HR-406 Development Leave

Summary

This policy applies only to administrative, service and support employees. Development leave may be taken for a period of time up to a full year. Employees applying for development leaves should seek external fellowship or grant support whenever possible, but whether or not such funding is available, employees on development leave may receive up to full salary. Additional travel and expense funds may be provided as deemed appropriate. Development leave may be granted when the requirements of the department permit and when such leave is demonstrated to be in the best interests of the University.

If any part of this policy does not reflect the Collected Rules and Regulations (CRR), the provisions of the CRR will govern.

Policy

Per CRR 340.090: Development Leave (Amended Bd. Min. 9/26/19):

Eligible Employees -- Administrative, Service and Support employees are eligible to apply for a development leave to pursue personal, professional, instructional, or administrative development. (Faculty eligibility and conditions for development leave are addressed in CRR 340.070.)
Conditions for Granting Leave
1. Development leave may be taken for a period of time up to a full year.
2. If an Administrative, Service & Support employee receives external fellowship or grant support for a development leave, the University may supplement such support to provide full regular salary; if such external support is not received, the University may provide full regular salary. Additional travel funds and leave related expenses may be provided as deemed appropriate.
3. Administrative, Service & Support employees who are granted paid development leaves must state their intention to return to the University for the same amount of time they plan to be gone. Return of the employee for such period of time does not guarantee that the period of such leave shall be taken into account as service credit for purposes of any University retirement plan. Exemptions to returning to the University at the conclusion of the leave can only be granted by the president upon recommendation of the chancellor.
4. All Administrative, Service & Support employees must file a report of their accomplishments during the leave period as specified by their chancellor or chancellor's designee.

Further HR Policy Provisions

Additional HR-406 policy provisions below in accordance with CRR 340.090:

Request and Approval
1. Leave Request
  1. The employee initiates the request by completing all applicable sections on the Request for Leave of Absence.
  2. The completed form is signed by the department chairperson or supervisor and then forwarded to the dean or administrative head.
  3. The dean or administrative head then signs and forwards all copies for approval in accordance with current delegation of authority.
2. Leave Approval
  1. The president's approval is required for all leave requests, except those for which authority has been delegated to chancellors and those for UM System staff for which the president has delegated authority to vice presidents.
  2. After approval in accordance with current delegation of authority, the department processes the Personnel Action Form.
Accrued Leave
1. The period of the development leave is counted as length of service in computing vacation accrual rates.
2. Employees will continue to accumulate vacation and sick leave during the leave if they are in pay status.
3. Personal days are retained up to the maximum allowed, but must be used before the end of the anniversary year.
Holiday Pay
Employees in pay status will receive holiday pay during development leave.
Benefit Costs and Retirement Contributions
1. Benefits’ Costs
  Benefits’ costs will be deducted from payroll checks if the employee is in pay status.
  - Benefit costs must be paid in advance if the employee is on leave without pay.
2. Retirement
  Employee contributions to the University’s retirement plan will be deducted from payroll checks if the employee is in pay status or required for leave periods that are recognized as service credit under the plan for which partial or full salary is paid.
  - Employee contributions are not required during periods for which no salary is paid.
Failure to Return to Work
1. Should an employee fail to return to work upon expiration of a development leave, the department is responsible for initiating procedures to terminate the employee's services.
2. An employee is required to reimburse the University within three (3) months for salary and benefits except Worker's Compensation provided during the leave period should they not return to work with the University and remain employed in full-time status for a period equal to the same amount of time they were on paid development leave.

Summary

Policy

Further HR Policy Provisions

See Also