Time Off & Leave

JHU’s leave policies apply for all full-time faculty. If you need to take leave for Short Term or Long Term Disability, Family Medical Leave, or Paid Parental Leave, notify your divisional HR Business Partner and contact Lincoln Financial Group up to 30 days in advance to open a claim. Refer to your Faculty Handbook for more information on how your pay, classes, and work schedule are affected by leave.

DC Family Leave

For eligible DC-campus employees, DC Paid Family Leave (PFL) and DC Family and Medical Leave (DC FMLA) work together with our employer programs to support you during life’s important moments. Learn more about DC Family Leave.

Family Leave Benefits Vary by State

Some states offer family leave or paid family leave benefits beyond what is provided by federal law or JHU. If you reside in one of these states, you may have access to additional time off or financial support during qualifying events.

For details on eligibility and next steps, please contact Lincoln Financial Group at 888-246-4483, who can guide you through your options and assist with the process.

In your first year of employment, you’ll have two floating holidays available for use during the fiscal year (July 1 to June 30) provided you were employed as of July 1 but no later than Dec. 31. If you were employed between Jan. 1 and May 31 of the fiscal year, you’ll have one floating holiday, to be used before June 30 of that year.

In subsequent years, staff members have two floating holidays to use during the fiscal year.

More information about floating holidays:

• Floating holiday use requires a supervisor’s approval.
• Staff members transferring from one university department to another can carry floating holidays to their new department.
• Floating holidays cannot be carried over from one fiscal year to another.
• Floating holidays must be taken in full-day increments. At termination, there is no payment for unused floating holidays.

Full and part-time staff members accrue sick leave at the rate of up to one (1) day per month to a maximum of 90 days. Sick leave is accrued on a pro-rata basis for individuals whose weekly work schedule falls below the full-time maximums of 35 (SAIS only), 37.5 or 40 hours per week.

A staff member accrues sick leave in the same month that they begin employment in either a full or part-time capacity. The leave is available for use in the same month that it is earned.

Limited-time, temporary, and casual staff members do not accrue sick leave but are eligible for eligible for Maryland Sick and Safe Leave.  To view the complete Maryland Sick and Safe Leave policy, please go to the JHU Policy & Document Library.

Staff members who must be absent due to illness or injury, pregnancy, or dental or medical appointment must notify their supervisor or designee in accordance with department procedures. Staff members may be required to furnish a written physician’s statement.

Maryland Sick and Safe Leave (MDSS):  A staff member who must be absent due to their own illness or injury or that of an immediate or extended family member or for safe reasons may charge the absence to accrued sick leave only up to a maximum of 80 hours in a fiscal year.  To view the complete Maryland Sick and Safe Leave policy, please go to the JHU Policy & Document Library.

Maryland Flexible Leave Act (MFLA):  A staff member who must be absent due to the illness or injury of an immediate family member or to accompany an immediate family member to a dental or medical appointment can charge the absence to accrued leave (sick, vacation, or floating holiday).

Wondering what happens to sick leave under various scenarios?

• Staff members transferring from one department to a staff position in another department within the university retain their accrued sick leave.
• Staff members transferring from a benefits-eligible status to a non-benefits-eligible status, faculty position, appointed position, or student classification will lose accrued sick leave.
• At termination, staff members are not paid for unused accrued sick leave.
• Staff members terminated for lack of funds or abolishment of position and rehired within a 12-month period are credited with unused sick leave outstanding at the time of termination.
• Support and senior staff who qualify as a retiree of the university can convert accrued, unused sick leave in excess of 45 days of accrual to cash payment. The maximum number of sick leave days that can be accrued is 90 days, and the maximum number that can be converted to cash payment is 45 days.
• A staff member who has been employed for one continuous year in a benefits-eligible status and resigns in good standing will be eligible to have credited unused sick leave outstanding at the time of the termination if the staff member returns to a benefits-eligible position within six months of termination date.

• Supervisor’s Guide for Managing Maryland Sick and Safe Leave (MDSS) for Hourly Staff and Students
• Supervisor’s Guide for Managing Maryland Sick and Safe Leave for Bargaining Unit Staff
• Maryland Sick and Safe Leave FAQs
• Maryland Flexible Leave Act Procedures

Vacation with pay is granted to all full- and part-time employees. Your vacation time begins to accrue the month you begin work (if your start date is prior to the 10th of the month; otherwise accrual begins the following month). Accrual continues through the month of termination if the date of termination is the 20th of the month or later.

How much vacation you will accrue depends on a variety of factors. Accruals for full-time staff:

• Senior staff: First and subsequent years accrue 1.83 (1-5/6) days per month.
• Support staff: First year accrue 0.83 (5/6) days per month. Second through seventh year, support staff accrue 1.25 (1-1/4) days per month. Eighth and subsequent years, support staff accrue 1.83 (15/6) days per month.

Full-time employees working fewer than 37.5 hours per week and part-time employees working at least 19 hours on a regularly scheduled basis earn vacation on a pro rata basis. Limited-time, temporary and casual staff members do not earn vacation.

You are eligible to take vacation leave after completing 120 days of continuous service in a regular full- or part-time status. Supervisors can waive the waiting period at their discretion. Vacation cannot be taken in advance of being earned.

Your vacation time will be scheduled at the mutual convenience of the department and yourself. If you’re a nonexempt employee, you may take vacation leave in increments of 15 minutes, while exempt staff may take vacation leave in increments of at least one-half day.

More about taking vacation time off:

• Payouts: Generally, you cannot take pay in lieu of earned vacation except at termination. However, accrued vacation is paid when a staff member changes status (for example, if you change from a benefits-eligible to a non-benefits-eligible status; from staff to faculty, appointed position, or student status).
• Accumulation: For staff hired or reinstated prior to July 1, 2013, accrued vacation is to be taken within 24 months of the month in which it is earned. For staff hired or reinstated on or after July 1, 2013, the maximum accrued unused vacation leave is 22 days.
• Holidays: University holidays occurring during a vacation period are not counted as vacation days. If a staff member is on a previously scheduled vacation and the university officially closes, the time the university is officially closed will not be charged to accrued vacation leave. However, the university must be officially closed for at least one half day.
• Maryland Flexible Leave Act (MFLA):  A staff member who must be absent due to the illness or injury of an immediate family member or to accompany an immediate family member to a dental or medical appointment can charge the absence to accrued leave (sick, vacation, or floating holiday).

Staff members who’ve worked for 120 days or more and whose employment is terminated will be paid for unused vacation leave unless the termination is for unauthorized taking of university money or property.

Eligible staff members hired or reinstated prior to July 1, 2013, receive pay for accrued unused vacation leave up to a maximum of 44 days. Staff hired or reinstated on or after July 1, 2013, receive pay for accrued unused vacation leave up to a maximum of 22 days.