Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon Portland Community College

Section 19: Absences and Leaves

Vacation

Full-time management and confidential employees will accrue vacation at the rate of 14.67 hours per month for a maximum of 22 days vacation per year. Confidential employees who were earning vacation at a rate of 16.67 hours per month at the time the Confidential Employees Handbook was adopted in November 1993 will be “grand-fathered” at that rate until the employee accepts a position outside of the “confidential group”. Part-time employees will accrue vacation on a pro-rated basis. 

In order to be eligible for vacation accrual in any given month, the employee must have ten paid work days in that month. A maximum of 250 hours (31 days) of vacation may be carried over from year to year. For purposes of administering this provision, the year cycle runs from August 21st  to August 20th of the following year. If an employee becomes sick or injured while on vacation, the employee may choose to use unused sick leave for the period of time sick or injured. Vacation may be taken during the year as scheduled with the employee’s supervisor.

Holidays

Management, supervisory and confidential employees shall be paid for 11 holidays for a maximum of 88 hours per year. These holidays are: Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, day after Thanksgiving, day before Christmas, Christmas Day, day after Christmas, New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day and Memorial Day. Observance of these holidays may occur at times other than actual date of the holiday in order to provide the College with maximum flexibility in determining College closure dates.

Employees who work less than full-time shall be paid for the above listed holidays, pro-rated on the basis of FTE. For example, an employee who works half time (.5 FTE) shall receive the equivalent of four hours pay for a holiday.

Sick Leave

Absences due to illness must be communicated to the supervisor as soon as possible and recorded on monthly timecards. The supervisor may require a licensed physician’s signed statement or other management approved verification of illness or injury for each period of absence of five or more consecutive days.

  • Accrual: Full-time employees will earn one day of sick leave each month up to a maximum of 12 days per year. Part-time employees will accrue sick leave on a pro-rated basis. Sick leave may accumulate for an unlimited number of days.
  • Extended Partial Pay: An annual full-time employee who has been employed for 12 consecutive months or more and who has exhausted all accumulated sick leave and vacation shall be entitled to an additional 20 days sick leave paid at the rate of two-thirds of their scheduled daily salary rate if they are on an approved medical leave. Full-time employees who are eligible for extended partial leave but work partial days while on leave will be paid 2/3 their rate for the hours not worked each day up to the value of 20 days times 2/3 their rate.  This benefit shall renew annually from the date on which the last day of such benefit shall have been used.
  • Extended Illness or Injury:  Absences in excess of the total number of days for which paid or partially paid leave is authorized shall be without pay.

Bereavement Leave

Death in Immediate Family: An employee may be absent up to five days following a death in their immediate family. Such leave may be extended at the discretion of the Executive Officer with the provision that additional days are charged against accumulated sick leave of the employee.

For this purpose, “immediate family” shall include parent, parent-in-law, step-parent, brother, sister, son, daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, husband, wife, domestic partner, grandparent, grandchild, or other person residing in the employee’s household.

Death of Other Relative or Friend: An employee may be absent one day to attend the funeral of a relative other than one of those included under “immediate family”. An employee may be absent from work for the time required to attend the funeral of a friend, providing such absence shall not exceed one day. In either case if circumstances require a longer absence on the part of the employee, the employee may apply to their supervisor for extended leave. Such extended leave requires approval of the appropriate executive officer. Such additional leave is charged against accumulated sick leave of the employee.

Personal Leave

Full-time employees shall have three personal leave days (a maximum of 24 hours) annually, to be used within the year. Whenever possible, the immediate supervisor should be given 48 hours advance notice when an employee is using personal leave.

Management or confidential employees hired after September 30th are granted personal leave pro-rated on the basis of the number of months they will work in the fiscal year. For less than full-time employees, the maximum hours are pro-rated on the basis of FTE. For purposes of administering this provision, the year cycle runs from August 21st to August 20th of the following year.

Jury Duty

An employee subpoenaed for jury duty shall be excused without loss of pay. Any per diem fees (excluding mileage and meals) paid for such duty shall be paid to the College. The jury duty summons should be attached to your timesheet.

Court Witness

An employee subpoenaed to appear as a witness in a case in court shall be excused for that purpose without loss of pay. A copy of the subpoena will be filed with Human Resources. Any witness fees (excluding mileage, parking and meals) paid to the employee shall be paid to the College through the campus Student Account Services.

Military Leave

  • Annual Leave: Employees with 6 months of PCC employment and who are members of one of the reserve components of the armed forces of the United States or the Oregon National Guard shall be entitled to leave without loss of pay for military duty for a period or periods not to exceed a total of 15 calendar days for each calendar year. A copy of official orders specifying the dates and location of such military duty shall be submitted with the employee’s timesheet.
  • Extended Leave: In the event a PCC employee is called for military service other than the annual leave specified above, the College will apply the provisions of the Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Rights Act (USERRA).

General Leave of Absence Information

Occasional illness, personal problems or participation in constructive activities may require absence from work for an extended period of time other than that for approved vacations. Whenever an employee is going to be off work for longer than 10 days (other than for approved vacation), in order to protect their benefit and employment status, the employee must submit a written request for leave. Such request should be submitted as far in advance as possible.

Leave of Absence Request forms are available in the Benefits Office or from the Human Resources web pages. All leaves without pay shall be approved by the supervisor and the executive officer. Once all accrued vacation and/or sick leave (including accrued compensatory time and extended partial sick leave pay, if applicable) is exhausted, the employee will be placed on leave without pay or benefits. (Health care premiums up to the maximum monthly College contribution will continue to be paid by the College as required when an employee is on a leave covered by either Oregon or Federal leave acts.) While on Leave of Absence without pay an employee shall be permitted to purchases benefits comparable to those received as a paid employee of the College. Such leave shall not exceed one year computed from the last day the employee worked.

Employees returning from such leave will return to their previous position provided the position has not been eliminated.

During the absence, benefits and pay will be calculated by Payroll and the Benefits Office and communicated to the employee by the Benefits Office.

Failure to return to the institution after one year shall terminate the relationship between the individual and the College.

Parental Leave, Pregnancy Leave, Family Medical Leave

These leaves are governed by Federal and State laws. For the most current regulations and procedures for use, contact Human Resources.