A-to-Z Index

Employee Benefits

University Holidays JMU Policy 1102
The university observes 12 paid holidays per year and, due to the academic schedule, these holidays are set annually. JMU holidays usually include:

  • January 1
  • Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
  • Memorial Day
  • Independence Day
  • Thanksgiving
  • The day after Thanksgiving
  • December 25
  • Personal Leave Day (employees must use full eight hours at one time)

To receive holiday pay, employees must either work or be on paid leave the workday before and the workday after the holiday with the exception of a holiday that falls on the first day of a pay period.

If a holiday falls on the first workday of a pay period (10th or 25th) employees that are scheduled to begin employment or return from leave with or without pay on the day following the holiday, then the first day of the pay period will be considered to be the first day worked or the first day of return from leave such that the employees will be eligible to receive holiday pay.

The Governor may authorize additional time off. Any additional days granted will be scheduled at that time.

Visit JMU's current holiday schedule on the Human Resources website.

Annual Leave/Vacation DHRM Policy 4.10
JMU full-time, classified employees accrue paid annual leave that can be taken for any purpose. Annual leave is subject to supervisor's approval based on the business needs of the department. The leave year runs from January 10 of the current year through January 9 of the following year. The rate at which annual leave is accrued depends on length of state service. An employee must work an entire pay period or be on approved paid leave in order to accrue annual leave at the end of each pay period. Annual leave is accrued at midnight on the 9th of each month. Employees are allowed to carry their annual leave balance forward into the new leave year based on their months of state service. Upon leaving state service, employees will be paid for unused annual leave up to the maximum allowed based on months of state service. Refer to the chart for maximum carry-over limits and maximum payout limits as related to months of state service: 

Years of Service

Hours Accrued per Pay Period

Hours Accrued per Leave Year

Maximum Carry-over Limits

Maximum Payout Limits

0-5 years

4 hours

96 hours

(12 days)

192 hours

(24 days)

192 hours

(24 days)

5-10 years

5 hours

120 hours

(15 days)

240 hours

 (30 days)

240 hours

(30 days)

10-15 years

6 hours

144 hours

(18 days)

288 hours

 (36 days)

288 hours

(36 days)

15-20 years

7 hours

168 hours

(21 days)

336 hours

(42 days)

288 hours

 (36 days)

20-25 years

8 hours

192 hours

(24 days)

384 hours

(48 days)

336 hours

(42 days)

25 years +

9 hours

216 hours

(27 days)

432 hours

(54 days)

336 hours

(42 days)

Sick Leave (for employees hired prior to January 1, 1999 NOT in VSDP) DHRM Policy 4.55
Sick leave protects employees against loss of pay when they must miss work because of illness or injury. Sick leave is earned at the rate of five hours for each semi-monthly pay period with no maximum accrual limit.

Sick leave may also be used for illness of an immediate family member which includes mother, father, children, spouse, sister, brother, step-parents, step-children or any other blood relative living within the household. Family sick leave is limited to 48 hours per leave year (January 10 of current year through January 9 of the next year). Up to three days of sick leave may be used for the death of an immediate family member, as defined above. Sick leave is subject to supervisor's approval. Supervisors may request medical documentation for any absences related to illness. All absences over three workdays require medical documentation which should include dates of absence.

Upon separation, with five years of state service, employees are eligible to be paid 25% of accumulated, unused sick leave up to a maximum of $5,000. 

Virginia Sickness and Disability Program (VSDP) DHRM Policy 4.57
All full-time, classified employees hired on or after January 1, 1999 are automatically enrolled in VSDP. Under this program, employees are provided sick leave and family/personal leave each January 10. Sick and family/personal leave cannot be carried forward from one leave year to the next. VSDP leave is subject to supervisor's approval. All absences over 24 hours require medical documentation which should include the dates of absence. After a one year waiting period, VSDP also provides short-term and long-term disability benefits at 60%.

The following chart reflects the rates for sick leave and family/personal leave according to months of state service:

Sick Leave

Current Full -Time

Months of State Service

Sick Leave Hours/Days

Less than 60

64 (8 workdays)

60 to 119

72 (9 workdays)

120 or more

  80 (10 workdays)

New Full -Time

Employment Begin Date

Sick Leave Hours/Days

January 10 - July 9

64 (8 workdays)

July 10 - January 9

40 (5 workdays)

Family/Personal Leave

Current Full -Time

Months of State Service

Family/Personal Hours/Days

Less than 60

32 (4 workdays)

60 to 119

32 (4 workdays)

120 or more

40 (5 workdays)

New Full -Time

Employment Begin Date

Family/Personal Hours/Days

January 10 - July 9

32 (4 workdays)

July 10 - January 9

16 (2 workdays)

Family and Medical Leave JMU Policy 1308
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) requires the university to give eligible employees job-protected leave for the birth, adoption, or foster care of a child, or the serious health condition of the employee or their immediate family member (child, spouse or parent), or because of a qualifying exigency (as defined by the Department of Labor): a call to active duty of a spouse, son, daughter or parent, or having been notified of an impending call or order to active duty in the Armed Forces in support of a contingency operation, or caregiver leave for a seriously ill or injured service member that is a spouse, son, daughter, parent or being the nearest blood relative to the injured service member.

To be eligible, employees must have been employed at least 12 months and provided at least 1,250 hours of service during the 12-month period prior to the leave request. Eligible employees are entitled to 12 weeks of unpaid leave during any 12-month period for the circumstances stated above.

The 12-week period is calculated starting from the date the employee begins FMLA leave. Eligible employees have the option of using paid leave, as appropriate under each particular leave policy, for absences covered under FMLA. The agency may designate such leave as Family and Medical Leave. If leave is taken under FMLA, the employee has a guaranteed right to return to their prior job, or in unusual cases, a job with equivalent status and pay. Health benefits continue during the leave at the same level and conditions as if the employee had continued to work.

If both parents are employed by the university, they are entitled to a total of 12 weeks of leave between them (rather than 12 weeks each) for the birth or placement of a child for adoption or foster care, to care for a sick or injured dependent, exigency military leave or up to 26 weeks for military caregiver leave.

To take FMLA, 30-days advance notice must be given to the supervisor when it is foreseeable for the birth of a child, placement of a child for adoption or foster care or for planned medical treatment. When it is not possible to provide advance notice, the employee must notify the supervisor as soon as practical.

Intermittent leave that is medically necessary may be taken without the supervisor's approval for each absence. Proper notice should be provided to the supervisor even though the supervisor's permission to use leave is not required. Supervisors must approve requests for intermittent leave if used for the birth, adoption or foster care placement of a child.

Certification from the family's health care provider must be provided to Human Resources to support FMLA.

For complete information on FMLA, please contact a benefits coordinator at (540) 568-3970 or refer to JMU Policy 1308.

Civil and Work-Related Leave DHRM Policy 4.05
Civil and work-related leave may be granted to serve on a jury, appear in court as a witness under subpoena, or to attempt resolution of work-related problems. Civil and work-related leave may also be taken when testing and/or interviewing for other state positions. Reasonable travel time may be included. If use of this leave for interviewing becomes excessive, it may be restricted. Supervisor advance approval is required for civil and work-related leave. Written verification may be required. Court documentation is required when serving on a jury or appearing in court as a witness.

Emergency/Disaster Leave JMU policy 1113
This policy provides a method to grant up to 80 hours of paid leave annually to qualifying employees who are called away from their regular jobs to provide specific kinds of emergency services during defined times of state and/or national disasters. This leave may also be granted to employees who are victims of disasters that meet the criteria specified within the policy.

Educational Leave DHRM Policy 4.15
Educational leave may be provided at the discretion of the university. It is limited to 12 months and may be granted with full, partial or no pay for the purpose of allowing employees time to further their education through a course of study related to their work or that of the university.

Leave Sharing JMU Policy 1328
Leave sharing allows classified employees to donate annual leave to classified co-workers who do not participate in the Virginia Sickness and Disability Program (VSDP) and who need additional sick leave. All employees, including employees in VSDP, may request donated annual leave if the employee experiences leave without pay due to a family member's illness/injury for which the employee is using Family and Medical Leave (FMLA).

Leave sharing is designed to benefit classified employees with chronic illnesses, serious injuries or qualifying FMLA who have exhausted their other leave options. Employees who are in need of leave donations or who would like to be added to the list of potential leave donors should contact the benefits leave coordinator at (540) 568-3974.

Leave Without Pay JMU policy 1319
Employees may be granted leave without pay with the approval of their supervisor. Requests for leave without pay must be presented in writing to the employee's supervisor. Leave without pay may not be granted for more than 12 calendar months, except for extended illness or injury, or for military active duty. Leave without pay may be granted for:

  • Educational leave (more than the allowable leave with pay)
  • Military leave
  • Medical
  • Personal reasons

Leave without pay may be unconditional or conditional based on the needs of the department as determined by the supervisor. Unconditional leave without pay guarantees reinstatement to one's former position. When reinstatement to one's former position does not appear practical because of the university's need to fill the job, the employee may be placed on conditional leave without pay. Conditional leave allows employees to retain prior sick and annual leave credits, but, if one's position has been filled, does not obligate the university to reinstate the employee. If you are unable to obtain a position at JMU or another state agency, the employee will be separated from state service when the leave without pay expires. There is no leave accrual while an employee is on leave without pay status.

Military Leave DHRM Policy 4.50
Members of a military unit, the National Guard, Naval Militia or Armed Forces Reserves are entitled to 15 workdays of leave per federal fiscal year (October 1 to September 30) for federally-funded military duty. Whether the duty is fragmented, the employee is still entitled to 15 workdays of leave per federal fiscal year. A copy of the military orders or other official documentation must accompany the employee's request for military leave. If ordered to duty because of an emergency, the employee must supply supporting documentation upon return to work to verify the use of military leave.

School Assistance and Volunteer Service Leave DHRM Policy 4.40
Employees may take up to 16 hours of paid leave per leave year to provide volunteer services through eligible non-profit organizations or school assistance. Examples of eligible organizations include volunteer rescue squads, volunteer fire departments, the American Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity. For school assistance, employees with children may be granted paid leave to meet with a teacher or administrator of a public or private preschool, elementary school, middle school or high school concerning their children, stepchildren or children for whom the employee has legal custody or attend a school function in which such children are participating. Any employee may be granted paid leave to perform volunteer work approved by any teacher or school administrator to assist a public preschool, elementary, middle or high school.

Supervisors may request verification for school assistance and volunteer service leave. Documentation would consist of a statement signed by an official of the service organization/school confirming times and duration of the activity. This leave does not carry over from one leave year to the next. As with any scheduled leave, prior approval from the employee's supervisor is required.

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