this is at the Chair’s discretion based on the budgetary and operational limitations of the department.
Any remaining leave that may not be used prior to termination is forfeited. Forfeited leave may be donated to the University’s Voluntary Shared Leave Program if desired by the faculty member.
Only members of TSERS are eligible to have sick leave credit converted to creditable service upon retirement. For ORP participants, any unused sick leave balance at termination or retirement is forfeited.
Leave Payout Or Transfer And Phased Retirement
There is no payout or transfer of annual leave, bonus leave, or sick leave for faculty members entering the Phased Retirement Program. Although faculty members will earn pro-rata leave once they enter phased retirement based on their 1/2 time appointment status and leave accrual will start anew.
Faculty members may negotiate the use of any remaining annual or bonus leave with their Department Chair prior to entry into the Phased Retirement Program. Department Chairs may but are not required to grant such leave based on the budgetary and operational limitations of the department. Department Chairs do not have the discretion to allow any remaining vacation, bonus or sick leave balances to be transferred to the fixed term appointment the faculty member will hold during phased retirement. Remaining leave balances are forfeited when the faculty member enters phased retirement.
Any remaining vacation, bonus or sick leave not used prior to the date of their retirement, i.e. before entering phased retirement, will be forfeited. Forfeited leave may be donated to the University’s Voluntary Shared Leave Program if desired by the faculty member.
Only members of TSERS are eligible to have sick leave credit converted to creditable service upon retirement. For ORP participants, any unused sick leave balance at termination or retirement is forfeited.
Transfer Or Payout Of Leave
Twelve-month faculty members transferring to another department or transferring to an EHRA Non-Faculty or SHRA position are not eligible to transfer or payout of any remaining annual or bonus leave. Any remaining sick leave will transfer. Nine-month faculty members earn no leave and therefore also have no eligibility for transfer or payout.
Twelve-month faculty members may negotiate the use of any remaining annual or bonus leave with their Department Chair prior to transferring to another department, transferring to an EHRA Non-Faculty or SHRA job, or prior to separation from the University. Department Chairs may set the final termination date taking into account the granting of such leave; however, this is at the Chair’s discretion based on the budgetary and operational limitations of the department.
Any remaining leave that may not be used prior to termination from the faculty position is forfeited. Forfeited leave may be donated to the University’s Voluntary Shared Leave Program if desired by the faculty member.
Transfer Of Leave To Or From Other State Agencies Or UNC Campuses
Annual leave and bonus leave do not transfer to UNC-Chapel Hill from other State agencies or UNC System campuses and should be paid out by such agency or campus in accordance with their specific policies. Note that each State agency or UNC System campus may have different policies with regard to acceptance of leave from other agencies.
While faculty members are not eligible for pay out of annual or bonus leave upon separating from UNC-Chapel Hill, the transfer of a twelve-month faculty member’s unused leave when moving to another State agency or UNC System campus may be governed by different policies of that agency or campus. If such agency or campus wishes to receive a letter certifying the amount of leave forfeited by a faculty member upon their separating from UNC-Chapel Hill, they should contact the Academic Personnel Office at 962-1091.
Payout Of Leave In The Event Of Death
In the event of the death of a twelve-month faculty member (fixed term, tenure track or tenured) active or on-leave status with the University, annual leave earned but not taken, up to a maximum of 240 hours and all earned bonus leave, will be paid to the estate of the faculty member.
Note: This policy was originally established by the Office of the Vice Chancellor and General Counsel, reaffirmed and now applicable to all departments of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill by the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost on February 7, 2007.